Urge your kids to leave the 'Sip (Jackson, Greenville: 2015, home)

[viverlibre]

13 things you need to know about the state economy


A few highlights, err lowlights, from the article.

1. Mississippi's population growth (along with several other economic indicators) is lagging well behind the rest of the Southeast and the country. The state lost population from 2014-2015, with net migration of 3.2 per 1,000 according to Census numbers. Webb said projections are for the trend to continue and, "people are probably going where the jobs are."

4. Mississippi's 56 percent workforce participation rate — those 16 and over working or looking for a job — is second-lowest in the nation, behind only West Virginia. The national average is 63 percent. Census data shows 10 percent, or about 70,000 people, in Mississippi's working age population are disabled.

5. More Mississippians work in government — about 246,000 — than any other major sector. Mississippi added an average of 7,358 jobs in 2016 over 2015. Trade, transportation and utilities showed the biggest growth, 4,225 jobs, while professional services showed the largest loss of jobs, at 3,600. Manufacturing employment rose 0.8 percent, or 1,100 jobs, in 2016.

6. More than 40 percent of personal income in Mississippi comes from the government — 26.3 percent from transfer payments and 14.4 percent from government earnings. Only West Virginia and New Mexico are more dependent on government.

7. Based on 2015 numbers, Mississippi’s adjusted per capita personal income of $40,105 is second-lowest in the nation. Its adjusted median household income of $45,750 is lowest in the nation.

[Listener2307]

Other than the lure of ones home town there is little for a young person to build on in Mississippi. The more adventurous and ambitious people usually leave and that's fine. That's what I did.

All the facts shown above are true, but every one of them is irrelevant. I live where I want, and to me that's pretty much the end of the discussion.

I have lived in places where there was lot and lots of opportunity and growth. San Diego, Atlanta, and Dallas/Fort Worth to name a few.
I like it better here. But I had to live there before I could enjoy this.

[GrandviewGloria]

Le comment et le pourquoi: American ethnicity map shows melting pot of ethnicities that make up the USA today | Daily Mail Online

Or, as they say, DEMOGRAPHY IS DESTINY.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

People have been leaving Mississippi for decades.

[viverlibre]

Mostly the best and brightest leave... Many of the lower producing stay and multiply.

20-30 years, when the same populace that elects Jackson leadership starts influencing statewide elections, we might as well change the state's name to Greenville.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

It does seem that the only thing attracting people to the state seems to be the love of the state itself, or college sports.

Originally Posted by viverlibre

Mostly the best and brightest leave... Many of the lower producing stay and multiply.

20-30 years, when the same populace that elects Jackson leadership starts influencing statewide elections, we might as well change the state's name to Greenville.

I myself have noticed this. But, urging MORE people to have their kids leave the state isn't going to help.

My question is, why aren't more of us willing to stay and FIGHT back the corruption? I am the biggest hypocrite in this, as I myself left. But I have to admit the truth......if I did come back and try to push for the right thing, I don't think I'd get much help. Eventually this is going to change, IMO. People will get sick of the idiots running the show, especially in Jackson.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

I myself have noticed this. But, urging MORE people to have their kids leave the state isn't going to help.

That was my thought too.

If everyone who COULD do something leaves, the only ones left will be those who do nothing.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

People have been leaving Mississippi for decades.

Yes they have. My grandparents were among those that left. My father is a born-and-raised Midwesterner. His parents left Mississippi during the late 1940s(before he was even born, as he was born in the 50s). They were part of that migration of Black Americans out of the South known as the Great Migration. My grandparents left, and they never returned there to live.

[biscuit_head]

Most of my older relatives high-tailed it for California, Chicago, and Maryland back in the 1950s and 1960s, never to return unless for family reasons. My parents moved back after living in Southern California for years. While my dad seems content to settle for life in Mississippi, my mom wants to leave.

My younger cousins (in their early 20s) have either left or made plans to leave the state for opportunity elsewhere. Quite a few of my classmates left for either Atlanta, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, Nashville, or North Carolina. A few adventurous souls headed to California (especially those who are in the tech field or hard sciences), or NYC and DC on the East Coast.

As for those who complain about people who leave, why try and deal with folks who don't seem to realize the issues of the state affect it, or care, or seem content to keep things the way they are? It's an exercise in futility and frustration.

And for a conservative, anti-government/small government place like Mississippi, I find it ironic how many people there are employed by the state. As for "transfer payments," what do you expect when many people are poor and there's no opportunity available, or they're morbidly obese? I'm sure the good Christians of Mississippi would love for those types to die and whither on the vine.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by biscuit_head

And for a conservative, anti-government/small government place like Mississippi, I find it ironic how many people there are employed by the state. As for "transfer payments," what do you expect when many people are poor and there's no opportunity available, or they're morbidly obese? I'm sure the good Christians of Mississippi would love for those types to die and whither on the vine.

None of the stuff you listed about has ever been the problem with Mississippi. It's not about flags or any of that social stuff.

The reasons for decline are, the economy was bad, mainly due to the huge investment in agriculture and manufacturing which ended up leaving the state/country. The people who already had money just gave up on every being able to create much so they decided they'd keep things for themselves, ie the 'fathers'. That created a state that wasn't very business friendly or open to outsiders. There wasn't many urban areas to attract tech type innovation, and like I said before, the people who were still in control in all the small cities/towns made sure it stayed that way.

It's starting to get better. There are people who understand economic development. I wish there was a bigger emphasis on history/tourism, I think it could thrive.