Population slightly down in MA 2022 (Boston: layoffs, shops, affordable housing)

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by Lampert

Boston is absolutely overpriced at this point and it has been so for probably 5 years at this point, like many of the others major "historical" metro areas are.
Housing, childcare and healthcare costs are starting to drive away the upper-middle class too.

PS the T is one of the best services in the US, people don't move because of the T, even if they say the do.

It's interesting because people are shocked by Boston's home/rent prices, have been for years, but continue to move here. I'm sure there are people who decide otherwise and choose somewhere else. Overall I agree that it's overpriced. Just because people continue to pay for something doesn't mean the price is right for all

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by msRB311

It's interesting because people are shocked by Boston's home/rent prices, have been for years, but continue to move here. I'm sure there are people who decide otherwise and choose somewhere else. Overall I agree that it's overpriced. Just because people continue to pay for something doesn't mean the price is right for all

I don't think anybody really moves here by "choice" anymore. I'm sure 99% of in moves are to meet some kind of a career or educational needs, where the intent isn't to stay any longer than necessary once that goal is achieved or there are alternatives elsewhere. Or they are here to be closer to family, etc. .

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by massnative71

I don't think anybody really moves here by "choice" anymore. I'm sure 99% of in moves are to meet some kind of a career or educational needs, where the intent isn't to stay any longer than necessary once that goal is achieved or there are alternatives elsewhere. Or they are here to be closer to family, etc. .

Yes, people stretch themselves for things they want or think they need all the time. It again doesn't mean it's not overpriced.

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by massnative71

I don't think anybody really moves here by "choice" anymore. I'm sure 99% of in moves are to meet some kind of a career or educational needs, where the intent isn't to stay any longer than necessary once that goal is achieved or there are alternatives elsewhere. Or they are here to be closer to family, etc. .

Biotech and other high techs are the reason people move to Boston. And those sectors are in Boston because of the insane lineup Eastern Mass offers in term of higher education. A density probably unmatched anywhere else.
If it wasn't for the higher education there would be no biotech/other tech and Boston would be in a completely different place, more similar to the majority of northeastern cities.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

I don't think anybody really moves here by "choice" anymore. I'm sure 99% of in moves are to meet some kind of a career or educational needs, where the intent isn't to stay any longer than necessary once that goal is achieved or there are alternatives elsewhere. Or they are here to be closer to family, etc. .

I think it's often a choice...not so much a need, but something they desire to do for their career. It's not like people are getting relocated here to keep their job at some Ford Plant.

I think 95% of the moves are for school and work (I've said for years Boston is not a "lifestyle city"). But they could choose a school in a different city, or a job in a different city most times.

5% are probably purely family reunification of immigrants.

At this point-everyone agrees its overpriced, and for that reason, people are not staying in Boston as much as they were in the 2000s and 2010s.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

I think it's often a choice...not so much a need,

It's also seen as a status symbol to live in the Boston area.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

I think it's often a choice...not so much a need, but something they desire to do for their career. It's not like people are getting relocated here to keep their job at some Ford Plant.

I think 95% of the moves are for school and work (I've said for years Boston is not a "lifestyle city"). But they could choose a school in a different city, or a job in a different city most times.

5% are probably purely family reunification of immigrants.

At this point-everyone agrees its overpriced, and for that reason, people are not staying in Boston as much as they were in the 2000s and 2010s.

At some level almost everything is a choice. I’m sure a lot of people choose Boston because its where they can get the best salary relative to cost of living. That tends to be people with specific skills who can maybe only look in a handful of metro areas to begin with.

Or it may be the so-called two-body problem. The overlap of places where I can find good jobs and my wife can find good jobs in a totally unrelated field is basically here or the New York metro. I’m sure there are other people in similar situations.

[msRB311]

Seems like everything on this forum comes back to housing costs. That should speak volumes. There's little else being discussed on the MA or Boston forum.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Seems like everything on this forum comes back to housing costs. That should speak volumes. There's little else being discussed on the MA or Boston forum.

Housing costs is hemming up Boston as a city- really constraining its abilities to function as anything other than an economic incubator… but there’s a huge % of people who want housing costs to remain prohibitively expensive. I’d say you’re one of those people- however, you may not identify that way, I’d say most folks don’t identify that way even if it’s them. That’s the rub and that’s where Boston is.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Housing costs is hemming up Boston as a city- really constraining its abilities to function as anything other than an economic incubator… but there’s a huge % of people who want housing costs to remain prohibitively expensive. I’d say you’re one of those people- however, you may not identify that way, I’d say most folks don’t identify that way even if it’s them. That’s the rub and that’s where Boston is.

There are certain neighborhoods that I can see why they are expensive to live there. I'm sure the residents like it being expensive because it makes them feel better about their investment and keeps the riff raff out. The problem is everywhere has become expensive...not just the Wellesley and Hingham type towns. The places that are 'affordable' are still very expensive and they are often big downgrades from the nicer towns. So while I think that stinks I also don't want affordable housing being built all over the place either. So if I'm part of the problem then so be it.

I still don't see how me not wanting forests being knocked down for loads of affordable housing developments to be built is the reason why an average home is now 1M. I put the blame on all the corporate industries that rushed to set up shop in Boston...i think the office shops need to be more distributed throughout the state and country. It shouldn't matter where someone's office is anymore and thankfully more people are starting to see this.