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Do you think the deep south including North Carolina can handle that?
I mean the rather regressive social attitudes- are to say the least frightening.
I do believe our Progressive Republican Governor has made that a priority.
The age of hedge funds and finance, housing and liquidity are ending- is that not what the souths 'boom' has been based on?
Outside of Fairfield county and some of Litchfield, there are pockets of wealthy areas as is any state. But the average person in mid to northern CT is middle class and if you don't think so than why don't you take a drive around. And oh yeah, we're hip deep in insurance company and government jobs... about ten to fifteen years ago. These companies are downsizing and laying off people left and right. CT's economic hay-day's are over for now or until the next cycle brings change. And many of the Fairfield County residents do not even work in CT, they work in NYC. If Fairfield County was eliminated then NYC would lose a sizable chunk of their white collar workforce. Oh, but wait what do I know I drive a new BMW simply because I live in CT (sarcasm... I do not own a BMW or know anyone personally who does but hey I'm supposedly rich and live in a rich area. Maybe I should quit my job and get one of those six figure defense contract jobs that has sooo many openings).
Here's the deal. Birds of a feather flock together. Ever hear of that saying? So when someone bashes CT for being elitist or someone rants on how wonderful CT is and glosses things over, then you have to think where do these people hang out. As a state worker, I deal with mostly a diverse middle class crowd. When people from Ohio or California ask questions about CT and have never been there I understand their perception of CT is through books or tv. Some posters paint a tale of a beautiful place and hype Hartford to be a vast metropolis or an oasis for liberals. Okay, maybe that's their point of view and who knows maybe they are right. I think it comes down to who they hang out with and where they live and hang out at. The crowd I hang out with, for better or for worse, are no different than probably anyone in the red states. We have guns. We voted for Bush (I know I know but that's a different story). We know people serving in the military. We like beer. We have pickups or assorted SUVs. We lift weights. My perspective is different from some posters. I see people laid off from these big companies and now working for Home Depot. I do not know anyone making six figures and driving German cars but they are around. I listen to the rants and complaints of average people and it's always about the cost of living, jobs (lack of big paying) and taxes (oh, and weather). It is like this in any state but some posters gloss over this. Do I slam people for leaving CT because of any number of reasons? No because the average person whether it's a CT resident or any state resident is living with the same feeling where they feel the walls are closing in and pondering what move could give them air and make a solid fit. Again, we, the middle class, are getting squashed. I understand why some people stay in CT and I understand why some people are heading to TN or GA or NC. Everyone hopes they can find the life they are not having but they feel is within their grasp.
There you go.
Golden 1 - I am not "slamming" anyone or am I saying that there are no middle class or poor people in the State. I am in fact middle class and I like beer too. Most of my family are similar to the people you hang out with, facing many of the same issues you mention. My father and his siblings actually faced similar issues in their day. Running from these issues does not solve anything.
I have cousins who moved south to get away from those same problems and I can tell you they are no better off there than they were here. In fact most are worse. The jobs they were able to get did not pay anywhere near what they were getting paid here and while their costs for some things (housing and taxes) went down, that did not compensate for the lesser income they got. One cousin was forced to work an hour from her home because it was the best job she could find with beneifits. Another cousin stupidly dropped her medical insurance to make ends meet. Now she is seriously ill and she is relying on the horrible state medical services. She is not getting better and there is nothing she can do about it. Another cousin couldn't even get medical coverage with the job she was able to get. She died from breast cancer again because of poor medical services offered to the poor down south.
I firmly believe you get what you pay for and are paid what you are worth.
There is a perception among people (particularly the poster I was quoting) that the overall wealth of this state is solely tied to Fairfield County. My point is that this is not true. There are lot of people with a lot of money all over the state. Also I am not slamming anyone who wants to leave the state but many people visit other areas and think the grass is greener there. Everywhere has its issues and problems. Jobs are not only moving out of Connecticut, they are moving out of the country, particularly jobs that the lower middle class occupy. So even if you move south and find a job, it doesn't mean that you are safe. That job could be moved to China or Mexico in flash. And there you go. JMHO, Jay
There is a perception among people (particularly the poster I was quoting) that the overall wealth of this state is solely tied to Fairfield County. My point is that this is not true. There are lot of people with a lot of money all over the state. Also I am not slamming anyone who wants to leave the state but many people visit other areas and think the grass is greener there. Everywhere has its issues and problems. Jobs are not only moving out of Connecticut, they are moving out of the country, particularly jobs that the lower middle class occupy. So even if you move south and find a job, it doesn't mean that you are safe. That job could be moved to China or Mexico in flash. And there you go. JMHO, Jay[/quote]
All this was touched on by me in my lengthy post. I said the middle class is feeling it everywhere and that many middle class and lower class are trying to find a place for a fit and the whole "grass is greener" thing. I also mentioned Fairfield County, parts of Litchfield are more wealthy top heavy as well as a few pockets here and there throughout the state, not simply Fairfield County alone. All states have pockets of wealthy areas but Fairfield County is among the wealthiest in the nation. Having moved years ago from the NY area I am all to aware of that many people feel all of CT is driving BMWs and living near a lighthouse. I'm here to tell you there is another side to this beautiful little state and there is a whole population not diving knee deep into the culture of the Bushnell or dining in Greenwich.
So let me put this clearly so it won't be taken and repeated in a different but essentially the same way. Not all of CT is rich. AND most middle class Americans are feeling crushed by these economic times. We're being hit by all angles. This is why such a site like this exists. It gives us a chance to try and find that perfect spot ahead of everyone else. But the thing is we're all in the damndest situation... You look at a state/city that interests you to perhaps move into only to find someone from that area is looking to move into your area because they dislike their area the sameway you dislike yours. Is there a solution? Not really. Some people move and are happy. Some people move and come back saying everything they wanted was right in front of them. Sometimes though emotionally and psychologically, for renewed energy, a move might be what the doctor ordered and may well be why people say how much better their lives have become despite someone rationalizing that on paper it is not better.
And lastly if someone is laid off from a 90K job and can't find a job that pays similar money and has to take a pay cut in another state. Whose fault is that? The company in the state who paid him a larger wage but dropped him/her or the company in the Southern state who offered the job but with less pay. Who should we direct our anger at? Life is full of peaks and valleys. If I were making 90K and living in say New Haven and then got laid off and my life got desperate enough for me to have to move to North Carolina (insert any Southern state) for a 60K job that'll provide me a way to put food on my table for my kids well then that's that. Do I have a right to be angry? Hell yeah. Am I going to work in my North Carolina office everyday miserable? I hope not. That scenario, friends is common place for people who either were laid off or moved to the South for whatever reason. You have to know what you're getting into when you move hence this board. If you can't find a similar paying job in your area and you have to move out of state then why is it that state's fault you are not paid the wage of the previous state? It's just a common thread here. We'd all like to live in a low taxed, low cost of living state with Northeast wages. Am I right? Sorry I went a little long with this rant and it probably came from left field.
Greater Hartford is a region located in the state of Connecticut, centered around the state's capital of Hartford.
Hartford's role as a focal point for the American insurance industry is known nationally. The vibrant music and arts scene defines the region's culture. Greater Hartford is also home to the Travelers Championship golf tournament (formerly known as the Greater Hartford Open/Buick Championship).
This area of Connecticut is different from other parts of the state in that it is not dependent on out-of-state metropolitan areas such as New York City or Boston. It is on the fairly level land of the Connecticut River valley with soil less rocky than that of other areas in the state.
The area has major contrasts from the affluent suburbs like Avon and Farmington and the depressed inner-city of Hartford. While Hartford is one of the poorest cities of the country, its suburbs are some of the richest.
There is a perception among people that the overall wealth of this state is solely tied to Fairfield County. My point is that this is not true.
COUNTY - # of Households
324,735 Fairfield
337,692 Hartford
73,840 Litchfield
64,320 Middlesex
324,546 New Haven
105,026 New London
51,278 Tolland
42,401 Windham
Median HH Income*
71,633 Fairfield
57,939 Hartford
64,544 Litchfield
70,821 Middlesex
53,591 New Haven
59,268 New London
73,919 Tolland
47,684 Windham
Margin of error
$1,800 Fairfield
$1,885 Hartford
$3,555 Litchfield
$3,255 Middlesex
$2,008 New Haven
$2,702 New London
$3,520 Tolland
$4,665 Windham
Greater Hartford is a region located in the state of Connecticut, centered around the state's capital of Hartford.
Hartford's role as a focal point for the American insurance industry is known nationally. The vibrant music and arts scene defines the region's culture. Greater Hartford is also home to the Travelers Championship golf tournament (formerly known as the Greater Hartford Open/Buick Championship).
This area of Connecticut is different from other parts of the state in that it is not dependent on out-of-state metropolitan areas such as New York City or Boston. It is on the fairly level land of the Connecticut River valley with soil less rocky than that of other areas in the state.
The area has major contrasts from the affluent suburbs like Avon and Farmington and the depressed inner-city of Hartford. While Hartford is one of the poorest cities of the country, its suburbs are some of the richest.
I'm sorry but Hartford does NOT have some of the richest suburbs in the nation. You've got to be kidding me. Sure, Avon and West Hartford are nice, but a home there is pocket change to many folks in Fairfield county. The median household income in Avon is $91k while in most of the lower Fairfield County towns, it exceeds $130k. Avon is more on par with Madison or Woodbridge, some very nice and upscale communities, but very, very far from being among the wealthiest in the nation.
That's an exaggeration and you shouldn't be posting false information on these boards.
By the way, anyone can edit Wikipedia. hmm...
Last edited by jeremeyk482; 05-13-2007 at 09:31 AM..
no matter what anyone says about Hartford metro that is positive- you will dispute it- Wikipedia is a great source- and by in large greater Hartford in fact as a whole is one of the wealthiest metro areas in the nation based on per capita income and net worth.
And you have thus far showed nothing to dispute Wikipedia nor the Information by Rich Lee- only your own personal bias.
Metropolitan statistical areas ranked by median household income
Rank Metropolitan Statistical Area Population Median
Household Income
1 San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA CMSA 7,039,362 $62,024
2 Washington--Baltimore, DC--MD--VA--WV CMSA 7,608,070 $57,291
3 Anchorage, AK MSA 260,283 $55,546
4 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN--WI MSA 3,368,806 $54,304
5 Boston--Worcester--Lawrence, MA--NH--ME--CT CMSA 5,819,101 $52,792
6 Hartford, CT MSA 1,183,110 $52,188
7 Atlanta, GA MSA 4,112,198 $51,948
8 Honolulu, HI MSA 876,156 $51,914
9 Rochester, MN MSA 124,277 $51,316
10 Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO CMSA 2,581,506 $51,088
11 Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL--IN--WI CMSA 9,157,540 $51,046
12 New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island, NY--NJ--CT--PA CMSA 21,199,865 $50,795
13 Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA CMSA 3,554,760 $50,733
14 New London--Norwich, CT--RI MSA 293,566 $49,283
15 Madison, WI MSA 426,526 $49,223
16 Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI CMSA 5,456,428 $49,160
17 Austin--San Marcos, TX MSA 1,249,763 $48,950
18 Raleigh--Durham--Chapel Hill, NC MSA 1,187,941 $48,845
19 Fort Collins--Loveland, CO MSA 251,494 $48,655
20 Salt Lake City--Ogden, UT MSA 1,333,914 $48,594
21 Salinas, CA MSA 401,762 $48,305
22 Naples, FL MSA 251,377 $48,289
23 Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA--NJ--DE--MD CMSA 6,188,463 $47,528
24 Appleton--Oshkosh--Neenah, WI MSA 358,365 $47,438
25 Dallas--Fort Worth, TX CMSA 5,221,801 $47,418
Last edited by skytrekker; 05-13-2007 at 09:43 AM..
no matter what anyone says about Hartford metro that is positive- you will dispute it- Wikipedia is a great source- and by in large greater Hartford in fact as a whole is one of the wealthiest metro areas in the nation based on per capita income and net worth.
And you have thus far showed nothing to dispute Wikipedia nor the Information by Rich Lee- only your own personal bias.
No sir, I'm just correcting your faulty statistics. Just because the Hartford metro as a whole has an upper-middle class average income, does NOT mean it's home to some of the wealthiest suburbs in America. It's two completely different things.
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that allows anyone to edit information to their liking. Much of the time, the edit goes unnoticed by the moderators so things slip through the cracks. It was on a television special last week how a good percentage of online encyclopedia articles contain false information, so it seems that you've fallen victim to this.
Show me a list of the top 100 wealthiest towns in the nation, and we'll see if any of the Hartford area communities are on it. I'll bet there are none.
This is a bit dated (1998) but generally, many of the communities were the same in the 2005 list, I just can't find it right now. The only difference is that the prices are much higher now.
Oh, look! No Hartford County communities out of 250 towns!
What you said was that some of the Hartford suburbs are among the richest towns in America. You showing me wealthy metro areas is irrelevant as we were talking about specific communities.
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