According to this projection, the fastest growing PA region is... (Scranton: low income, section 8)

[gottaq]

Mapping America?s Futures

SCRANTON. this map claims that by 2030, scranton-wilkes barre will have grown by 39%, adding over 350,000 people. it will add more people than any part of the state except philly area (which is still close). by then it scranton-wilkes barre will outgrow the Lehigh Valley. Why do you think this is predicted? Is their any evidence for this taking place now? Fill me in on why Scranton area will grow so much..

[Raena77]

A Case Study of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA Multicultural Market

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by gottaq

Why do you think this is predicted?

Lot's of low income minorities. The cost of living here is relatively cheap and so is the housing. We have an aging white population many of whom live in smaller homes. The parents die and the house doesn't go for very much. A lot of them end up section 8.

[Dequindre]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Lot's of low income minorities. The cost of living here is relatively cheap and so is the housing. We have an aging white population many of whom live in smaller homes. The parents die and the house doesn't go for very much. A lot of them end up section 8.

That makes a lot of sense. I can't see the area growing very much on "new money". I imagine a lot of people move there because of the lower cost of living compared to pricier towns in neighboring states.

[Dequindre]

I'm also very glad to see that the I-81 corridor will be involved in a large amount of growth. The I-81 corridor, pre-Recession, attracted a lot of white collar professionals looking for a larger home and slower pace of life than that of closer D.C. suburbs. Like most good things, that came to an abrupt end around 2009/2010. We have been seeing construction picking up in what the map considers the "Hagerstown area", so that's a positive sign. 23.73% growth is nothing to sneeze at. I'm a little skeptical of these percentages though, they don't take into account any large scale political or economic shifts that could either dramatically increase or decrease that number.

[blauskies]

Probably the wave of baby boomers who won't move South but will leave NJ and NY for the benefits of PA. I do not see a great foundation of high paying jobs or any evidence there is a Tech Boom going on.