So do we living on Lake James in Western NC.
Posted on 04/20/2006 1:59:51 PM PDT by Heartofsong83
Census: Americans Are Fleeing Big Cities By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer Thu Apr 20, 12:15 AM ET
WASHINGTON - Americans are leaving the nation's big cities in search of cheaper homes and open spaces farther out.
Nearly every large metropolitan area had more people move out than move in from 2000 to 2004, with a few exceptions in the South and Southwest, according to a report being released Thursday by the Census Bureau.
Northeasterners are moving South and West. West Coast residents are moving inland. Midwesterners are chasing better job markets. And just about everywhere, people are escaping to the outer suburbs, also known as exurbs.
"It's a case of middle class flight, a flight for housing affordability," said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "But it's not just white middle class flight, it's Hispanics and blacks, too."
The Census Bureau measured domestic migration — people moving within the United States — from 1990 to 2000, and from 2000 to 2004. The report provides the number of people moving into and out of each state and the 25 largest metropolitan areas.
The states that attracted the most new residents: Florida, Arizona and Nevada. The states that lost the most: New York, California and Illinois.
Among the 25 largest metropolitan areas, 18 had more people move out than move in from 2000 to 2004. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — the three biggest metropolitan areas — lost the most residents to domestic moves. The New York metropolitan area had a net loss of more than 210,000 residents a year from 2000 to 2004.
Richard Florida, a professor of public policy at George Mason University, said smaller, wealthier households are replacing larger families in many big metropolitan areas.
That drives up housing prices even as the population shrinks, chasing away even more members of the middle class.
"Because they are bidding up prices, they are forcing some people out to the exurbs and the fringe," Florida said. "Other people are forced to make moves in response to that. I don't have any sense of this abating."
The metropolitan area that attracted the most new residents was Riverside, Calif., which has been siphoning residents from Los Angeles for years. The Riverside area, which includes San Bernardino and Ontario, had a net gain of 81,000 people a year from 2000 to 2004.
Riverside has grown to become the 13th largest metropolitan area in the nation. It's a short drive to several mountain ranges, and it's within driving distance of the beach. Locally, it is known as the Inland Empire.
"When you look at housing prices in Southern California, along the beaches and coastlines, you're able to obtain a very large home for a much lower price" in Riverside, said Cindy Roth, president and CEO of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.
Homes in Riverside aren't cheap. The median price — the point at which half cost more and half cost less — was $374,200 in 2005. But they are less expensive than Los Angeles, where the median price was $529,000.
Other areas that attracted a lot of new residents also have relatively inexpensive homes, even if they are not the cheapest in the country. Phoenix, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth round out the top five metropolitan areas.
Last year I was looking at a move to Riverside but now it seems to make more sense to move from CA altogether. I pity those who are buying renovated apartments as condos for $300,000. If there truly is a housing bubble I fear they're going to be washed away.
We sure escaped from liberalism, noise, crime, etc.
We moved 120 miles east from the San Francisco bay area.
We now live in a Red county, in the mountains. Beautiful, quiet and conservative.
What is it like in the small towns along, say, the US-395 corridor?
I agree. I've seen it with my own two eyes, heard their "concern" about guns, lack of "services" and how "things need to change". Telling them to go back where they came from is not well received.
"I fled to NH from Mass partially for housing costs but mostly because i could not stand taxachusetts any longer."
Wecome to NH my fellow freeper!
So do we living on Lake James in Western NC.
Oh man...looks like I didn't move far enough. That looks to be just a bit shy of paradise! I'm jealous. I'm in Reidsville, just a bit north of Greensboro...
Hey Mr. Mayor. Hold those Homo Olympics in Chicago this year and watch the population drop again (that is plus from the AIDS epidemic that's coming after the "festivities").
Is Charles Schwab a liberal? I thought that he had the biggest development out there.
I'm one of those guys. My house is on the north end of the most distant exurb from Plano Texas. I look north from my house and see nothing but forest for about .... 15 miles. So I'm happy to be on the edge of the styx.
Ah, yet another California refugee.
Good. You can help us boot Gov. "Doubtfire" out of office in November!
Welcome.
bigger than Ted Turnip?
They are fleeing from the consequences of liberalism but paradoxically strengthening it as well.
As families leave cities become 'gay friendly' to attract a tax base. As sodomites become more politically important than Catholics in major cities their clout increases.
Ted Turner is the largest private land owner in the US. He has a 10,000 acre, well stocked 'compound' in Patagonia, when asked why, he said, "that's where I'm going when the revolution starts."
Thanks. We did a ton of research planning for retirement. Asheville was rated very highly. We spent a few weeks in Western NC and finally stumbled upon Lake James. We bought 1.67 acres right on the Lake the day hurricane Floyd was bashing the East coast in mid-Sept. 1999.
Schwab built some huge gated community and country club out in Montana after he retired. I don't know much about his politics, but I would be suprised if he were a liberal.
But are those liberals from the cities now going to elect lefty politicians in formerly red states/counties?
It will be my pleasure and thank you!
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