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Why do their rates remain so low? Wouldn't unemployment jump with the migration of new people there? Sure, their rates have gone up somewhat but definitely no more than high unemployment regions.
Some folks are unable to move but does that fully explain it? Could there be other factors such as plain *unwillingness* to move, fostered by an economic system which provides unemployment benefits, thus less incentive to move?
I see a lot of chatter here about places people wouldn't move to. Do they really have the choice?
I have members of my extended family who wouldn't dream of moving from the area they grew up in. It's all they know and it's where they intend to stay. They'd rather downgrade to a worse job than move to get a better one.
We would move, but there just isn't any jobs ANYWHERE! Husband has gone back to school. In his class, a classmate looked for a job all over the U.S. for 18 months, but could not find work. Why should we move? For a nonexistant job? I would like to find the place that has jobs. I would move there.
If you really love the place you are in, have your family there, you will try to hold on for as long as possible. Moving will only become the very last resort.
We would move, but there just isn't any jobs ANYWHERE! Husband has gone back to school. In his class, a classmate looked for a job all over the U.S. for 18 months, but could not find work. Why should we move? For a nonexistant job? I would like to find the place that has jobs. I would move there.
Well there ARE jobs out there, but most people won't just up and move to any place in the country just for a job. Many people are tied to one area, be it that they're from there, they just love the city, etc.
I'm actually originally from the metro area on the list with the lowest unemployment in the country, Iowa City. Their unemployment rate and the number of unemployed people has actually been DROPPING the past few months.
They stand at 3.2% unemployed right now, but the characteristics of the city also play a big part. It's a college town of almost all white collar workers, around 32,000 working for the University of Iowa. Also a fast growing population, without being out of control like Phoenix or Florida also helps. It's grown by around 33% since 1990, and has the 3rd highest rank of college educated people in the country.
Look at areas that have a decent white collar economy, like Des Moines, Omaha, most all college towns.
You can find jobs, you just have to look a lot harder.
I'm actually surprised that 7 of the 9 metro areas in Iowa are actually in the top 6% nationally as far as low unemployment.
We have moved long-distance for jobs, so can see this from a couple of perspectives. I think you're not factoring in, though, that in today's economic climate it doesn't make sense to move somewhere without a job. You may be unemployed in one city, but at least you have contacts and a network there, while packing up and moving with only the possibility of a job is (a) going to cost a lot, (b) put you somewhere without contacts to help you find a job, and (c) good luck finding a place to live without a guaranteed salary. Now if you can find a job long-distance that's one thing, but many companies won't look at out-of-town candidates. They're afraid that they'll get stuck paying for relocation costs, they don't want to deal with the hassles of waiting for someone to move, or simply are overwhelmed with plenty of local candidates and figure they might as well make things easier for themselves by tossing out out-of-area candidates in the initial sort.
Well there ARE jobs out there, but most people won't just up and move to any place in the country just for a job. Many people are tied to one area, be it that they're from there, they just love the city, etc.
While I agree with this it leads to the inescapable conclusion that the unemployment rates are less grim that the statistics suggest. Why? Because a portion of the unemployed remain unemployed as a matter of choice.
Can't be all that bad if they the financial means to stay put.
While I agree with this it leads to the inescapable conclusion that the unemployment rates are less grim that the statistics suggest. Why? Because a portion of the unemployed remain unemployed as a matter of choice.
Can't be all that bad if they the financial means to stay put.
I'm guessing that you still have a job, and that many of your friends do, too? And that you don't own a house or have kids? That's not necessarily the case, but let me tell you from personal experience that I have many friends who have either lost their jobs or have had hours reduced. There are many, many factors at work here, and the "choice" to remain unemployed doesn't look so much like a choice when you factor in the inabilty to sell a house in this market, the potential loss of affordable family help or daycare if you move to a new city where you have no family, and all sorts of other reasons that make a lot of sense. If anything, the unemployment rates are worse than they appear. If you are able and willing to move anywhere for a job then you are one of the lucky ones.
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Perhaps..
