Do you think everyone will start moving South because of the economy?

I would move to North Carolina in a heartbeat.;)

No. I like diversity and being protected by the law.

@lucillelucillelucille Why NC?

The south looks like a tougher place to make a go of it with higher than average unemployment rates

Money Mag lists the best places to live and get a job.

@Aesthetic_Mess —I love it there.The Outer Banks,specifically for it’s beauty,relaxed atmosphere,artist’s community,and have met some of the friendliest people ever.
One day,I would like to have a gallery/studio there—:)

I didn’t know the cost of living in the southern states was lower. I live in north central PA and I’ve always felt I lived in the cheapest area in the nation. You can buy a decent sized single house where I live for 15 to 30 grand. Groceries and other items are cheap here as well. If you make 30 grand here that is considered a good paying job. If there are cheaper areas I certainly would like to know about them.

Cost of living has to be balanced with work prospects. People aren’t going to live where they can’t work – and I’ve actually seen a few people on here moving from the south to the NE for the job opportunities. Therefore, I doubt that the cost, as a single factor, is something that’s going to be predictive of migration.

Nope.

I’m a California girl at heart, albeit a California country girl.

Besides, it’s kinda hard to move geese cross country. lol

I already live here. And @psychocandy we have both of those things.

@diavolobella – One of the things I loved about living in the south was, in fact, the diversity.

I thought people would start to move North due to global warming.

Like me four years ago, from Connecticut to North Carolina.

The lowered cost of living isn’t worth everything else that comes with the south lol. Why would I move to the south when there are cheaper places north, too? I could move 10 miles instead.

@Blackberry I’m a little curious about what you think comes with living in the South. Have you ever lived here?

@Blackberry – Ditto.

I thought the whole economy moved south a couple of years ago, and that’s why everyone is in such a tizzy.

@diavolobella – Heavily Republican, add in some racism and homophobia and I will steer clear.

I know I am painting with a broad brush but I didn’t really feel safe when I was there.

I don’t think so. I moved out of the South because all of the jobs dried up. It is still very high in unemployment.

@diavolobella I’ve only lived in Mississippi for about 5 months, although I lived in Florida for 3 years. In the places I inhabited, there was a large conservative base, and the racial tensions were a little high for it being 2007–2008 then. I had a hard time understanding some of the locals as well, but that’s just my experience, and it doesn’t mean others wouldn’t have a great time down there.

This is a fact: more and more people are moving to the south from Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana. how do i know this? i have met and talked to these people. they are totally distgusted with the cold weather and the high cost of living in their state. i have talked to many people, who came to Nashville, to visit on vacation. you would be surprised at how many have made the switch to the south. i agree with you. the south has much to offer. the four seasons, lower taxes, lower crime rate and affordable housing. i welcome the new people to my state.

A gallon of milk here, is 2.39. cigs. are $42 dollars a carton. can you believe a carton of Marlboro cost $115.00 in New York? unbelievable. a gal. of gas is $2.76.

@john65pennington – I think the $115.00 is awesome. If there’s one thing I’m in favor of that’s actually discriminatory when it comes to business/the market, unwaiveringly, it’s the sin tax.

Tax the hell out of cigarettes, liquor etc.

I would love for northeasterners to start taking over the south. I’m down here in TN, used to live in NC. Can’t see anything but good coming out of breaking up the southern voting block.

Many people are starting to retire in NC, they are called halfbacks. They go down to FL, don’t love it, and go halfway back to North Carolina.

One thing I don’t like about living in a place where the cost of living is less expensive, is when the economy and real estate begin to come back, living here will put me behind economically when I finally want to or can move back to an expensive area. We are here for my husband’s job.

There are no Southern states that offer protection for the LGBTQ community. I’ll stay where I can be out and still be protected under the law, TYVM.

I already live in the most diverse state in the country. Any move would just lead me to more homogeneity.

I prefer a land of enlightenment over one of willful ignorance, bigotry, unemployment, and bad education I think it is a move that will only be made by those that measure quality f life far differently than I do, specifically, placing a heavier emphasis on dollars than I do.

@iamthemob In that case, you better not own a gas-burning vehicle or else when I become Emperor of the world, you will pay 200% of your income in “sin taxes” on your car :P
Your idea of “sin” isn’t my idea, but I have to ask if you are also in favor of sin taxes on bad food like meat, anything with trans-fats or high fructose corn syrup, products made outside of the US, etcetera.

I’m actually finding a lot of the false assumptions, willful ignorance and rampant stereotypes (especially from those who have never even been to the South) pretty amusing. Please feel free not to come here if you really believe those things. More space for those of us who know better.

@diavolobella I only spent a year there (not counting visits, and merely traveling through), and have only had in-depth dealings with a few hundred people that are from that region (plus casual dealings with thousands more), so I may have merely been unlucky enough to see only the worst of the South… as have many others here.

If you know anything about statistics, you will appreciate the unlikelihood of that scenario though. Sure, there are people like @john65pennington and my old buddy “Chief” that are exceptions to the rule, but they are relatively rare exceptions in my experience, and the stereotypes would not be nearly as widespread as they are if my experiences were truly atypical/abnormal.

And don’t get me started on Texas (aside from Austin, which is actually kind of cool)…

@diavolobella Enlighten me. Please list the Southern states that have legal protection for gays.

@jerv Perhaps that is true, but unpleasant people and the accompanying stereotypes about them can be found anywhere in the country, and the world for that matter. The South doesn’t have a corner on the market. Many of the stereotypes I continue to hear about the South are about 50 to 100 years out of date.

@psychocandy Legal protection for LGBTQ community members is another matter, and I certainly believe that is something that should exist worldwide. However, I wasn’t addressing you. I was addressing @jerv‘s comment about willful ignorance, bigotry, unemployment and bad education, which I felt were rather strong generalizations, and which could ostensibly be made about anyplace on Earth by someone who wanted to. The South is not the only area of the U.S. that doesn’t provide legal protections for LGBTQ community. The area of the South I reside in (Nashville) does in fact have a very large, vibrant and open LGBTQ community who seem very happy living here.

I grew up in Hawaii and lived all over the world (military family). Frankly, I have seen no real difference in people’s levels of bigotry anywhere I’ve lived, and the South is no worse or better in that respect.

Highly unlikely, unless we find ourselves in a severe depression like we were in in the 30’s. Everyone I know is working anyway. Or on unemployment and doing just fine.

@psychocandy – I feel like your request is incredibly vague – what do you mean by legal protections?

I also don’t know of any states that do offer such protection in a practical manner so that anyone in the LGBTQ community will be free from discrimination state-wide (states often differ place to place).

I went to law school in New Orleans. I had an amazing time. It was hard to leave. The open presence of the LGBTQ community was celebrated, and one of the largest gay festivals in the nation takes place there.

Likewise, Miami is a southern city. Savannah has an amazing gay community, and a top design school. Atlanta is huge.

Job protection.
Right to see partners in the hospital.
Or anything listed here.

Shit. Just name one protection in one city and I’ll be surprised.

I’m not talking about gay communities. I am talking about laws.

@diavolobella I agree that some are, and honestly I have to say that the South isn’t as racist as they are made out to be; they don’t discriminate against blacks the way they did 40–50 years ago. Then again, with Liberals, Yankees, and non-Christians around, there are plenty of other people for them to hate.
The lack of education and unemployment figures are pulled form within the last five years though, as are poverty figures. Some things are still true.

@Dutchess_III I know someone who is still unemployed after three years of honest looking, and unemployment in my area is around 10% and has been notably above the national average since this shit-storm started.

@jerv Again, it’s all pretty equal opportunity bigotry, isn’t it? After all, I live in the South, and I’m a Liberal Democrat and an Agnostic, so again suggestion that all Southerners hate those things once again perpetuates a stereotype. I’ve gotten more rude treatment and had more assumptions made about me because I live in the South than I’ve ever seen directed at anyone by a Southerner. But it’s all good, because I understand that it’s okay to discriminate against people because of where they are from, if they are from the South, that is. No double standard there. LOL

Y’all have a nice rest of the day, I’ve got to go make biscuits with Aunt Bea and take a basket of Goo Goo Clusters down to Boo Radley.

Took me awhile to find a job too @jerv.

@Dutchess_III You are correct there. Many from NH and VT call their neigbors to the South “Massholes”, and MA isn’t all that far South. I think that that speaks to humanity’s need to hate and discriminate in general.

What part of the South are you in then? The Carolinas seemed alright to me and I haven’t had too many issues with that area or the people from there. The further reaches like Georgia and Alabama are a different matter entirely. However, all it takes is a few hundred bad apples to spoil it for an entire region; Carolina and Tennessee suffer for the actions of their neighbors.

And yes, I am a god-less Liberal elitist, a.k.a. “a typical New Englander”.

I’m from Kansas…I just don’t think we were that hard hit. In fact, I’m in a better place financially than I have been for 20 years….
What I don’t get is when I hear “It’s as bad as it was in 1987!” I’m like…What happened in 1987? I was fine then too. Had my second baby in 1987.

Isn’t the south all low wage nonunion jobs aka “sweatshops”? The southern states do not seem like they would be too friendly to many different types of people as well, especially a nonreligious or nonChristian theist such as myself. I think the dating scene down there (from what I’ve heard) would be very difficult for a shy or introverted guy like myself as well. Yes even if all the jobs were there I still wouldn’t move down there. I will stay up north.

@iamthemob That’s one thing that sucks is having to travel to get to work even though my area is probally cheaper than anywhere in the south.

@john65pennington You can have your warm weather for I hate it. I think I would die of heatstroke down there.

I hope not.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a job down here? Seriously?

@Paradox You’ve got so many misconceptions its not even funny. But you’re far from the only one.

No.

@iamthemob Miami is not a southern city.

I’ll never be that desperate. I love NYC.