Yep, I've been reading about how the rust belt is having a huge brain drain problem. Young people go to college or get jobs and leave to never return. My goal's been to get my own startup going and when money isn't a stopper move somewhere nicer like Austin or Miami. I feel I'd be a lot happier even if a higher cost of living. While my family is going through a cold winter I can be walking around in shorts. More things to do, warmer, less taxes especially if I was a successful tech person. Depending on how successful, even traveling full time is an option I've thought about.

I feel like many places aren't even on the radar for companies or people. States in the South are attracting a lot of people like AZ, TX, FL. TN is very nice too, and I doubt their winters would be as bad as here. I think weather is part of it, but things like less red tape and taxes draw people in too. ID and SD are growing too, even though they get pretty cold I feel like the cost of living and smaller more efficient government helps.

I follow some full time RVers and people pick SD as their domicile and the state makes it easy to do since still need to live somewhere on paper legally but I was amazed you can renew your license online every other time. I'm surprised a state with less population is more technically advanced than larger states. I feel if they wanted to do something like that here, there'd be too much bickering going back and forth that nothing would ever get done. They kept arguing back and forth about getting rid of front license plates and it passed, but now someone is wanting to repeal that change before it comes into effect next July. So I think some of these states are organized and more efficient too which is drawing people.

I like to look at data on a site called Where Money Walks and it shows that the Northern States, California and parts of the midwest are losing a lot of people and money. I can't wait to see what the 2020 census will be, as I feel that will show more details. Maybe states will lose federal dollars and wake up where they need to come up with a strategy to compete for people, tech, tourism and many other areas. I think some of these politicians are too comfortable as we've seen a huge shift. Last time the census was done the iPhone was only a few years old and that changed phones are we know it for example.

I know states can't compete with weather, but there's many other things that they seem to be leaving on the table. Why would anyone want to live in a cold place like New York with high taxes, vehicle inspections, ugly yellow license plates which in some states get confused with party plates (people who were convicted of a DUI get them as a punishment in my state, but I think it's only if more than once), people who like sports cars get turned off by front plates when they could enjoy Miami with a lot less bs and warmer? If they had infomercials for both, I know which one I'd prefer. I know I was reading NJ is one of the most moved out states, these places are driving people away. Wouldn't surprise me if the schools were even better in FL. I think NYC would be cool to visit, but I don't think you could pay me to live there. California and Maryland have a bunch of problems too, so hopefully looking at the data is a wake up call for places to improve and start competing. In California you are more likely to be arrested over smog than committing a federal crime, plus people can't afford to live there so Austin is a growing tech hub full of California license plates, Apple is expanding there too and is going to be the cities largest employer. Then you have Facebook, Google, Oracle, etc too in Austin.