Which areas are more economically depressed: Upstate NY or Michigan? (live, cost)
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With the economy as bad as it is, it seems you would have to be completely insane to move to either place. I grew up in upstate NY, and it always was relatively bad economically. The southern tier from Jamestown to Binghamton in particular is like going back in time 50 years it seems. Michigan seems to get a bad rap as the worst area in the nation economically, but can't see how landing a decent job there is more difficult than in places like Elmira or Buffalo. Anybody who has lived in both areas and can relate?
New York continues to look worst day by day. Political scandals, corruption & poor economy. I think many people are reconsidering the status of New York as an empty promise.
Well, the OP isn't talking about New York as a whole, but upstate in particular (all that isn't a part of the NYC metro which continues to do pretty well). I think Michigan has a few more bright spots than upstate New York does (with some areas that could probably count as doing well) even though Detroit and the Tri-Cities area have been hit really hard.
Just from stats, I would say Michigan. I believe it's one of the few states that may experience a population decline for the 2010 census.
I have been to upstate New York as well as parts of western New York. It's so funny that when people say "New York" the first thing that comes to mind is the bustling New York City image.
But outside of NYC, New York state can be quite depressing, especially those places along the PA border and the western cities. As someone who lives in the middle of the rust belt/northern Appalachia, some the poverty I saw in NY was quite shocking and unexpected.
Also as someone mentioned, it was like going back in time. Just ironic because New York as a whole as a "cutting edge" modern image.
I would say upstate NY it the fastest declining. Michigan it seems has already hit rock bottom. But upstate NY (western NY really) is just not an attractive place to live for most people. I would like to live in Buffalo or Rochester because I am a fan of rust belt, but it is faitly flat compared to the eastern side of the state, it is colder, snowier, smaller, and it costs too much tax wise to even want to be loyal to it for many residents. One of my employees is from Buffalo, and while he left Buffalo looking for a place with lower taxes, he's paying high taxes in the Bronx... but he says it's worth it here.
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upstate NY really isn't all that bad. I regularly went up there every few weekends growing up to play hockey, and I went to college there for 3 years. It's not as bad as people make it out to be.
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I think Upstate NY is losing more due to pull factors (warmer weather in Florida/ North Carolina) while Michigan is losing people from push factors (high unemployment)
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