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Bert: To clarify : I said "Very few people retire to RI, or to the northeast in general".
I did not say RI'ers don't retire in RI; although a great many retire to FL for example; and all of my close RI friends have retired elsewhere and 3 that I did not know, right here in my own subdivision -- from Warwick, NKingstown, and Portsmouth.
People from other states hardly ever retire to RI.
This is an accurate presentation of reality. Indeed one can go further and accurately say the NE is losing population, period -- RI may lose its 2nd CD due to population stagnation or decline, relative to the rest of the country. I think the reasons are not as understandable or simple as higher taxes, colder weather etc., but something is and has for decades been a'foot. On the one hand, it could be seem as cheap political agit-prop to blame decline due to economic liberalism (i.e. taxes), as it could be a factor of declining financial ability by some of those leaving to actually stay in their home, which could actually be their choice.
This is an accurate presentation of reality. Indeed one can go further and accurately say the NE is losing population, period -- RI may lose its 2nd CD due to population stagnation or decline, relative to the rest of the country. I think the reasons are not as understandable or simple as higher taxes, colder weather etc., but something is and has for decades been a'foot. On the one hand, it could be seem as cheap political agit-prop to blame decline due to economic liberalism (i.e. taxes), as it could be a factor of declining financial ability by some of those leaving to actually stay in their home, which could actually be their choice.
Yes, you're correct, so many cannot keep up their homes (even if mortgage free) due to the high taxes, insurance etc., and general cost of living, heating bills, car payments, yada yada, people could not keep up. Many have or had refinanced or taken out equity loans on their properties and couldn't keep up the payments -- especially if the husband passed away and the wife had to sell the house that had very little or no equity.
It could be the reason you see so many 'housing for the elderly/low income' high rises and developments in RI. Like warehouses for the people who once thought the carousel would keep on turning. Remember, many wives didn't work back 'in the day' and many families lived on one income. Inflation took it all away, combined with the banking crisis etc. Rents are now higher than ever also, many multi family properties are now owned by investors, rather than families. In the past, multis were occupied by generational families of 'tenants' and were able to age in place. The northeast is losing population, yes; but then another generation will come full circle to the last, and the beat goes on. It happens slowly.
Very very few people retire to RI as I mentioned. Let's say some moved to California when they were younger, and now want to retire 'at home'. They are probably the only ones with pockets full of cash who can move back there and buy a house with their gains. Even they are very very few. If they retire with a bucket of money, most could opt to retire on Cape Cod, or somewhere near the shore(s) of RI or MA.
This is an accurate presentation of reality. Indeed one can go further and accurately say the NE is losing population, period -- RI may lose its 2nd CD due to population stagnation or decline, relative to the rest of the country. I think the reasons are not as understandable or simple as higher taxes, colder weather etc., but something is and has for decades been a'foot. On the one hand, it could be seem as cheap political agit-prop to blame decline due to economic liberalism (i.e. taxes), as it could be a factor of declining financial ability by some of those leaving to actually stay in their home, which could actually be their choice.
Massachusetts has increased 4% since 2010 largely within the 495 belt. Fairfield County, CT is up. Southern NH up into Southern Maine is up. Burlington/Chittenden County, VT is up. Everything else is down.
Hello people- what version of reality are you living in? We are not losing population.
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Rhode Island was 1,056,298 on July 1, 2015, a 0.35% increase since the 2010 United States Census. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Providence County, in the city of Cranston.
RI isn't losing population, but it could be growing at a better clip. And people do retire to the Northeast. Maine is one of the oldest states in the U.S. (the oldest as of 2015) and getting older. Now some of that is due to young adults leaving for work, but a lot of that is due to Maine's popularity for retirement. According to this list, it's the 11th best in the U.S. (NH is number 15). There are a ton of threads in the Maine forum that back that up.
So being in the Northeast doesn't necessarily mean that a state can't attract retirees. They can and do. However, RI, MA, and CT don't do a great job of it and COL has a lot to do with that.
Pros
-We get the best of all seasons
-No natural disasters (if we're lucky we'll get one blizzard a year)
-Easy drive to run essential errands
-Dave's Marketplace (best supermarket chain in RI)
-Great seafood
-Great schools in suburbs
-Best ocean beaches
-A lot of great communities & normal people in Northern RI towns (Cumberland/Lincoln)
-coffee milk, Dels, gaggers
-duckpin bowling
Cons
-You need to travel to Boston or elsewhere if you want any kind of career path
-People don't think big here (love the status quo)
-Corrupted politics & same people always getting elected thinking the status quo is ok
-Very congested driving on inner side of 295 towards Providence
-Our DMV hands down is the worst run state institution in the country
-Our state's debt issues could have absolute devastating effect longterm (ie. 38 Studios)
-Stop & Shop overrunning smaller markets
-A lot of rude & ignorant people live in the middle of the state
-It's hard to drive in Providence (and it's not like Boston where you have the option of a T)
-Bad drivers who sit in the fast lane (yes I'm a RI'er and Mass drivers are ten times better)
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