[dudewhat2006]

People constantly talk about how poverty/ghettos/crime isn't as rampant in Florida/Texas/Georgia/North Carolina/ The South when compared to many Northern and Midwestern Cities. I think people are getting their facts mixed up. Miami an Atlanta alone have the greatest wealth gap in the country(without including Houston, Charlotte, Memphis, Jacksonville etc.). Also, lets not confuse shifting demand with lack of struggle or poverty. Places like Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis etc look worse than places in the South for one main reason. The North is tapped out. Their aren't as many people rich or poor there anymore like their used to be. People, manufacturing, money and business are all moving south an west (sunbelt). Rich people can afford to live on the beach. . . . there are no beaches in the midwest or up north. Rich people like buying property, there isn't any property left up north. In terms of just public funding, the south spends less for education by far. I mean seriously, do you think living in the shadow of the wealthy makes being impoverished any easier? Looks can be deceiving, the south has more poverty by far just look at census numbers. I'd like to say otherwise because this is a black mark on the region thats been here for GENERATIONS. I'd like to say the north's poverty is more heavily concentrated when compared to up north. . . . but again that not the case. Why do you think so many people left the south for opportunities up north? The south still is jealous ad wants to have what so many Northern cities take for granted (higher standard of living). Instead of trying to demean places you aren't familiar with, in all seriousness please give us some useful advice. We would more than appreciate it/ need it.

[bmw335xi]

You created an account to make this thread? Hmmm.... sounds fishy lol.

I don't think anyone believes Florida is perfect paradise free of crime or poverty. If they do, they must not have a TV or internet connection or brain because Florida seems to make national headlines quite often. It sounds like you are bitter about something and want to take your frustrations out on City-Data. I hope you feel better, but once again, I don't think anyone believes Florida is all sunshine and rainbows.

[rusty78]

WOW - Many people...not rich at all...leave the North because they can no longer afford to live there......and as far as sunshine and rainbows...there definitely is a lot more rainbows down here......

As far as the north being tapped out...people of all races are tired of paying taxes and picking up the slack for all the free loaders......perhaps instead of "the white flight" that it is commonly referred to...it should be referred to as "the tax payers flight or the working class flight."......now that would be an interesting thread...

Before retiring...my wife and I listed all our retirement income and assets and came to the rapid conclusion that we could no longer afford to live in NY once retired...not a great conclusion for a state that I spent my entire life in......even worse...we had to leave all our family...friends...etc...with our move to sunshine and rainbows......

The wealth gap you mention...will always exist no matter where you are......and as far as opportunities...pay attention for more and more businesses are choosing to move south to get away from the high tax states......you might also want to watch the new taxing concept that the new mayor of NYC wants to implement..."taxing what he considers the rich"......how long do you think it will take for the NY Stock Exchange to become the Florida Stock Exchange......especially when you consider they almost moved out several years ago...

But this is just my poor humble opinion from one of the many members of "the tax payers flight," who enjoys sunshine and rainbows over high taxes and free loaders......

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by rusty78

WOW - Many people...not rich at all...leave the North because they can no longer afford to live there......and as far as sunshine and rainbows...there definitely is a lot more rainbows down here......

As far as the north being tapped out...people of all races are tired of paying taxes and picking up the slack for all the free loaders......perhaps instead of "the white flight" that it is commonly referred to...it should be referred to as "the tax payers flight or the working class flight."......now that would be an interesting thread...

Before retiring...my wife and I listed all our retirement income and assets and came to the rapid conclusion that we could no longer afford to live in NY once retired...not a great conclusion for a state that I spent my entire life in......even worse...we had to leave all our family...friends...etc...with our move to sunshine and rainbows......

The wealth gap you mention...will always exist no matter where you are......and as far as opportunities...pay attention for more and more businesses are choosing to move south to get away from the high tax states......you might also want to watch the new taxing concept that the new mayor of NYC wants to implement..."taxing what he considers the rich"......how long do you think it will take for the NY Stock Exchange to become the Florida Stock Exchange......especially when you consider they almost moved out several years ago...

But this is just my poor humble opinion from one of the many members of "the tax payers flight," who enjoys sunshine and rainbows over high taxes and free loaders......

Are ellipses and smilies the only punctuation you know? They make your thoughts appear manic, unconnected and, well, kind'a crazy.

[The b8nk]

Florida just needs one CAT 5 and all those idiot northerners will go running for the hills...

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by dudewhat2006

Miami an Atlanta alone have the greatest wealth gap in the country(without including Houston, Charlotte, Memphis, Jacksonville etc.).

I love it when trolls make up BS and then get pwned

Rich Man, Poor Man: Connecticut Tops U.S. Wealth Gap - Bloomberg

Nowhere is the contrast between rich and poor clearer than in the metropolitan region abutting New York, stretching from Greenwich on the west to Bridgeport on the east. This 625- square-mile swath, where subsidized housing complexes sit blocks from multimillion-dollar mansions, is home to the widest income gap of any metro area in the U.S., according to Census Bureau data compiled by Bloomberg. If this region were a country, it would be the 14th-most unequal spot on the planet, ranking just below Brazil, based on figures in the CIA World Factbook.

Originally Posted by dudewhat2006

Why do you think so many people left the south for opportunities up north?

Pwned again

Texas Wins Big, Sun Belt States Gain in Census - NationalJournal.com

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by dudewhat2006

People constantly talk about how poverty/ghettos/crime isn't as rampant in Florida/Texas/Georgia/North Carolina/ The South when compared to many Northern and Midwestern Cities. I think people are getting their facts mixed up. Miami an Atlanta alone have the greatest wealth gap in the country(without including Houston, Charlotte, Memphis, Jacksonville etc.). Also, lets not confuse shifting demand with lack of struggle or poverty. Places like Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis etc look worse than places in the South for one main reason. The North is tapped out. Their aren't as many people rich or poor there anymore like their used to be. People, manufacturing, money and business are all moving south an west (sunbelt). Rich people can afford to live on the beach. . . . there are no beaches in the midwest or up north. Rich people like buying property, there isn't any property left up north. In terms of just public funding, the south spends less for education by far. I mean seriously, do you think living in the shadow of the wealthy makes being impoverished any easier? Looks can be deceiving, the south has more poverty by far just look at census numbers. I'd like to say otherwise because this is a black mark on the region thats been here for GENERATIONS. I'd like to say the north's poverty is more heavily concentrated when compared to up north. . . . but again that not the case. Why do you think so many people left the south for opportunities up north? The south still is jealous ad wants to have what so many Northern cities take for granted (higher standard of living). Instead of trying to demean places you aren't familiar with, in all seriousness please give us some useful advice. We would more than appreciate it/ need it.

You defeated your own argument in the points in bold. Although I'm not too sure what the argument it. That rich people are mean and they all live at the beach?

People moved out of the North (?) because it's a mess to go South but the South is bad?

As far as "people constantly talk" well, yeah discussions about cities are popular.

If you want to discuss crime indexes by city, City Data provides that informtion:

http://www.city-data.com/top27.html

[mrviking]

Does this mean I have to return all my sunshine and rainbows?

[LordHomunculus]

I'm pretty sure the South and its poverty problem has always been acknowledged by people. Also, the North hasn't tapped out. The metro areas for NYC, Boston, Philly, DC, Baltimore, etc. all have a large concentration of wealth, low poverty rates (compared to the South and Western metros), and high incomes. Most of those cities have a lot of the poor and working class living in the cities themselves, but a lot of the affluent still live in and out of the city (especially with DC and NYC getting gentrified - many of the poor are moving out of the cities while more of the well-off are moving in). The same with Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis. Even Detroit has a good amount of wealth surrounding the city (though I'm not sure if you have much going on inside the city). Though, I would say that instead of some rich Northern and Midwestern states, California seems to be the most disadvantaged. High incomes and a lot of strong local economies in most of the major metros (especially San Fran-Oakland and San Jose). But California also has some of the poorest metros in the nation. Stockton, LA, and San Bernardino-Riverside, and San Diego might have high income levels , but poverty rates in those metros are higher than NYC, Philly, Chicago, etc. Texas is also in the same boat - strong economy, but a lot of poverty, especially in the rural areas. Florida is just goofed up - relatively low incomes, not as strong economy, and poverty stricken major metros.

[Enigma777]

Originally Posted by The b8nk

Florida just needs one CAT 5 and all those idiot northerners will go running for the hills...

So not true--I know lots of northerners who were not bothered by Andrew much, and certainly not enough to leave.

On the other hand, when the FL real estate crashed in 2007, many of the southerners (and more than a few midwesterners) on the west coast of FL went fleeing back to NC, SC, TN, GA because of the lower cost of living.