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I think it probably a lot easier for an average High School C student who didn't go to college to get by in Missouri than Massachusetts. That's the demographic that is leaving the state since real estate prices anywhere even marginally commutable to the Boston job market aren't affordable anywhere but a failed city with a disaster public school system.
St Louis has always had some telecom and I've been there on business quite a few times. The average engineer or non-technical tech office worker is paid less but they can afford a heck of a lot more house and can afford the better suburbs.
Your above quote is especially interesting to me. I think if we're talking about Eastern Mass, people with limited education and limited funds have the option to live with roommate or find a way into section 8, public housing or "affordable" housing. Not ideal when they could possibly have a better situation somewhere else.
However, I think those same people might have better options should they live on the South Coast, Worcester or Franklin Counties or the Springfield area as they'll have access to more affordable housing and Massachusetts' generous welfare state.
For those of you discussing temperature, here is a comparison of temperatures for Boston, MA, Worcester, MA, Springfield, MO, Kansas City, MO and St. Louis, MO. (The site I used didn't have Springfield, MA)
As we can see the high temps in Mass are colder on average than the Temps in MO all year. For the lows, it seems like the MO cities get a bit colder than Boston around December, but Boston becomes colder at night around January. Worcester stays colder than all of the cities all year around.
I will note that Massachusetts has a few really ugly looking towns and suburbs though.
I don't see how anyone can say Massachusetts beats Missouri on cost of living. That's the one category where I'm pretty sure the Show-Me State is the clear winner.
I don't know of a large city anywhere in the country that doesn't have some ugly-looking suburbs, or a state that has no rundown-looking towns.
Sure, Missouri is the kind of place where that C student who didn't go to college can do well for themselves without ever having to resort to welfare programs or be confined to relatively few areas of the state.
It also has plenty of options for the Ivy-League college grad to live in some very upscale areas surrounded by like-minded folks.
Missouri has more options for more people.
I don't see how anyone can say Massachusetts beats Missouri on cost of living. That's the one category where I'm pretty sure the Show-Me State is the clear winner.
I don't know of a large city anywhere in the country that doesn't have some ugly-looking suburbs, or a state that has no rundown-looking towns.
Oh you’re right, missed that category. Missouri would definitely win in that category.
I'm from Missouri and so I'm biased. MA beats MO in every category except COL. In general, Missouri sucks and it's getting worse every year. I swear that state is trying hard to be the next MS or AL.
I still like KC, but we tell ourselves very regularly that we are glad we don't live in Missouri anymore, especially since the whole trump movement. The rural and urban poverty and brainwashed and ignorant people there are just to much for me to deal with anymore lol.
Missouri cannot compete with Massachusetts overall.
I suppose it boils down to who you are and what you want in terms of living, but Massachusetts has a better big city in Boston, has Cape Code which is stunning, has beaches on the Atlantic, and has the Berkshires to the west.
Massachusetts is super close to Canada, Maine coast, Vermont skiing, New York City, Philly and DC.
Quality of life in MA is superb. The biggest negative is the winter, but it is what it is.
Missouri's best city is Kansas City and I do really like KC. St Louis has seen better days but has some bright spots as well.
Missouri has the Ozark region which is pretty, but not as nice as the Berkshires.
But bottom line for visits and living, Massachusetts is easily the winner in this comparison.
Your above quote is especially interesting to me. I think if we're talking about Eastern Mass, people with limited education and limited funds have the option to live with roommate or find a way into section 8, public housing or "affordable" housing. Not ideal when they could possibly have a better situation somewhere else.
However, I think those same people might have better options should they live on the South Coast, Worcester or Franklin Counties or the Springfield area as they'll have access to more affordable housing and Massachusetts' generous welfare state.
Unless you're a single mother, disabled, or elderly, access to Section 8 vouchers and public housing is a myth. I'm talking about the High School C student who is swinging a hammer to earn a living.
You talk about the South Coast as an option. The pay scale for a carpenter is less than half the metro Boston rate. Google says a 1 br apartment in New Bedford is $1,425/month and that's not going to be a palace. You still have the Massachusetts expenses for a car, the 5% state income tax, health care, etc. That's the people who are leaving. Centered on $75k household income where a dual income couple might make $45k and $30k. You aren't going to raise a family in New Bedford since the school system is lousy. My town next to it, houses cost $300/sf in the least desirable neighborhoods. That's totally out of reach of a couple making $75k.
Don't you mean "a flat state income tax" in the boldfaced part?
Missouri has had progressive state income taxes since I was a lad.
And I'm guessing that by "one-party state" you're not only referring to the Democrats' dominance in the legislature but also the fact that the Republican governors that do get elected are moderate to liberal.
See above on climate. It's not warmer than Massachusetts in the winter, but it can be in summer.
Yep. Typo. I meant flat income tax and that's pretty clear from context since the next sentence was about progressive income taxes.
What I really meant was one party legislature. Moderate republicans get elected to statewide offices, particularly when the Democrats put up a lousy candidate. Martha Coakley lost a US Senate election and a Governor election in recent memory.
At my house close to salt water with a prevailing southwest breeze off the ocean every day, 90F is pretty unusual. If you go 5 miles inland, there are certainly days where it's hotter than Missouri.
I'm from Missouri and so I'm biased. MA beats MO in every category except COL. In general, Missouri sucks and it's getting worse every year. I swear that state is trying hard to be the next MS or AL.
I still like KC, but we tell ourselves very regularly that we are glad we don't live in Missouri anymore, especially since the whole trump movement. The rural and urban poverty and brainwashed and ignorant people there are just to much for me to deal with anymore lol.
Missouri hasn’t changed drastically over the years. Seems like the longer a person is away from a place, the more different it starts to look.
The snarky criticism on this thread has the stench of elitism.... not that I’m immune from such behavior, but seriously, Missouri is not nearly as bad as people are making it sound. Also, it’s not like Mississippi any more than it is Massachusetts.
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