The faces of a changing Hudson: residents reflect on city’s shifts

Newcomers and longtime residents consider the latest pandemic-fueled wave of migration. Written and photographed for Times Union Hudson Valley.

By Jessica Chappe and Annie Reynolds 

The Hudson area has historically been a destination for second homeowners and weekend getaways from New York City. But during the pandemic, urbanites moved north to settle in Hudson at an unprecedented rate, with a 204 percent spike in the number of people who changed their address from New York City to Columbia County — from 412 in 2019 to 1,254 in 2020. 

The transition to remote work has altered the local fabric of Hudson and towns across the region. New residents are enjoying more space for work and family, the fresh air and rolling hills of Columbia County. Long-term residents are facing a changing downtown and the city’s largest population growth in decades. All are dealing with rising housing costs.

In interviews with over a dozen people in this city of 6,000, new and seasoned residents shared their personal experiences of a changing Hudson.

Link to the full article can be found on Time Union Hudson Valley or on my site.