Top Twenty Cities People Are Leaving

[Yawkey Way]

Having lived in Florida since 1951, I have always wondered why folks didn't retire and move up north.

When I was six, Florida was a sleepy little state and smaller in population then any state in the southeast accept Mississippi. And now, has overtaken New York as #3 in population.


The panhandle beaches were a deserted paradise of dunes and white sand for miles on end.

Things change. And now they are. Here, in the area of my western NC cabin, are may "half backs" as they are called. Folks who moved to Florida from up north and now have moved into the mountains of North Carolina after retirement.

North Carolina mountains are very cold in Jan, Feb.... Northeasterners and midwesterners still flock to South Florida ( than the inland mountains of North Carolina) as there is much more of a southern culture still in those mountains of North Carolina that one does not find in ( say ) Southwest Florida... where northerners and midwesterners still are coming in , in droves each and every month.

 

[Yawkey Way]

High taxes are driving businesses and people out. Connecticut was a low tax state until the 1980's and it boomed. Then government got greedy and reversed the trend.

Growth is happening in low tax states. Shocking.

True... and don't forget the additional influence of air conditioning. These South, Southwest states took off in population in no small measure because of the simple invention of air coolants too ( haha!)

 

[Yawkey Way]

the biggest change is not only in population shifts, but also in the demographic make up of regions. As it relates to New England, its population is the oldest in age in the country now too. Many of its retirees still remain in place at retirement, whereas quite a few of New England's young, after schooling, are leaving the state, and for a host of reasons. When I was growing up, many of my friends moved away, but not that many moved out of state. They just moved to other towns... ie, in state. But if you talk to the young in Connecticut ( or any other N.E. State) between the ages of 21-35 now, they'll tell you they all know lots of friends that have moved out of New England... in some cases, even themselves.

 

[lne001]

North Carolina mountains are very cold in Jan, Feb.... Northeasterners and midwesterners still flock to South Florida ( than the inland mountains of North Carolina) as there is much more of a southern culture still in those mountains of North Carolina that one does not find in ( say ) Southwest Florida... where northerners and midwesterners still are coming in , in droves each and every month.

Born, raised and lived in Ct for the vast majority of my 68 years. Moved to western North Carolina year and a half ago, living about 20 minutes outside Asheville. Not a lot of people actually live in the mountains (elevations too high) and I found last winter here to be a dream. Never single digit temperature and snowed twice with a total of 1.5 inches. This general area is also populated by northern retirees in huge numbers, so it really does not feel that dissimilar to New England. Virtually all expenses are lower, some substantially.

 

[Redding Husky]

Born, raised and lived in Ct for the vast majority of my 68 years. Moved to western North Carolina year and a half ago, living about 20 minutes outside Asheville. Not a lot of people actually live in the mountains (elevations too high) and I found last winter here to be a dream. Never single digit temperature and snowed twice with a total of 1.5 inches. This general area is also populated by northern retirees in huge numbers, so it really does not feel that dissimilar to New England. Virtually all expenses are lower, some substantially.

We get about 3" of snow per year north of Dallas. And we have people from all over (NY, CA, IL, MI, WA, FL, etc.). Living expenses are lower here. The supply of real estate and cheap labor are inexhaustible.

 

[billybud]

North Carolina mountains are very cold in Jan, Feb.... Northeasterners and midwesterners still flock to South Florida ( than the inland mountains of North Carolina) as there is much more of a southern culture still in those mountains of North Carolina that one does not find in ( say ) Southwest Florida... where northerners and midwesterners still are coming in , in droves each and every month.

The temperatures in most of western NC are moderate...a true four seasons, no lasting snow and usually only three to four snow days...winters are considered mild by New England standards. Asheville ....January average low of 27 degrees and high of 47 (January). Versus Hartford's average January low of 18 and high of 35.

 

[Yawkey Way]

Born, raised and lived in Ct for the vast majority of my 68 years. Moved to western North Carolina year and a half ago, living about 20 minutes outside Asheville. Not a lot of people actually live in the mountains (elevations too high) and I found last winter here to be a dream. Never single digit temperature and snowed twice with a total of 1.5 inches. This general area is also populated by northern retirees in huge numbers, so it really does not feel that dissimilar to New England. Virtually all expenses are lower, some substantially.

Yes, Asheville, N.C. is a nice area. I have visited there, and had a nice time. Its a 4 season area as you said, but with much milder winters than in N.E. Its got the wonderful scenery of the mountains too nearby. Your money goes much further there too. That said, I like to walk around in shorts, and swim in my pool, or ocean, in Jan, Feb,( SW FL) and I can't do that in Asheville, N.C in my winters. ... but its a great spot to retiree to, imo

 

[Exit 4]

Growth alone should not be a measurement for a location's well being. Should anyone be surprised that a small land mass state such as Ct with a very mature environment (not the people but its development) has static growth while very big land mass states out west with a less previous development are growing at a faster rate? The western states have plenty of undeveloped land ripe for growth. It is a far different dynamic than the northeast states that have been developed over hundreds of years.

There is a lot of simple truth to what you are saying - but its also a simple truth that CRA candidate schools will be looking for growth and that is something we cannot offer relative to the rest of the country. Yes, we have disposable income, high wage, yada-yada metrics, but not growth metrics. Just look at my two examples of AZ and CO. In another 25 years, all states in the northeast not named MA and NY will really have become little principalities.

Two parting thoughts, i) already crowded Massachusetts has grown nicely, including Boston the past 15 years. And virtually any major city that is growing in the world, has as a result, demonstrated that growth can continue even when a certain density has been achieved. Connecticut must find a way to continue to grow.

2) As Yawkey Way has mentioned - the biggest issue of all is the move out of college educated millennials. They are leaving the northeast in buckets. I'm from a small town in the north east. 50% of my classmates left and won't ever being coming back. I am one that left. For the most part, they have all moved to either major cities with sports teams or smaller cities in the south. Yes, many are in NY and Boston - but not in Hartford, New Haven or Springfield MA or some other little city far outside a major league city. Many are also in DC, CA, NV and TX.

 

[FASTEDDY]

I sell multifamily housing. New Haven is on-fire both it terms of people desiring to live within the city and capital inflow. Bridgeport will always be ok due to it's proximity to NYC even though most of it is a s-hole. Regarding Hartford, if it's losing population it's probably a good thing as there's just so much dead weight in that city that needs to leave in order to make room for responsible hard working professionals.

Problem is the good ones are the ones leaving and the "dead weight" is multiplying and growing. This happens since the "dead weight" people start populating at age 14-15. They don't care, the state will take care of them with welfare a plenty.

 

[Madbiker]

Not surprised. It just confirms my feeling and what I have heard from many of my neighbors. The cost of living in these CT cities has soared in the last 20 years. The property tax burden is outrageous. It wasn't like that when I moved to CT back then. How many people can afford to pay $900+/mo. in property tax alone on a modest house? Fewer and fewer. It's not like incomes are increasing like they used to. It's a shame and more and more the answer is to move to the south and west where housing and taxes are far more affordable.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Not surprised. It just confirms my feeling and what I have heard from many of my neighbors. The cost of living in these CT cities has soared in the last 20 years. The property tax burden is outrageous. It wasn't like that when I moved to CT back then. How many people can afford to pay $900+/mo. in property tax alone on a modest house? Fewer and fewer. It's not like incomes are increasing like they used to. It's a shame and more and more the answer is to move to the south and west where housing and taxes are far more affordable.

$900+ a month in property taxes? What a steal! Sign me up!

Sincerely,

A New Jersey resident.

 

[Adios]

Not surprised. It just confirms my feeling and what I have heard from many of my neighbors. The cost of living in these CT cities has soared in the last 20 years. The property tax burden is outrageous. It wasn't like that when I moved to CT back then. How many people can afford to pay $900+/mo. in property tax alone on a modest house? Fewer and fewer. It's not like incomes are increasing like they used to. It's a shame and more and more the answer is to move to the south and west where housing and taxes are far more affordable.

I used to know an old pet shop owner in my neighborhood when I was a kid. That pet shop was taken over by his son and is now a liquor store. Petco is all there is now in town. Who's to blame? Petco?

 

[Stinger92860]

I moved out of Bridgeport too! I still go back to the old neighborhood to buy pastries and cakes at Del Prete. The number of apartments and new homes being built in the rest of Fairfield county is astounding.

 

[Jarhead_1775]

Still not realistic to make every UConn game living anywhere else.

 

[billybud]

Yikes! $900 a month.

Because of Florida's Save our Homes constitutional amendment...I have been grandfathered in and my tax rate may not increase by more than the inflation rate or 3%, whichever is lower.

My combined taxes for my mountain cabin in NC and my home in Florida are $300 a month.