Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Shed Over 2,000 Residents from 2012 to 2013 (Pittsburgh, Harrisburg: homes, promotional)

[SteelCityRising]

From 2012 to 2013 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau to have experienced a very drastic population decline.

Luzerne County: -1,320
Lackawanna County: -497
Wyoming County: -190

TOTAL: -2,007

Granted these are just an annual ESTIMATE and could be subject to a small margin of error. With that being said what are your thoughts about this data?

Here are some of my own insights:

-The area needs aggressive new political leadership ASAP.

-The area needs greater intergovernmental collaboration between Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, AND Hazleton ASAP.

-The area needs to examine ways to curtail the "Brain Drain".

-The area needs to attract better-quality employers than the largely low-paying ones that have been coming.

-The area needs aggressive promotional marketing ASAP.

[fortwaynebandit]

Too bad the Marcellus Shale business isn't going over that way.
Nice area. I wouldn't mind living there.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by fortwaynebandit

Too bad the Marcellus Shale business isn't going over that way.
Nice area. I wouldn't mind living there.

I grew up equidistant from either Scranton or Wilkes-Barre in the extreme northeastern corner of Luzerne County. It truly isn't a bad area at all. Yes, it has its flaws, but there's no real excuse as to why the area has to be in such freefall.

To be fair the Marcellus Shale industry IS going strong in Washington County, PA (suburb of Pittsburgh), yet the population of this county is also projected to have SHRUNK from 2012 to 2013. The same can be said for other Marcellus-related counties in PA such as Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga, or Lycoming. There's just not enough activity in PA to stimulate the type of population growth North Dakota, for example, has been experiencing.

[jtab4994]

Without a charismatic Corey Booker or Rudy Giuliani type political figure on the horizon, you'll never get "aggressive new leadership". Is there anyone like that on the city council, in the DA's office, a regional business, or county government? Or has everyone with a 3-digit IQ left for Harrisburg and beyond?

[Wells5]

One reason for the loss of population may be old age mortality or retiring to a warmer clime. After all, Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties and PA in general have an older demographic profile. Only Florida has more seniors.

[Robert Hildenbrand]

Take Hazleton for example, air freight companies want in, we won't let them build. Why? Because it will lower the property value of homes no one can afford.

Benefit if a air freight air port? Fire fighters who are better trained, and paid than the local city firefighters. Thus giving the city firefighters upward mobility from low paid city worker to private company worker.

Mechanics, from air craft to vehicle.

There are more examples, but Hazleton's stuck in this mindset of living like our parents did and hoping things get better.

Another thing we need, entertainment that appeals to those born between 1980 and 2000. If you do not entertain us, we won't stay unless we are trapped by economic situations.

The local corruption is terminal. Our area voted into office barletta and I can show you photos of the dirt roads... His asphalt company took in a great amount of profit from the contract and nothing of meaningful value has been given in return.

Then you have the downtown that has vanishing buildings and empty lots which if nothing else should be paved over and used as free public parking.

Wilkes barre can charge fees for downtown parking, they have a city with a captive audience of college students... Hazleton has a hand full of businesses which cater to the elderly.

If these cities want to grow, entertainment beings people in, jobs keeps people.

[Cpt.Trips]

Gee Wells, another insightful, intellectual, inspired analogy of the current issues facing the area and why. But perhaps you're overlooking the obvious fact that people with half a brain are cutting their losses and just moving out of that crap hole. One of my favorite sayings is "KISS" Keep It Simple Stupid. So let's not over think this one, OK pal???

[Magritte25]

The only way this area will change is for people to work together and learn they can change things. There are a few groups of dedicated, intelligent and creative individuals who have wonderful ideas to change the area. But they can't do it alone. There is a fine line between being realistic and being negative. While I appreciate there are people fed up with the area and have chosen to cut their losses and move away, it doesn't mean nothing can be done to fix NE PA.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Wells5

One reason for the loss of population may be old age mortality or retiring to a warmer clime. After all, Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties and PA in general have an older demographic profile. Only Florida has more seniors.

That's a great illustration of the problem: The only people left in those counties are seniors who are too poor to move to Florida, and then they die.

[theatergypsy]

I'm a senior and I'm not too poor to move to Florida. I don't want to move to Florida. I have five sons who have chosen to stay here and raise their families. They work here and play here. They would miss me if I moved to Florida. I will, of course, die. I've tried to figure out a way around it, but I will die. Even if I moved to Florida.

Let's say that we, my family that is, have decided to stay here so that there will be some semblance of stability remaining.