New residents choosing rural counties (Butler, Penn: taxes, standard of living, cost)

[Ray_Velcoro]

Analyzing Growth In Pennsylvania's Rural Counties | 90.5 WESA

Thought this was an interesting read. Why is kennametal moving to the city if growth is in exurban areas?

[erieguy]

Tough to say what Kennametal has in mind for the long run but that article is dead accurate.

[Copanut]

I dunno, those areas don't have sidewalks n'at.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I dunno, those areas don't have sidewalks n'at.

Perfect.

Moraine State Park is very close. Can walk and bike around there.

[PghYinzer]

The people moving to exurbs are coming from NY, Ohio, and West Virginia (all states with large drilling industries) and are usually non-married, non-white men. Sounds like workers coming to work in the gas industry.

I wouldn’t doubt that a lot of people are moving to where the jobs are in their industries so it only makes sense that people who actually work in the gas fields are moving to the exurbs. Those who work in finance, health care, higher education, and technology are most likely living closer in to the urban areas. This all makes sense due to the recent growth in the drilling industry. I would be interested to see if those number recede in the next few years due to the current condition of the industry.

The article says people are leaving cities for these areas, but I do not see where it actually says where they are leaving. I was under the impression that it was in-migration that it was referring to. So perhaps these people are leaving rural areas in NY, OH, and WV and moving to rural areas in PA.

As for Kennametal, they are planning for their future employees (i.e. Millennials) and as the article states those seem to be still choosing to live in urban centers. Kennametal does not need to be located in exurbs, and according to everything the company has said, they would be better off being in an urban area.

This doesn’t need to devolve into some sort of city/suburb argument as it is quite logical that people that work in the gas fields in the exurban counties would choose to live in the exurbs. I think this is something that people would actually support as it is a wise decision to not commute from the city to the fringe areas for work each day.

[BigPizzaHutFan]

It is absolutely unbelievable to me that Butler County Community Development Corporation Executive Director Ken Raybuck, a man whose job is to endorse his region, is endorsing his region. Truly unbelievable.

(The article spells it out, btw; those people can't afford to live in the urban areas. They move to the rural areas for the lower cost of living.)

[erieguy]

Tell me about it. I'm still looking for the gas wells that are supposed to be out here in Cranberry.

[BigPizzaHutFan]

Originally Posted by PghYinzer

The people moving to exurbs are coming from NY, Ohio, and West Virginia (all states with large drilling industries) and are usually non-married, non-white men. Sounds like workers coming to work in the gas industry.

Although my answer is mostly just snark and the above is probably the correct answer.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by BigPizzaHutFan

It is absolutely unbelievable to me that Butler County Community Development Corporation Executive Director Ken Raybuck, a man whose job is to endorse his region, is endorsing his region. Truly unbelievable.

(The article spells it out, btw; those people can't afford to live in the urban areas. They move to the rural areas for the lower cost of living.)

Most of them are not married, have a job and at least a Bachelor's degree. They can certainly afford to live in urban areas. They just choose to pay less taxes and get the whole package, as mentioned. More for less is the case rather than less for more.

[BigPizzaHutFan]

Originally Posted by erieguy

They can afford to live in urban areas. They just choose to pay less taxes, as mentioned. More for less is the case rather than less for more.

Doubtful; the first thing the article mentions as a reason to live in a rural area is lower taxes and lower cost of living.

Those of us who are unwilling to compromise our standard of living in order to pay lower taxes will continue to move to the city, of course.