Best and worst places to grow up $$$

[calmloki]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...w-your-area-compares.html?_r=1&abt=0002&abg=0

Interesting interactive map that indicates the effect of location on income mobility for kids raised in different areas. While the focus of the article is on income mobility for lower income kids it also indicates how kids from all income ranges do compared to their peers across the country. Uintah county Utah and Wyoming county Pa are of note - not familiar with either, what's going on there that has the effect?

 

[Which Roger]

The pattern I see in my area is that the most affluent counties are the ones with the most upward income mobility for the poor kids. This makes perfect sense, since in these areas, the poor are a small minority of the population and go to the same (usually very good) public schools as the affluent kids.

 

[MRG]

. Uintah county Utah and Wyoming co...al. That was all due to the gas industry. 🐑

 

[Bestwifeever]

Interesting, thanks for posting this.

 

[haha]

Very interesting.

"In some places, the new estimates of mobility conflict with earlier estimates. For example, previous estimates suggested that New York City was a good place for lower-income children to grow up: Children raised in lower-income families in New York had above-average outcomes in adulthood.
But New York appeared above average in part because it has a large number of immigrants, who have good rates of upward mobility no matter where they live: Nothing about New York in particular caused these children to do better."

Why do immigrants, many of whom are not native English speakers, do better than groups that have been here many years? The immigrant groups that are outcompeting US born poor people have changed over the years as to ethnicity, countries of origin, etc., but they keep right on keeping on.

Ha

 

[hnzw_rui]

Why do immigrants, many of whom are not native English speakers, do better than groups that have been here many years? The immigrant groups that are outcompeting US born poor people have changed over the years as to ethnicity, countries of origin, etc., but they keep right on keeping on.

Because they know how much worse conditions are outside of the US. Besides, a lot of immigrants who migrate to countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia do so in search of a better life for themselves and in particular, their children. They already had the drive to improve to begin with.

Meanwhile, I'm amazed at the sense of entitlement some of the folks I met who grew up in the US have. It's like they expect things to just be handed to them on a silver platter.

 

[SN01]

Interesting graphic, thanks for sharing

Not sure why you note those two locations though? Doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary compared to surrounding areas.

 

[bclover]

Because they know how much worse conditions are outside of the US. Besides, a lot of immigrants who migrate to countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia do so in search of a better life for themselves and in particular, their children. They already had the drive to improve to begin with.

Meanwhile, I'm amazed at the sense of entitlement some of the folks I met who grew up in the US have. It's like they expect things to just be handed to them on a silver platter.

actually I don't think that's entirely true. Americans have always had hard working ethics and ingenuity.

 

[Nodak]

I grew up poor in Pembina County ND. It's apparently a good place to be from:

"Pembina County is very good for income mobility for children in poor families. It is better than about 93 percent of counties."

 

[MRG]

Interesting graphic, thanks for sharing

Not sure why you note those two locations though? Doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary compared to surrounding areas.

Seriously, have you ever been to Lackawanna county PA? Just East of Wyoming county. The area died when the mines died. The mines died due to mine fires.
Here's a nice photo:

http://www.fire-police-ems.com/books/bw2665.jpg

There's still some mine fires burning, the stench of burning coal(mine gas, lots of sulphur). Here's a nice article that talks about fires still burning in the Scranton area in 2014:

http://moreintelligentlife.com/story/pennsylvanias-burning-mines#_

My Uncle had rental property in that area. I belive he just quit paying taxes on it. There was nothing to sell, old beaten dumps and land no one wanted. Poverty and druggies were the residents.

My Cousin taught in Scranton for years, I recall her telling me if I thought it was bad in the 60s, it was worse in 2000. She wouldn't live there, commuted in from a better area. More of the same drugs, poverty. Don't get me wrong there's some little nooks and crannies that are pretty, but there's limited work.

In PA, Centralia Columbia County (south 100 crow miles or more) got all the press about mine fires. Sure the town no longer exists but most the media attention was due to family feuds.

 

[HFWR]

Meanwhile, I'm amazed at the sense of entitlement some of the folks I met who grew up in the US have. It's like they expect things to just be handed to them on a silver platter.

actually I don't think that's entirely true. Americans have always had hard working ethics and ingenuity.

Perhaps both...

 

[brewer12345]

Uintah is a hotbed of oil and gas activity. Even to this day with a drilling bust nationwide, Uintah (Uinta Basin) remains active.

 

[Moemg]

Seriously, have you ever been to Lackawanna county PA? Just East of Wyoming county. The area died when the mines died. The mines died due to mine fires.
Here's a nice photo:



In PA, Centralia Columbia County (south 100 crow miles or more) got all the press about mine fires. Sure the town no longer exists but most the media attention was due to family feuds.

I grew up in Schuylkill Pa. . It is a step down from Lackawanna , Pa. but amazingly most of my high school class went to college and became very successful .

 

[haha]

Because they know how much worse conditions are outside of the US. Besides, a lot of immigrants who migrate to countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia do so in search of a better life for themselves and in particular, their children. They already had the drive to improve to begin with.

Meanwhile, I'm amazed at the sense of entitlement some of the folks I met who grew up in the US have. It's like they expect things to just be handed to them on a silver platter.

I suppose if we want to hold immigrants down to the level of natives we should dispatch social workers to enroll them in welfare programs as soon as they arrive.

Ha

 

[MRG]

My family is from Lackawanna county. My eldest sibling grew up there the other 2 were there as children. Aunts Uncles bunch of cousins. Most have done very well too.

A true and interesting family rule was started for my parents generation. No one was allowed in the mines. The standard threat was if I hear you talking about the mine, I'll break your leg. No one tested the rule!

I think somehow growing up in a depressed area brings out some people's best qualities.

 

[braumeister]

The county where I grew up is shown as "very bad" (better than just 17%) and the surrounding counties are in the same range. Considering that it's also a high cost of living area, that's a double whammy.

Although we were not exactly "poor" we were just barely above that level. I moved out of the area as soon as I could, but nearly all my friends who have remained there have done pretty well for themselves. So I would take this study with a grain of salt.

 

[Bestwifeever]

The study shows imo that children especially achieve based on what's around them--if they know kids who seem to be smart and enjoy learning, they think they could be like that too. My best friends in high school (not in a high cost of living area, though) went to college so I did too--none of my siblings did, but their friends did not either.

Although it seems fairly obvious, the better-off kids in this study don't overachieve to the same level as the poorer kids but they still do a little better financially than their parents if I am looking at it right.

 

[Moemg]

My family is from Lackawanna county. My eldest sibling grew up there the other 2 were there as children. Aunts Uncles bunch of cousins. Most have done very well too.

A true and interesting family rule was started for my parents generation. No one was allowed in the mines. The standard threat was if I hear you talking about the mine, I'll break your leg. No one tested the rule!

I think somehow growing up in a depressed area brings out some people's best qualities.

After the mines dried up they opened factories in Frackville,Pa. .My Dad's threat when we would say we hate school was the factory . He was good friends with the owner of the pajama factory so we knew it was no idle threat .

 

[Hermit]

...
Meanwhile, I'm amazed at the sense of entitlement some of the folks I met who grew up in the US have. It's like they expect things to just be handed to them on a silver platter.

actually I don't think that's entirely true. Americans have always had hard working ethics and ingenuity.

I suppose if we want to hold immigrants down to the level of natives we should dispatch social workers to enroll them in welfare programs as soon as they arrive.

Ha

Two friends who are on the dole work hard and have lots of ingenuity in their quest to stay on welfare/SSDI/Medicare. Working the system can be a full time job.