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You're right about some of those transplants down here.
We like to hang with the locals, lol.
I'm glad to hear this, as another aspect that I kind of thought was all to common is that even when people move Down South, they move to the same select communities within a metro. So, you almost wonder if people are just moving to a Southern version of what they left in terms of the type of community. This is another aspect, along with what Linda_d mentioned, that I found to be interesting.
Also, I agree that rural anywhere isn't usually going to be affluent, but given the usually different dynamics in regards to rural Southern areas and rural areas in NY, I feel that many people on here or in general would be more likely to look to move to say an Owego or Carthage/West Carthage versus my mom's hometown in the Pee Dee Region of SC, which is of a similar size. That's not to say that some wouldn't like that town in SC, but there are some things to consider.
Rural NY > Rural South
Citified South > Citified NY
NYC is the exception for many, but I don't like NYC so its not an exception to me. Also said, I still even like the citified areas of Upstate NY. I actually like Rochester and Syracuse quite a bit. But I like Raleigh, Nashville, Charleston and Austin quite a bit more. Straight up, they are better cities right now.
This is 100% true. I love the Raleigh metro but I'm quite aware, and have posted many times, that the surrounding areas are not that great, and in some ways, downright scary.
Other rural Southern areas have great charm. Like Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, wow what weird and uniquely Southern areas!
NYC isn't the only New York City I like better than Southern cities. I like the smaller finger lake cities better than comparable sized Southern cities. I like living in places that have extensive bus and train networks, so the public transportation factor alone makes me like NYC cities better. I like NY weather better than Southern weather.
It's also worth noting that NC was hit especially hard by the recession and the loss of low-skill jobs in the traditional sectors of textiles and furniture. Charlotte and Raleigh get a lot of attention from North easterners, but I'm not sure a lot of people realize that a large portion of NC is pretty poor.
NC is getting strained, partially (IMO) because the state and counties simply weren't collecting enough revenue. Growth was not made to pay for itself, (IMO) because of the fear the developers and builders would take their plans somewhere else -- without impact fees -- for example.
Ah, a lot of work was offshored to China, Mexico, or Vietnam, and NC hasn't attracted new industries.
I'm not knocking the South, and in fact, I like a lot of the Southern culture - probably only the overly religious aspect of Southern culture is seriously off-putting to me. I'm just saying that the "transplant culture" that seems to have grown up in many of the areas popular with retirees and other migrants seems to foster the belief among their residents (almost none of whom seem to be locals at all) that the South is the Land of Milk and Honey where there are so many jobs and the taxes are so low that anybody would be a fool to stay in NY. It seems like they traded their "normal" existence in the North for this fantasy existence where everybody is either upper middle class or a well off retiree like they are or is invisible. Maybe this is most noticeable in the relatively new areas that were built since about 2000 but I noticed it in both Virginia and especially in the Carolinas.
That's really the only reason why I even posted on this thread.
Anyone should live wherever they want to. With that said the South is certainly no utopia and definitely not for everyone. No place is.
Not all New Yorkers who live in the New York metro area live in NYC itself, and within that metro, there seem to be fewer services available to seniors than elsewhere, probably because the population of the metro tends to be younger and more affluent than elsewhere. That would probably be the case with the Hudson Valley communities within an hour of the city.
Not all upstate college towns have bus systems, and frequently the bus service that exists, only serves the college, ie, shuttle service. Ithaca is probably an exception. Cities that you might consider "college towns" are actually cities in their own rights like Syracuse and Binghamton. Other college towns are much smaller: Alfred, Oneonta, Fredonia, Genesseo, Canton, Hamilton, etc.
In general, there are good services for seniors in and around the big Upstate cities: Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Syracuse. Whether living in those cities is feasible or desirable for elderly people depends upon their income. I know that some parts of the Buffalo metro, like Tonawanda, are well served by public transport and are "senior friendly" but I, personally, wouldn't live there because it's simply too big and too crowded.
How easy a smaller city or large town can be for the elderly to live independently is uneven. Some areas have better services than others. Certainly areas with less traffic means that older drivers can probably continue to drive safely for a few years longer than if they lived in an area where they had to take highways everywhere. Of course, living in a walkable community would be even better for the elderly, but usually safe, affordable housing and the various services that seniors frequent don't match up well.
My guess is that no matter what state you look at, the above scenarios may hold more or less true. Only the place names change. If you're a relatively wealthy and healthy senior you have a lot more choices, but these diminish as your resources and/or health diminish.
I live in NYC, and there are plenty of services available to the poor seniors here who don't relocate and who don't have enough money. There's a massive social service structure here.
Section 8 helps a number of old poor people with rent. Others live in senior housing or get various forms assistance from HRA. Others get discounted food at senior centers. Public transportation is half price for seniors here. There are a number of non profits that help poor seniors here with housing, rent, legal issues, etc. These services are not strictly limited to NYC, they are in Westchester, urban parts of Jersey, and LI.
There was public transportation and services for seniors through the finger lake college towns like Ithaca, Cortland, and Binghamton.
Seniors who chose to stay in these places will find ways of getting some kind of service.
NYC isn't the only New York City I like better than Southern cities. I like the smaller finger lake cities better than comparable sized Southern cities. I like living in places that have extensive bus and train networks, so the public transportation factor alone makes me like NYC cities better. I like NY weather better than Southern weather.
That's fine, but you're probably in the minority with that opinion.
I would consider the small Finger lake cities to be included in my "rural" category. So, yeah, they're filled with character unlike a lot of rural Southern towns. They also have more tourist money, which keeps them nicer looking and better kept. No argument here.
That's fine, but you're probably in the minority with that opinion.
I would consider the small Finger lake cities to be included in my "rural" category. So, yeah, they're filled with character unlike a lot of rural Southern towns. They also have more tourist money, which keeps them nicer looking and better kept. No argument here.
I think a city like Ithaca in that region is helped by its strong college presence and in turn, its "vibe". Hence, the new development and even tech jobs in that area. Gould Pumps in Seneca Falls has been growing in recent years as well. I believe that Canandaigua has seen some economic development too.
I think a city like Ithaca in that region is helped by its strong college presence and in turn, its "vibe". Hence, the new development and even tech jobs in that area. Gould Pumps in Seneca Falls has been growing in recent years as well. I believe that Canandaigua has seen some economic development too.
yes exactly, Canandaigua has a number of prominent manufacturing facilities for a city of its size such as Constellation Brands which is the largest distributor of spirits in the world. The company isn't headquartered in Canandaigua any longer but the major production facility is still fully staffed there and isn't going any place.
Also Canandaigua has the "Smart System Technology and Commericialization Center" which will be a hub in the Govt's National Photonics Institute if Rochester wins the 200 million which the Rochester area is a finalist with 2 other areas in the country. We'll know I think in May who the winner is.
That's fine, but you're probably in the minority with that opinion.
I would consider the small Finger lake cities to be included in my "rural" category. So, yeah, they're filled with character unlike a lot of rural Southern towns. They also have more tourist money, which keeps them nicer looking and better kept. No argument here.
I'm not convinced. It's one thing to go to Florida or wherever in the South on vacation in the winter. It's another thing to actually be there for more than a few days. I do not like heat, do not like mosquitos, and don't like the extra bugs they have in the South.
It's just a matter of different strokes for different folks. Some will like one thing, others will like something else.
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