Foo - Does everyone in the U.S. move state when they leave home?

absolutely EVERY joe blogg/average that I see Letterman or Katie Couric talking to lives in a different state to the one they grew up in...I'm not kidding!! :)

When Letterman speaks to someone, he asks where they live, then asks where they're originally from, like it's assumed all these people move state after they leave college.

Is it just a big scam to get away from your parents?

:D

nah. living with your parents is so much cheaper. i think it's a job thang. educated people can look for jobs abroad.

Um, most non-poor people in the US have lived in several states. Does that seem strange to you for some reason?

My pattern was NE,MN,NE,MN,MA,CO,HI. My dream home would be Vermont or Western Mass again.

Well, it's a big country. Granted, we don't have the continent all to ourselves like you Aussie's do though.

I dunno, i've lived in 4 states in the last 10 years. Went out of state for college, then moved for a girl, then moved to get away from my life, then moved to the big apple because i had nothing better to do. Land of opportunity and all. I currently live in my homestate, but upstate NY and NYC might as well be two different planets. Thinking of moving again soon.

In the end i've got no answer for you, just some wild speculation: We're a Gypsy culture. Everyone here has immigrant blood somewhere along the line in the last 400 years or so (not counting Native Americans, of course). I guess we just have moving around and being restless in our veins.


***EDIT*** since everyone else is listing: upstate NY, Louisianna, upstate NY again, Tennessee, New Mexico, NYC, now looking somewhere in either New England (i've really liked Maine when i've been there), or the Pacific Northwest. I've been in/visited/traveled through 47 states as well.

It starts with college..... many students want to get away from home to experience life (though with college it's often with the security blanket of funding from parents). Once it's time for a job, moving home is an option (often a smart one for those willing to live at their parents and save money that would have been squandered on rent). For others, moving to a big city for a job is the ticket. It's how most of my friends ended up scattered about North America. It's how I ended up in Chicago. The great thing in having friends all over the country is being able to visit them and experience another region. The downside is living 500 miles from the parents and not getting to visit them too often.

The post above is right. I think it's an American gypsy (or is it Manifest Destiny?) culture that urges us to move on and keep moving up, and even keep moving out (as in outer space.... how close is Mars? Let's see in 20 years....)

Oh yeah, something else... pop culture also encourages us in our wanderlust... Some of the best are The Allman Brothers "Rambling Man" and Johnny Cash's version of "I've Been Everywhere." The whole Route 66 culture of the 50's and 60's is still a source of nostalgic longing for other places.

An economics prof of mine told my class about a conference she attended in Germany. There was a discussion about unemployment, and the U.S. attendees thought nothing of the concept that if jobs in certain industry shifted to another region, that the workers with the skills for those jobs would move to where the work was. The Germans got all flustered, and after talking about it, everyone realized that the U.S. assumption that people would willing leave their home town, much less the region they were from, was a very American trait not shared in other countries.

That said, I met about 30 of my elementary school classmates for a 20th reunion earlier this year, and about 90% had not moved away for work. Granted, it was NYC, so they didn't have to move away for work.

NOPE, I have lived in one state my whole life. COLORADO. No plans to leave YET!!!

I've lived in four states. College, girlfriend, and job opportunities are what got me to move three times.

NOPE, I have lived in one state my whole life. COLORADO. No plans to leave YET!!!


Lucky devil.

My states: PA, OH, WA, CO.

We're a Gypsy culture. Everyone here has immigrant blood somewhere along the line in the last 400 years or so (not counting Native Americans, of course). I guess we just have moving around and being restless in our veins. interesting....although we've only been here for about 200 years.




I think it's an American gypsy (or is it Manifest Destiny?) culture that urges us to move on and keep moving up, and even keep moving out (as in outer space.... how close is Mars? Let's see in 20 years....)

Oh yeah, something else... pop culture also encourages us in our wanderlust... Some of the best are The Allman Brothers "Rambling Man" and Johnny Cash's version of "I've Been Everywhere." The whole Route 66 culture of the 50's and 60's is still a source of nostalgic longing for other places. interesting




An economics prof of mine told my class about a conference she attended in Germany. There was a discussion about unemployment, and the U.S. attendees thought nothing of the concept that if jobs in certain industry shifted to another region, that the workers with the skills for those jobs would move to where the work was. The Germans got all flustered, and after talking about it, everyone realized that the U.S. assumption that people would willing leave their home town, much less the region they were from, was a very American trait not shared in other countries. Interesting. Probably get a similar reaction down here

I was born in Hawaii...I sure as heck wouldn't mind getting back to my roots!! As it is we left when I was 2 and haven't been back. My Daddy was in the military so we moved all over....

I have lived in 9 states. CO,IA,IL,FL,NY,PA,MD,VA,CA. I have moved almost 15 times. The only area I have not lived in is the pacific NW (CO was close but I was 6 months when we left). I have a funny urge to move to Portland, and I believe I will. I like to change environments. My father was in retail management and almost every promotion included a transfer. So before I was out of high school I had moved 5 states. Since then I have moved 8 more times (in and out of states I had already lived.) After about 3-5 years I start to get the relocate bug.

I've lived all of my forty-six years in Oklahoma. The only way I'll be moving is if I can figure out how to afford to live in Key West, FL.

SS

When someone is on letterman there is usually a reason, and it's becuase they've "made it" in a given industry.

Most of these people are actors, the only place to be an actor is in NYC or LA...most people are born somewhere in between.

I live where I left the army. Don't plan on moving again.

We have so many nice options, except for a few, most states are pretty cool places to be.

Queens, NYC; Long Island, NY; Buffalo, NY; Seattle, WA; Albuquerque, NM; Austin, TX; Portland, OR. I've been in Portland for 18 years now, and in the same house for 16, but I counted once and I think I've lived in between 25 and 30 different housing situations in the course of my 49 years...

Does not statistics bear out that Americans move every sixth year.? I have lived in three states...Michigan, Florida, California.
Michigan will always be my ancestoral home , but to me home is where you hang your hat. If asked my answer would be where I live. Guess, in ways Michigan has my eternal loyalty, even if I never live there again..It is where my family collected themselves and all those happenings brought me into this world. Not to say, I do not like California.
Our nephew poo poohs so called American 'family values.' They lived in Spain for about 10 years. Kelvin said, should an off spring leave the family village, they are no longer a member of the family. So, they need not return . they are considered like deserters.
As to American mobility. I think our foot loose and fancy free attitudes about home has resulted in some kind of homeless mentality - which in great part makes us feel homeless. With no roots that is likely a cause of our need for therapists and prozaic. I think no other country's citizens on the planet has such an addiction, as we.

Ive lived in Pa. all of my life.
Im off to Vermont in August because of bad stuff happening in this
once beautiful state. If the same thing happens in Vermont Im heading
to Canada :eek:

hmm... let's see:

from Pennsyltucky (that's Pennsylvania to Pennsylvanians)...

have lived in:

PA, NJ, London (no state, what?), DE, CA, DC, VA, MA, IN, TX, OH, and now FL!

(been to all the states w/the exception of ME and HI)

worst state for me? definitely MA...

worst state for me? definitely MA...

Try Western Mass - no, it ain't at all the same as that other evil Mass. :)

I envy people who have moved around.

I live about a mile (1.6 km) from the high school I went to (class of '61). I've called this area home my entire life, and it doesn't look like I'll be gettin' out of Ohio alive.

New Jersey, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Seattle

I have lived in California, France and Switzerland, but I always come back to Michigan, with all its flaws, still, by far, the greatest state in the union.

Try Western Mass - no, it ain't at all the same as that other evil Mass. :)
I have traveled to 46 states..Spent about ten days in Mass. Boston seemed fascinating. for history buffs. Cape Cod had its 'charm'Western Mass I was blown away by. such beauty...
don't understand the Mass bashing. as a visitor it looked great. The traditions as shown by Sturbridge. best apples' I've ever consumed in my life.
Evil East Mass?? Compared to the crime spree's I have seen in Miami, Atlanta- looked pretty good to me.

I ran like a little scared girl from my parents the first chance I could. I'd go farther if I could, man.

Koffee

Koffee is way kewl.

Hell yeah --- get out of the cave and explore a bit. I was born and raised in Upstate NY and now live on the "North Shore" of Massachusetts -- old, historic, New Englandy, fishing villages that are blue collar and slightly artsy-fartsy at the same time and sooo much prettier than ugly Cape Cod. And Boston is about a half hour away. Good jobs, schools, public transit, parks, beaches, etc.. The Winters really do suck around March and April though :mad: . Western Mass and Vermont are just sooo nice too. And the west (Flagstaff, Bay Area, Lake Tahoe) awesome too. As far as most of the US goes, I'm pretty neutral to most places/cities I've visited --- LA, San Diego, Philly, DC, Seattle, NYC, Houston, Tampa, Miami, Phoenix. Only one place I can say I didn't like, but I don't feel like offending anyone right now. Some parts of the south have their charm too --- like "Cajun Country". I was stationed down there while in the Army --- those people are nice and know how to have fun.

Ipswich, MA ("North Shore") --- 1st 3 pics. Last pic -- North Adams, MA (Western Mass)

Koffee is way kewl.

Not kewl... more like... "stifled", "antagonized", "exasperated", or just plain "chicken".

We put the "dis" in disfunctional families! :D

Koffee

Speaking of kewl Koffee. Does anybody like iced coffee? It is a delicious beverage. I put some sugar in it and down it after rides in the hot sun. Mmmmm...iced coffee.

Speaking of kewl Koffee. Does anybody like iced coffee? It is a delicious beverage. I put some sugar in it and down it after rides in the hot sun. Mmmmm...iced coffee.

Iced coffee --- even in the Winter for me. But I don't need any sugar, because I'm so sweet already. I even keep some coffee frozen in the freezer (coffee cubes), because I don't like it when regular ice cubes melt and dilute my rocket fuel/coffee!!

I don't really care for iced coffee. I like it hot.

Koffee

I don't really care for iced coffee. I like it hot.

Koffee

No, no, no --- it's all gotta be cold! Coffee, pizza, chocolate, beer, revenge --- all best served when cold.

*EDIT* and cold chicken.
*Another edit* -- it's summer, I deserve a cold beer.

Thread hijack!

I live in the same town I grew up in. It's perfect for me and my family.I can bike, flyfish, camp ,hike all year round.Why would I move?

I grew up in Kentucky, but a job transfer took me to Denver (big disappointment), then Knoxville (pleasant surprise), then here to Tallahassee. I changed jobs so we could stay here. Both daughters have settled here so this will be home for the rest of our lives.

Denver seemed to be full of people who had run away from their past lives. I met a lady once in Denver who told me that she had grown up in Louisville like I had. She said she couldn't wait to leave Louisville since "everyone there knew your business. There was no privacy." I told her that I had always found that if you didn't do anything to be ashamed of you really didn't need all that privacy.

I expected Knoxville to be a semi-rural backwater, but was surprised to find an extremely well educated, friendly community. It is the home of the University of Tennessee, though, and I just didn't have enough orange in my wardrobe.

Iced Coffee. The only good post-ride drink. If you want the best IC come to South Australia and buy some Farmers Union. MMMMM!

I'll vote for the Iced Hazelnut Latte, Ummm, but only on a summer afternoon.

Nothing wrong with moving around, if you upbringing in your 'hometown' was not that great.
but, I suspect most cities are the same with the same kind of people. some more boring that others, if if has not what you want.
but as to family. if you had a nuturing, supportive extended family, and your luck in your hometown turned out fine with jobs, etc. why would one want to move.
moving from your support base, would be devasting. many sterile suburban cities one might be a stranger amongst strangers.
where we are located. love the climate. lots to see and do, have a decent support base with our civic organizations. but, to many this would be a community of transients living in a commuter city with no sense of community.
yes, I love the all year cycling aspect of SoCal and nearness to dive site; but, will always miss the get-away to the quiet northern woods of Northern Michigan, with its canoeing and serenity.

I grew up in Kentucky, but a job transfer took me to Denver (big disappointment), then Knoxville (pleasant surprise), then here to Tallahassee. I changed jobs so we could stay here. Both daughters have settled here so this will be home for the rest of our lives.

Denver seemed to be full of people who had run away from their past lives. I met a lady once in Denver who told me that she had grown up in Louisville like I had. She said she couldn't wait to leave Louisville since "everyone there knew your business. There was no privacy." I told her that I had always found that if you didn't do anything to be ashamed of you really didn't need all that privacy.

I expected Knoxville to be a semi-rural backwater, but was surprised to find an extremely well educated, friendly community. It is the home of the University of Tennessee, though, and I just didn't have enough orange in my wardrobe.

I always loved Knoxville. I applied for school and got accepted there. I was on my way with one month to go before my mom pulled the "I control your life and you can't go anywhere" attitude on me, and I ended up at the University of Illinois. They still had orange, so that was some consolation! ;) But I always know that Knoxville is an awesome town... my life would have been quite different if I'd gone there instead of U of I, though I like where my life is right now too. I just hated the parental interference.

Koffee

I was born in American Samoa, then lived in Wyoming for a few years and then moved to new mexico, been here for 11 years.

Those damn ice-blended drinks are singlehandedly destroying the sanctity and serenity of coffee houses around the world. Those damn whirring blenders give me a fricken headache! If you want a fricken slushie, go to Dairy Queen dadgumit!!!

Those damn ice-blended drinks are singlehandedly destroying the sanctity and serenity of coffee houses around the world. Those damn whirring blenders give me a fricken headache! If you want a fricken slushie, go to Dairy Queen dadgumit!!!


I make my own at home --- I don't need no stinkin' pseudo-uber, beatnik wannabee, coffeehaus to enjoy my brew!

I was born and raised in San Diego, California. Would like to stay here for awhile since my entire family(those who live in the mainland US anyway) live here. Have a couple relatives in China(don't really want to live there.) and my grandparents are in Hawaii(could be a possibility...)

Of course I'm only 15 so I haven't had time to move around yet.

CA, HI (hawaii is South Central L.A. with palm trees, hell with fresh mangos), CA then HI again, then finally got a job out of HI, in CA, then CO, CA again then AZ, then CA.

I'd have to say overall CA is best, too liberal in a lot of ways but there's a sort of "Friendly Fascism(tm) here that is irrespective of party, a good example being Three Strikes and good implementations of Megan's Law, etc. The cops like to crack heads in most areas so it makes it decent for decent people. Although I do kinda at times miss Colorado Springs....

Let's see. MN, TX (2 cities), SC, FL, GA, Back to FL (2 cities). If I move again it will likely be Atlanta, GA or Minneapolis, MN as last year was not fun as far as the weather is concerend. Heck I'd rather deal with multiple MN blizzards than a single FL hurricane.

It appears to me that Americans tend to move around within the US like us Antipodeans tend to do head offshore to experience a bit of life.

The typical Kiwi in their 30s with tertiary qualifications has probably gone to university in another city, worked for a couple of years somewhere else in the country, then lived in Australia, the UK or some other country they can get a working holiday permit for and then probably come home to get married and have kids.

At any one time getting on for 15% of New Zealanders are not living in New Zealand, but it's not a permanent situation for most.

I've lived in three countries (NZ, Oz and the UK.) Pretty common for a Kiwi.

hawaii is South Central L.A. with palm trees, hell with fresh mangos

Uh, maybe Honolulu is, but that isn't Hawaii. (And the mangoes cost a fortune compared to mexican mangoes)

I've lived all over Oahu, from Hawaii Kai to Waikane, I'm wearing a Kaya's t-shirt right now because we lived at one point right next to the place.

I can say with confidence that Oahu would be a great place after a um, population flush.

As it stands, it's only a decent place to live if your parents can afford to send you to Punahou, you have enough money to only have to tolerate the local population in limited doses at times of your choosing and even then they're bad enough, and you have the freedom to do one of the most enjoyable things about the state - LEAVE.

Those Mass. beaches look cool, blue-collar and artsy-fartsy work great for me, I can say one SUPER place to live is Newport Beach, people don't realize you can be blue-collar and live there just fine, cheaply too. And the population is supercool too, nice place. Where I am now, Sunnyvale is better for my business, but I suuuuure miss Newport.

IL, AR, GA, CA