Pennsylvania vs Warm Weather States (State College, Washington: fit in, house, buy)

[MB2]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

Because: Half the population is too old to carry out an act like murder. Just kidding

Funny, and you hit the "nail right on the head"....lol

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by I LOVE PA!

They mean nothing because it depends on where you live in that state.
Yes, I do realize that Texas and Fla. are large states...but you did post this in the Pa. forum, and that's where I live. I live near some real poor areas, and not far from some real rich areas, so making a statistic of the state as a whole doesn't say much.

If you love PA enough to pick the username "I LOVE PA!," why are you aruging about statistics that show PA as more desirable than southern states?

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by I LOVE PA!

They mean nothing because it depends on where you live in that state.
Yes, I do realize that Texas and Fla. are large states...but you did post this in the Pa. forum, and that's where I live. I live near some real poor areas, and not far from some real rich areas, so making a statistic of the state as a whole doesn't say much.

It's interesting because it is a comprehensive look at each state OVERALL. No one is claiming that you can't find an area in Texas that is affluent with no crime or a place in Pennsylvania that is poor with a high incidence of crime -- it simply gauges how each state compares to one another ON AVERAGE.

Thank you for posting that information, michiganmoon. That is very interesting data which takes some of the "hot air" out of the Sun Belt.

[Baltic_Celt]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

Because: Half the population is too old to carry out an act like murder. Just kidding

LOLOL That's too funny.

Good, I'm glad when I move back that 1/2 the population will be too old to hunt me down & catch me to wrestle me back out of the state. Oh, wait, I'll be too old to hunt anyone down & catch them, too, so safety all around. He haw!

I, for one, love stats. Relax, they're averages, folks, just averages.

Thank you, MM... VV

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

According to the 2004 stats, is Pennsylvania really that bad compared to the warm weather trendier states?

I'm confused ... According to those stats, Pennsylvania isn't doing so bad. And why compare one northern state to warm weather states? What does being "trendy" have to do with poverty and median income? I don't understand your point.

[oldhead]

City-Data also provides its own statistics, for example:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Harris...nsylvania.html
http://www.city-data.com/city/Kalamazoo-Michigan.html

I think city-to-city comparisons would be slightly more truthful.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

According to the government's 2004 stats....

State: Poverty Rates / median household income
Pennsylvania 11.2% / $43,714
North Carolina 13.8% / $40,863
Florida 11.9% / $40,900
Tennessee 15.0% / $38,945
Arizona 14.6% / $43,696
Texas 16.2% / $41,645
Georgia 13.7% / $42,679

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/

According to the 2004 stats, is Pennsylvania really that bad compared to the warm weather trendier states?

Who said Pa was bad? And why the defensive posture while using government statistics on median household income and poverty rates?

[MB2]

Originally Posted by Duderino

It's interesting because it is a comprehensive look at each state OVERALL. No one is claiming that you can't find an area in Texas that is affluent with no crime or a place in Pennsylvania that is poor with a high incidence of crime -- it simply gauges how each state compares to one another ON AVERAGE.

Thank you for posting that information, michiganmoon. That is very interesting data which takes some of the "hot air" out of the Sun Belt.

I truly agree with you on that
Stats are a "breakdown" with marginal errors, and a lot of money is spend on that as well.
It gives an "idea" for comparison of areas....and the choice is yours, what to compare it with. Some people look for different things......Maybe some people are willing to live with higher taxes or cost of living, but have zero tolerance for the crime. It's all relative.....

[Orwelleaut]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I'm confused ... According to those stats, Pennsylvania isn't doing so bad. And why compare one northern state to warm weather states? What does being "trendy" have to do with poverty and median income? I don't understand your point.

I hear ya, Ohiogirl. An interesting comparison, definitely, but not a surprising one. A fellow Ohio resident living near the PA border and former PA resident, I wonder how OHio compares to MI and Ohio. Two factors to consider are: 1) PA has grown more slowly in the last 50 years than Ohio and MI, and was economically depressed compared to either until about 20 years ago. 2) PA has a number of cities with exemplary low levels of crime, cities that have not had an easy economic road. MI, Ohio, and the Southern states mentioned lack such cities. In fact, the metro areas of Western PA, upstate NY, WVA and Western MD all rank favorably in this area. Youngstown, our most dangerous city, is rather close to several of these very safe places. These same cities tend to have a low cost of living and be surrounded by beautiful scenery, but also tend to lack good jobs.

[danwxman]

Originally Posted by Orwelleaut

I hear ya, Ohiogirl. An interesting comparison, definitely, but not a surprising one. A fellow Ohio resident living near the PA border and former PA resident, I wonder how OHio compares to MI and Ohio. Two factors to consider are: 1) PA has grown more slowly in the last 50 years than Ohio and MI, and was economically depressed compared to either until about 20 years ago. 2) PA has a number of cities with exemplary low levels of crime, cities that have not had an easy economic road. MI, Ohio, and the Southern states mentioned lack such cities. In fact, the metro areas of Western PA, upstate NY, WVA and Western MD all rank favorably in this area. Youngstown, our most dangerous city, is rather close to several of these very safe places. These same cities tend to have a low cost of living and be surrounded by beautiful scenery, but also tend to lack good jobs.

Are you kidding? Pennsylvania has been growing faster then Ohio for some time now. And Pennsylvania's economy is currently doing better then Ohio or Michigan's for that matter.