JPSLotus

It's cheap because there is a ton of property to buy unlike the highly developed areas of the tri-state area.

Plenty of employment if you're educated.

Keshav

Again - you have to look at the reasons why there is such a low population and readily available real estate. It has a lovely mild climate, right?

But it has a stagnant economy. Plenty of work if you want to bus tables, manage a Wendy's or be a bouncer in a titty bar or hand out towels on the beach.

The big financial centers, and the fashion industry and pharmaceutical companies and tech companies... places where real money can be made, are not in Florida or places like it.

There are good reasons why some places are developed and some are underdeveloped.

#22

Depends in what field you are educated though to be fair. If you are an electrical or software engineer, the world is your oyster on the west coast. Not so much in say the mid west for example.

Idaho has a mass exodus of people from California at present because of the low comparative cost of living and the fact with Micron being based there means any silicon valley employee can get work. As a result house prices are climbing rapidly in the Boise area.

JPSLotus

Florida has a population of 20.98 million, hardly a low population. The population continues growing because people have had enough of being taxed to death in places like NY/NJ.

Not everyone works in the industries you mention and do just fine relocating to Florida.

NJ is overdeveloped, it has the highest density population. Nothing to brag about. Endless congestion everywhere you go. If you think that is quality of life more power to you. No state income tax, low property taxes in Florida, no fucked up state finances. NY state exists just to fund NYC. Plus no fucked up snow storms to deal with down in Florida. Pretty good deal. Oh and the roads are in tremendously good shape because they fix things and maintain things down here. No money for that in the northeast because it's all been sucked down by the school systems.

JPSLotus

Sure but that's true of anywhere. If you're in finance, NYC is the place to be.

I have a job that allows me to go anywhere in the country without issue.

California is an overpriced shithole just as a tangent.

JohnnyKnockdown

All you had to do was mention we have Waffle House. Slam dunk, mic drop, debate over

#22

Yeah you wouldn't get me living in NJ that's for sure. If I did I might as well stayed in the UK

California is overpriced certainly. Can't beat the climate though.

Keshav

Actually NYC comprises 39% of NY State's overall population and supports way more than its share in order to prop up the rest of the state. This is very much an established fact.

The school systems were something I mentioned in an earlier post. I don't have kids - but everyone benefits from a more educated populace.

Re: endless congestion, I don't really find that to be true for me. Of course I don't commute into Manhattan for work, but if I had to, I could take a bus in and ride in comfort without having to drive. Yes - the NY subway system is crowded during the rush hour - but that's true in any major city. And nobody is forced to live in Manhattan. People flock there because of job opportunities and the amazing cultural diversity and the way it's all expressed in the arts and dining etc..

Re: snow and roads. True there's no snow in Fl but then there's no proper changing of the seasons either. So roads don't experience the same kind of wear and tear hence not needing the high degree of maintenence.

Florida's largely stagnant economy is 97% tourism, great if you own hotels - less than optimal if you're a bellboy or a maid. Next biggest chunk is agriculture - great if you have money to own an orange farm - not so great if you pick oranges. Third is International Trade; great if you own a shipping firm or if you're a high end broker, less than great if you're a trucker or a dock worker. A tiny remaining wedge is aerospace and investment.

For myself and many others the diversity of the landscape is a huge attraction. I've gone to school in Fl and been back many times and always found the flatness incredibly boring and the general uniformity of concrete box architecture enervating.

I could if I had to, live in Miami - but that's not a cheap place to live either. For me the winters are okay. Personally - I don't like extreme heat for months on end and Fl in the summer is an oven. And if you're put off by a bit of snow, you'll really hate the hurricanes that destroy Floridian lives and property like clockwork.

The only cultural exports out of there worth mentioning would be two-hit wonder Gloria Estefan and Tom Petty who sadly, is dead.

Barbedwirebikerr

That is insane to think of.

20.98 Million in only 170,000km2.

Australia's entire population is only 24.6M, with just under 7.7Million square kilometres to stretch out.

Granted, much is Desert.

Keshav

And Australia is actually a larger landmass than the USA. I've had a lot of Aussie pals over the years and generally find them to be really fun and easy to get along with. I think I'd really like it there - were it not for the heat.

A funny story. A bunch of years ago an actress friend of mine was in Sydney doing a show. This was back when everybody was using AOL and dial-up and it was a big novelty to email back and forth across the globe. She was staying with this gal who was said to be the most famous stripper in Sydney and this woman started emailing me and sending photos of herself and she was hot. She invited me to come stay with her as long as I wanted. I thought what the hell. Why not go and have an adventure? After a week of going over my finances I was going to buy a ticket the next day, when a friend of mine heard of my plans he informed me that yes this chick was really hot and desirable, except... she'd been caught in the middle of a bar fight a year before and got hit in the face with chair and now sported a complete set of false teeth.