New York has had more residents move out than any other state in the nation, according to a new report on migration trends since the turn of the century.

The Empire Center for Public Policy report used information from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service. It found that New York state has had a net loss of 1.54 million residents, or 8 percent, since 2000.

“What accounts for New York’s chronic inability to attract and retain more Americans than it loses every year? Any attempt to answer that question must begin with New York’s state and local tax burden,” the report says.

“In Upstate New York, housing is relatively inexpensive but even more heavily taxed, and new economic opportunities have been scarce,” the report says. “Weather, on the other hand, seems less compelling as an explanation. Cold winters haven’t stopped New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Minnesota from adding population while upstate New York has been shrinking.”

Erie County suffered a loss of 40,635 residents, a decline of 4.3 percent. The Buffalo metropolitan area, which includes Erie and Niagara counties, lost 54,165 residents, or 4.6 percent.

Among other metropolitan areas, New York City saw 1.18 million residents exit, a drop of 13.9 percent. Rochester’s population declined by 43,302, or4.2 percent. Syracuse was down 26,945, or 4.1 percent.

The Albany area was the lone region of the state to gain residents — a total of 6,400 residents moving in from other areas, an increase of 0.8 percent. A measurement of net taxpayer migration, using federal income tax returns from 2000-2007 showed the majority of those exiting the Buffalo area (35,232) relocated to Florida (11,497) followed by North Carolina (4,496). Coincidentally, those two states have been hit hard by the recession.

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