The Great Migration (Boston, Orleans, Warren: real estate, apartment, foreclosure)

[2KidsforMe]

I'm wondering if all of these younger people who leave MA will want to return once they have kids? When my husband and I were in our early-mid 20's and just out of college, we thought there was no place better than Orange County, CA. Now that we have a family, we appreciate what MA can offer our family. "Quality of life" is a term that is often used, and it is so subjective. For some, it means having a few (or even more than a few) extra dollars in the bank at the end of the month. Personally, I would trade the extra bucks for a large yard, peace and quiet, good air, nice schools, and, generally speaking, less sprawl and crowds. Living on top of one another in a "cookie cutter" development, (do you live in plan A,B or C ?) on a 5,000 square foot lot, dealing with over-crowded schools, long lines at the grocery, not being able to find a parking place at the mall or go out to eat on a weekend because it is just too busy, only being able to water your lawn every other Tuesday from 9-10am due to water shortages, or worrying that whatever is not tied down may get ripped off. This is the reality in so many places, and that is just not "quality of life" for me. MA, or New England in general, is not perfect by any means. But hey, it really is pretty nice here.

[twixcookie]

Bay,
It's a myth that medical has shortages. Only nursing is wide open. Medicine is very specialized. Nationally, in what I work in, jobs are way down, so employers are looking for the most experience, or the cheapest, both ends of the spectrum.
Most of the openings now are in isolated areas.
About 5 years ago, my specialty was begging for people. The colleges fixed that one quickly by advertising certain positions are the big jobs to go into. Lots of openings were quickly filled by students before they graduated.
I was talking with a coworker the other day, who has far more experience than me, and she was saying how hard, suddenly, it is to find work.
Medical jobs aren't the big mecca that some make it all out to be. Most positions are specialized, and if you can't find something in your field, there isn't some job created for you, just because you know anatomy or physiology.
Even as the baby boomers retired, the sheer number of people in the workforce will fill the jobs.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

New England is not perfect- however the quality of life is very high here

I'm new to these forums, but I have noticed many posts by you that contain this phrase about the high quality of life in CT and New England.

May I ask what you specifically mean by that phrase?

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

I'm new to these forums, but I have noticed many posts by you that contain this phrase about the high quality of life in CT and New England.

May I ask what you specifically mean by that phrase?

'High quality of life' has many variables with both subjective and objective answers.

New England has the lowest crime rate in the nation. All sex states are rated among the safest places to live.

Auto traffic and accidents. The six state region has among the lowest commute times in the nation, and also the least traffic fatalities and auto theft rates. Car jacking is rare, road rage is rare.

Children's health. The six state region on average has the highest quality of health and well being for children.

Education from both primary to secondary schooling the region has a public school system that is rated highly.

Environment. The six state region has been an active leader in reducing Co2 emissions for many years. It has strict zoning that prohibits sprawl of 'cookie cutter' subdivisions, and also limits commercial unsightly sprawl. Recycling is the law- where in many southern and western states there is none. Clean air standards are among the highest in the nation.

The region is densely populated, but not overcrowded. Land is not being gobbled up and devolved.

Workers in New England have more rights. Corporations are more regulated for fair labor laws. As opposed to 'firing on site' with ' no explanation needed' in many southern states.

Excellent local services, from police and fire protection. Excellent public libraries, services for kids and the elderly. Many fine parks and local roads maintained well.

The Arts , culture and higher education among the best in the nation.
Great public art galleries; great museum's of world wide renown.

Proximity to the ocean; great parks, mountains and forests.

Southern New England is located on the northern end of the BosWash corridor- which also includes NYC. This 'megalopolis' remains the major decision making center of the nation, regarding economics, scientific research, government (the national capital in DC) Social policy, social change and has some of the most renowned schools of thinking in the world. New England benefits from this close 'symbiosis' with the northeast corridor.

' Cultural progressivism' the regions leads the nation in rights for children, women, gays and human rights laws.

Quality of life has many factors-New England is gifted and lucky enough to have a high rating in just about all areas that define quality of life. Other areas may have greater economic growth- but the quality of life in many ways is 'compromised' for putting corporations and profit growth over the people.

[nsgjdennis]

I think that an issue that the article doesn't address is there seams to be a beleif in certain states including MA that the grass is greaner on the other side. When I lived in MA practically everyone I met in there 20s wanted out and out soon. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California also have this beleif that if they move out of state then everything will be fine in their lives. People in Virginia don't have this fantasy.

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by nsgjdennis

I think that an issue that the article doesn't address is there seams to be a beleif in certain states including MA that the grass is greaner on the other side. When I lived in MA practically everyone I met in there 20s wanted out and out soon. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California also have this beleif that if they move out of state then everything will be fine in their lives. People in Virginia don't have this fantasy.

Yes, but VA has had the likes of Jerry Falwell and other reactionary types.
Hardly the bastion of tolerance. VA has to offer the Washington suburbs and charlottesburg which are both wonderful- the rest- well ....

[baystater]

Originally Posted by nsgjdennis

I think that an issue that the article doesn't address is there seams to be a beleif in certain states including MA that the grass is greaner on the other side. When I lived in MA practically everyone I met in there 20s wanted out and out soon. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California also have this beleif that if they move out of state then everything will be fine in their lives. People in Virginia don't have this fantasy.

I think a lot of early 20'something and some late teens think of leaving there home states. Because they are "sick" of where they are and are looking for adventure and change. They don't have a fully appreciation of what their state offers to them. Now some of this kids will find the grass is greener out side their original state. Case in point, my sister been to a couple of different places in our great country, D.C., Michigan, Miami, and San Fransisco. She found that She loved San Fransisco the most. And will probably live there permanently after she finishes her contract with Dade County FL. She found that the grass was in fact greener outside of mass. Of course there are plenty of others that find out that maybe there life style in there home state is really what they want. I can really say that I'm a case in point but I can kind of stand in for people that want to come back. So for reason other than being sick of MA. I left MA. three years ago (at about 30). I spent 9 months in D.C. and then my significant other got transfered to Newark, NJ. I have been living in Northern NJ for about 2 years now. I can say that my time both here in NJ and In D.C. for the most part have been positive. But that being said I miss MA. and it culture. I really don't relate to the NJ. population and actually really don't want (or maybe I just can't) change views on things. I like being a baystater and all that comes with it. So like me, some kids will return home because they really do love Ma and it lifestyle. Grant I not sure how many really can return. It is really so obscenely expensive in MA. I feel that a lot of the housing in way overpriced for what it really worth. At least those houses that are outside the Boston Metropolitan area. We really need to work on making the housing affordable for young families so that they can raise there kids and still have enough money to save for their kids college education and their retirements.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

'High quality of life' has many variables with both subjective and objective answers.

New England has the lowest crime rate in the nation. All sex states are rated among the safest places to live.

Auto traffic and accidents. The six state region has among the lowest commute times in the nation, and also the least traffic fatalities and auto theft rates. Car jacking is rare, road rage is rare.

Children's health. The six state region on average has the highest quality of health and well being for children.

Education from both primary to secondary schooling the region has a public school system that is rated highly.

Environment. The six state region has been an active leader in reducing Co2 emissions for many years. It has strict zoning that prohibits sprawl of 'cookie cutter' subdivisions, and also limits commercial unsightly sprawl. Recycling is the law- where in many southern and western states there is none. Clean air standards are among the highest in the nation.

The region is densely populated, but not overcrowded. Land is not being gobbled up and devolved.

Workers in New England have more rights. Corporations are more regulated for fair labor laws. As opposed to 'firing on site' with ' no explanation needed' in many southern states.

Excellent local services, from police and fire protection. Excellent public libraries, services for kids and the elderly. Many fine parks and local roads maintained well.

The Arts , culture and higher education among the best in the nation.
Great public art galleries; great museum's of world wide renown.

Proximity to the ocean; great parks, mountains and forests.

Southern New England is located on the northern end of the BosWash corridor- which also includes NYC. This 'megalopolis' remains the major decision making center of the nation, regarding economics, scientific research, government (the national capital in DC) Social policy, social change and has some of the most renowned schools of thinking in the world. New England benefits from this close 'symbiosis' with the northeast corridor.

' Cultural progressivism' the regions leads the nation in rights for children, women, gays and human rights laws.

Quality of life has many factors-New England is gifted and lucky enough to have a high rating in just about all areas that define quality of life. Other areas may have greater economic growth- but the quality of life in many ways is 'compromised' for putting corporations and profit growth over the people.

I was wondering, because I have lived in Fairfield County, CT for 9 years and I would rate the quality of my life here as fairly low. Add in the high cost of living and the 'bang for buck' is extremely low.

Crime: point taken. But I have lived in low crime areas everywhere, even in states with poor overall statistics.

Children's health: my kids were outrageously healthy, so I couldn't say.

Public schools: we chose the town i live in because of its reputation for good schools. My son and daughter (and their parents) will tell you that the reputation was unwarranted. The biggest problem: lazy and unmotivated teachers who cannot be fired.

Traffic: even though I mostly travel off hours, the trip down the Merritt or I-95 is a pain at any hour. You have to be very careful even on I-84 to pick the right time of day to avoid nearly certain tie-ups. Traffic in this part of Connecticut is so bad that it is affecting the ability of the Gold Coast towns and cities to attract new businesses.

Our air comes predominantly from the midwest, on the prevailing winds. Local air restrictions are good for the air masses over the Atlantic but don't have so much to do with local air.

Social matters (lumped together) - you like being in an intensely "blue" state. I don't.

New England as part of BOSWASH: more a reason to be elsewhere than here, by my standards.

Roads: CT is the only state I've lived in that allows a 1 1/2 lane road with no shoulders to carry the designation of a significant state route number. Absurd.

Bottom line: i see where you are coming from. Part of why I don't see the advantages are due to living among the rude and driven people of Fairfield County, and part are because the advantages depend on ones point of view.

You might be more convincing if you separated out the demonstrable facts from the opinions.

[Miker2069]

It's at matter of your perspective. There's many great things about MA, to many to enumerate. If you're a die-hard baystater and love the fall folliage, a fenway frank at a Red Sox/Yankees game, first night, etc.- and you're were in a position to own property about a decade ago- life is good. If you're a blue collar/white collar person and you're at a point where you'd like to settle down it's a tough prospect, unless you're coming from a place that makes greater Boston housing look like a bargain.

Earlier in this thread someone pointed out having two degrees and still finding the job market difficult along with home ownership. Looking back 40 years ago, someone with a high school degree and a steady job could afford a mortgage. 40 years ago homes were approximately 2x annual household earnings. Today it's over 4x annual household earnings- so it's tougher now in many of the places in the NE to live, more so than some other places. It's tough for a lot of people on the outside looking in.

I lived north of Boston for 15 years, and could have stayed if we wanted to. We chose to leave because we grew weary of hibernating from Dec to mid-May, a LOT of our friends moved out and away, and generally the Boston culture of "keep to yourself" was getting old to us, we didn't want to rear children in that environment anymore.

So yes, we moved to North Carolina, to Charlotte (south Charlotte) actually and wished we moved 2 years earlier.

I tell everyone Boston is great and has tons to offer, but it didn't have enough to keep us there. I could say more on the "blueness" of MA, the big dig, etc., but you get the picture.

[SuperGrover]

The conservative earth-burners came up with an explanation for net migration that correllates with phony numerical data from the sites of immigration and emmigration.

A better publication would have required coverage of the plight of the red squirrels, driven from Carolina farmland by overbuilding.

It is the fault of big business, ducking their obligation to fund social advance through appropriate taxation.

Eventually the federal government will step in to prevent this slaughter. Hillary NOW!!!!