[nish2006]

Interesting article on MSN.com's homepage this morning, about the ten best & worst states for jobs in the nation. Interestingly (and thankfully), Connecticut doesn't feature in the worst 10 category, where Michigan tops the list with an unemployment rate of 7.6%.

Two New England states make it to the 10 best category, NH & VT. Not sure why... I imagine others on this forum would have a clearer picture.

[skytrekker]

The housing downturn is hitting former 'hot areas' for growth hard. New England's economy did not boom in the past several years first of all-just steady slow growth- and the jobs created where not all from real estate- (mortgage banking, construction etc).
Therefore even though the economy is slowing here, the negative effects from real estate will be less severe.

The auto industry in Michigan has decimated that economy- while real estate foreclosures are among the highest nationally.

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by nish2006

Interesting article on MSN.com's homepage this morning, about the ten best & worst states for jobs in the nation. Interestingly (and thankfully), Connecticut doesn't feature in the worst 10 category, where Michigan tops the list with an unemployment rate of 7.6%.

Two New England states make it to the 10 best category, NH & VT. Not sure why... I imagine others on this forum would have a clearer picture.

Vermont?? Maybe if you want to enter the maple syruping or basket weaving industries. I would really like to see their methodology on that one.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

Vermont?? Maybe if you want to enter the maple syruping or basket weaving industries. I would really like to see their methodology on that one.

I agree. You really do have to watch these ratings very carefully. Unfortunately, people just read it and accept what is said without question. Jay

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

Vermont?? Maybe if you want to enter the maple syruping or basket weaving industries. I would really like to see their methodology on that one.

I guess Austin has it all, right>? Please-

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I agree. You really do have to watch these ratings very carefully. Unfortunately, people just read it and accept what is said without question. Jay

Jay we are in New England or Texas? But I guess we follow the CNN stats for costs of living right?

[uconn99]

I don't understand Vermont at all. What kind of industry do they have besides syrup, forestry or ski resorts? Great place to visit but I couldn't see fining a job easy there.

New Hampshire is a little questionable as well. Southern NH lives off Boston and does pretty well, but where is the industry outside of that region?

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Jay we are in New England or Texas? But I guess we follow the CNN stats for costs of living right?

I lived right outside of one of the largest towns in Vermont, underemployed, for several years after getting my BA. I left in 2005. Perhaps your experience working and living in Vermont differs from mine. How long did you live there?

I left for Austin, and while it doesn't "have everything," (I would move back to Vermont in a heartbeat if I could afford the same quality of life as I have here) it does have a comparable cost of living to Southern VT with much, much more opportunity. While Vermont has a lot of jobs in the tourist industry, and in other fields like healthcare, teaching and truck driving (which can be found everywhere), it did not prove to be a good place to launch a career or even find a decently lucrative job.

Since this board is for CT, I will address the situation there too. I spent the first 18 years of my life in Connecticut, and the state seems like a great place to be for people who are in established careers and at the top of their game. However, as the outmigration of young people can attest to, it is not a good place to launch a career and live affordably during early adulthood. Many, many years out of high school, my classmates that remain in the area are either living with their parents or holding enviable financial industry jobs (or married to someone who does).

So to finally respond to the OP and reiterate Jay's point, these ratings need to be taken with a grain of salt. IMHO, a good job market isn't determined by the number of jobs available, it is determined by whether a a person with a degree (or even a HS diploma) can easily find a job that can pay his or her bills, and afford him or her to live comfortably and buy a home within a few years. Connecticut and Vermont, along with the rest of the country, used to have job markets like this, but they seem to have migrated to the South. Charlotte, Atlanta, Raleigh, and yes, Austin, are all filled with Northeastern expatriates (like myself) who long for the Northeast but cannot afford to live there without constantly struggling to get by.

[JayCT]

It seems odd that you would compare Vermont to Austin. Austin is a major city while Vermont does not have a city anywhere near as big. In fact, I would guess the entire State of Vermont has less population than the city of Austin. As for Connecticut, well the trends are that some young people leave. But many do stay and make a good living here as well. JMHO Jay

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by JayCT

It seems odd that you would compare Vermont to Austin. Austin is a major city while Vermont does not have a city anywhere near as big. In fact, I would guess the entire State of Vermont has less population than the city of Austin. As for Connecticut, well the trends are that some young people leave. But many do stay and make a good living here as well. JMHO Jay

You're right about the population and perhaps it's not completely fair to compare the two. But what gets to me is that starter homes and apartments in Brattleboro, VT (the closest large town to where I lived) are at least as expensive as the ones in Austin. Food, gas and taxes are more expensive too. Many smaller towns and cities in the US have a good employment/cost of living balance, but the problem with most of Vermont is that the available opportunity does not balance out with the cost of living. At least that's what I've seen.

And perhaps my views of Connecticut are colored by the fact that I'm from lower Fairfield County. I haven't spent much time in the rest of the state (call me provincial) but I hear it's much more affordable outside of the Fairfield County bubble.