urban exodus
Fleeing the metropolis
Urban exodus describes the large-scale movement of people away from cities to suburbs, smaller towns, or rural areas.
The phrase echoes biblical exodus, suggesting mass departure from unfavorable conditions—high costs, crowding, crime, or pandemic concerns.
The urban exodus accelerated during COVID as remote work freed people from city centers.
The phenomenon reshapes both the places people leave and those they settle.
- city lifeExistence in populated centers
- suburbanizationGrowth of outlying residential areas
- flightAerial journey by aircraft
- migrationMovement to new territory
- relocationPermanent change of residence
sprawl · commute · countryside · open spaces · remote · telecommuting · pandemic · density · congestion · rush hour · housing · housing prices · affordability · cost of living · displacement · downtown · metropolis · rural
- movementwalk, move, go, run, jump
- migrationmigration, immigrants, refugees, immigration, emigration
- rural livingfarmhouse, cottage, cabin, homesteading, country living
urban exodusgentrification
Wealthy influx displacing locals
urban renewal · urban revitalization · downtown revival · urban growth · urban infill
urban, exodus, urbane, urbanize, urbanization, urbanized, urbanity, suburban, suburbanite