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(this is a copy of my thread in the general NYS section regarding all of WNY-but Buffalo specific now).
I left WNY (Lockport area) in the early 1990s and moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I just happened to look up the population of my new town, and found that since 1990 it has more than doubled in size. Which had me decide to go back and look into my hometown and see how much it had grown.
From 1990 to now, Lockport had dropped from ~24k to 20k. OK thought that might be isolated news, so I looked further.
Buffalo dropped from 328K to 256 (22%!) That's a huge change!
What's going on? I didn't expect the explosive growth the west is seeing-but I didn't expect declines either-particularly not ones that large. Are you seeing the areas of abandoned homes like Detroit has made famous? What is happening to cause this kind of exodus? While I don't intend to return, I wish those there the best and was a bit shocked to see this. One city, I could see. Lockport was a GM town and a downturn to one manufacturer hurts the whole city. But so widespread? What is causing nearly 1/4 of the population to leave the city? I admit I've pretty much lost touch since leaving.
Just dug a little further-6.7% unemployment? That's a huge number-are more major manufacturers leaving?
LOL, silly toyman. You left. And so did everyone else that could not find decent work. It sure must be some stunning scenery out there in Idaho. So much so, you had no idea what was going on where you grew up.
Its still just as pretty in Western NY as you remember it, just alot fewer folk.
Homes are cheap, but real estate taxes... well they are very high. (depends on of course who you ask. I think 6000 per year anywhere in western NY is too high. but thats just me)
Have no fear, this thread is about to take off. Im cooking up some popcorn, and gonna get a "coeurs" to sip on. lol
Enjoy~!
The 2nd ring suburbs are growing. My town is definitely growing.
Ny in general is experiencing a net population loss. Many are now more awake to how bad this state screws people, restrictive regulations and excessive tax burdens. People who are productive are increasingly leaving to move for better locations, more freedoms and lower taxes. The productive tax payers who leave are replaced by refugees or illegals. On paper the state's total population number is fairly consistent but its more complicated as producers and tax payers leave they are replaced by takers and moochers further increasing the burden on those who are still here.
You lucky duck. Northern Idaho is probably my ideal relocation destination. If I could figure out an employment situation to get established I would On my way
Not just WNY - the entire group of Rust Belt cities have shrunk 18% (Pittsburgh) to 34% (Detroit) since 1990. Most of the rural Midwest has also shrunk, along with the interior Appalachia. Even Birmingham Alabama (a Southern former steel town) shrunk 20% since 1990. Deindustrialization, lack of jobs, and shrinking household size, few immigrants for decades compared to the Coasts and the South. Even successful cities that reinvented themselves like Pittsburgh shrunk, and continue to shrink.
One difference recently is Buffalo stopped shrinking in the last few years - no big increases, but this year's estimate did show an increase in Buffalo and Erie County. The other Rust Belt cities and counties still showed losses this year.
The 2nd ring suburbs are growing. My town is definitely growing.
Ny in general is experiencing a net population loss. Many are now more awake to how bad this state screws people, restrictive regulations and excessive tax burdens. People who are productive are increasingly leaving to move for better locations, more freedoms and lower taxes. The productive tax payers who leave are replaced by refugees or illegals. On paper the state's total population number is fairly consistent but its more complicated as producers and tax payers leave they are replaced by takers and moochers further increasing the burden on those who are still here.
You lucky duck. Northern Idaho is probably my ideal relocation destination. If I could figure out an employment situation to get established I would On my way
The 2nd ring suburbs are growing. My town is definitely growing.
Ny in general is experiencing a net population loss.
No it is not. NY State population has increased by 2.4% since 2010. The latest Census estimate showed an increase of 104,110 people between 2016 and 2017.
Most of that is certainly in the NYC area, but the state population is still increasing.
The 2nd ring suburbs are growing. My town is definitely growing.
Ny in general is experiencing a net population loss. Many are now more awake to how bad this state screws people, restrictive regulations and excessive tax burdens. People who are productive are increasingly leaving to move for better locations, more freedoms and lower taxes. The productive tax payers who leave are replaced by refugees or illegals. On paper the state's total population number is fairly consistent but its more complicated as producers and tax payers leave they are replaced by takers and moochers further increasing the burden on those who are still here.
You lucky duck. Northern Idaho is probably my ideal relocation destination. If I could figure out an employment situation to get established I would On my way
I was trying to leave attacks on the state out-but taxes were atrocious when I left. I sold a little home in Wilson for $75k in '93-property tax on that dumpy little thing then were $2700 a year. My current place is on a lake, 20 acres and conservatively worth 6-7x that and taxes, while still far too high, are around $2400.
Are illegals and refugees really that big an issue in WNY? I would expect that in NYC, but not WNY-when I left illegals weren't an issue. We had migrant farm workers-but there is a legal worker program for them.
I had the idea that the employment situation and population were pretty stable (until last night). Sad to see. The steel mills closed before I left and I thought the business hemorrhage had largely ended.
NYS is really a pretty nice state as far as natural attractions. The Great Lakes, Finger Lakes region, Adirondacks, Niagara Falls. I've traveled a lot of this country and it had a natural mix of features that rival anywhere. And the winter weather is overrated-our winters are about as long in north Idaho, though not as cold. The biggest difference is we get some sun, and actually have trees with color in the winter! But we don't get the fall colors.
Are the surrounding states doing as badly? Always enjoyed Vermont and NH when I visited there. I am considering coming back on vacation to visit. But the state's gun laws have me pushing it off. AFAIK there is no legal way for a non-resident to possess a handgun in the state (let alone carry). I always carry when traveling by motorcycle.
No it is not. NY State population has increased by 2.4% since 2010. The latest Census estimate showed an increase of 104,110 people between 2016 and 2017.
Most of that is certainly in the NYC area, but the state population is still increasing.
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