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I know it sounds kind of vague but as someone who has lived here most of my life and traveling and seeing what I was missing out on I was curious to why people voluntarily left. Also where did you end up deciding to move to? I don't necessarily want statistics of this or that place growing but also what does this area need to do to keep people. I do a lot of research and honestly a lot of my friends and people i know moved away and when they come to visit it often affirms that they made the right decision and none of them went to florida lol.
Ironically, it is an area that is adding people, not losing them. Saratoga County is or has been one of, if not THE fastest growing county outside of the NYC area and even ahead of some counties in that area. Other counties in the area have had some growth as well. So, it actually is attracting some people.
I know it sounds kind of vague but as someone who has lived here most of my life and traveling and seeing what I was missing out on I was curious to why people voluntarily left. Also where did you end up deciding to move to? I don't necessarily want statistics of this or that place growing but also what does this area need to do to keep people. I do a lot of research and honestly a lot of my friends and people i know moved away and when they come to visit it often affirms that they made the right decision and none of them went to florida lol.
Mainly couldn't stand the weather and lack of jobs in my field of interest (tech) compared to other metros. Capital Region economy caters mostly to healthcare, higher education, and government.
Can get the same or better bang for your buck in many metros down south, where I went.
I am from Westchester but I spent my early 20s there for college. They say it's good to go away and good to come home. After being a city kid my whole upbringing I needed a change of scenery. While attending college I found winters to be even colder, since it's further north from the equator. Meeting people from "the country" was fun at the time. I couldn't imagine how people could not get bored easily up there where some towns were so desolate and seemed strange to me. I got along with kids from Upstate but after transfering colleges a few times I found my way back down the Hudson river. I moved back because college was over and I was in a transitional phase in my life from 18-23 so it was the right move going north. I still take trips to various lake towns but since most of my family is from NYC I'm back home now.
Closed minded people; not much to do in comparison to other places I had lived in; very boring in general, except for the SUNY party scene and that gets old as you get older; no real educational opportunities for STEM field except for RPI (which is in Troy and need I say more); for a northern climate skiing sucks, all ice; going to Boston or NYC many weekends to escape just emphasizes that you live in the wrong place; also ludicrously high taxes (and also high prices for sizes of towns of similar size.)
Worst was the weather. I came from a much warmer weather zone - had been flatly lied to in the interview and followups in regard to the weather (they said they sugarcoated it because "frankly, if we told you or anyone the truth, we would get no one") because they needed someone desperately.
My advice. Just leave. Just leave. You feel so much better. Of all the places I have ever lived in, I can say this is the only one I disliked - and that is with having great times in Boston and NYC.
Albany being too close to NYC (and other big, desirable mega-cities like Boston and Providence to the East, DC and Philly to the South, and Montreal to the North), means the "A-list" gays move there, and don't stay in Albany.
Other reasons:
- No tech jobs (my field). Wages low for the ones that do exist.
- In fact, unless you're a State worker or Albany Medical Center employee, job security is pathetic.
- Winter isn't charming here like it is in NYC. It's just annoying here.
- 300 Dunkin' Donuts but we couldn't let a single Krispy Kreme survive.
- Food options? Hope you enjoy McDonald's and KFC.
- Our claim to fame is "the world's biggest Walmart." That's our culture.
We didn't even really notice the pandemic (just like we didn't really notice the 2008 Great Recession). We were already too sleepy of a metro.
There were no apropriate jobs for my spouse’s field in the 518.
Never liked the winter, have tried a few milder climates.
The Small-bany vibe can be really suffocating, kind of nice to be anonymous elsewhere.
Mostly I just miss my Albany friends and the local, hole in the wall foods. I don’t really have any close family there anymore either, just distant cousins and that kind of thing.
Have debated coming back, but I don’t think I can handle the winters. I highly doubt we move back.
I am LMAO over the Krispy Kreme comment, I wish that had lasted. Try moving to a part of the country with no Dunkin, that totally sucks.
In my case, I am in the process of moving because my mother who is 91 years old is going blind and needs someone to take her places and help her with basic housework and other duties. I’m moving to a more rural area out in the country, where there won’t be as many stores or places to eat nearby. I will definitely miss that about Albany, but I won’t miss the overall closed-mindedness around here.
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