If you aren't living well in Massachusetts, why are you here?

Born and Raised Massachusetts... I am here because of Family & Friends but no more and more of my friends are moving out of New England and more of my family is passing away.... Whats left holding me back here then??? My wife!

Wow! I can hear the drum beat of RE cheerleaders, realtors, and folks who bought in the recent run-up trying to justify inflated prices with their excuses for living here. Why do people treat the higher learning institutions as if they were something new that contributed to the recent RE run-up? And as far as culture goes, the vast majority of folks living here have never step foot in a museum, library, lecture hall, or any other form of arts gathering.

Mainly because I was born here and my family/friends are here.

I wonder this myself a lot. Unfortunately a lot of us with obscure skills in software engineering and some other types of technology related jobs have traditionally only had 2 choices:
1. Live in an expensive area like Boston or San Jose and have a variety of jobs to choose from (as well as the security of knowing that you will be able to easily find another job here if your current company downsizes).
2. Work for one of the few companies that needs people with your skill set in a city that _isn't_ a tech mecca, and accept the reality that you might have to move if that company ever downsizes.

So far I've chosen "1". However, in the 10 years that I've been here, I've noticed that Boston is steadily losing ground as a "tech mecca" to cities like Seattle, San Diego, and even places like Dallas. We always tout ourselves as "#2" behind the San Jose area, but I think the reality is that we're really tied for "#2" with a lot of other places that are cheaper, have nicer weather, and nicer people. I'm sure I'll move at some point.

"I want to know why similar sized homes cost so much more in the Massachusetts market compared to say Cincinnati, Nashville or anywhere in Texas "

Tim, it's called supply and demand. Let's start with demand: Lots of people want to live here. (The reasons for this are many and varied, but career/economic opportunities is probably #1). When a home comes on the market, these people bid up the price because they are willing to pay a premium for housing in the Boston area over comparable housing in Charlotte (which lacks the same opportunities, salary, family ties, asthetics, etc.). You see the same thing locally between towns -- e.g., it costs a lot more to buy the same house in Newton vs. Saugus.

Now for supply: our land use is incredibly regulated. We have lots of small cities and towns, and each of them is incentivized to attract tax-positive development (big box stores, senior housing, McMansions) and dissuade tax-negative development (middle-class housing for families with school-age children, higher-density housing). Furthermore, because these planning and zoning authorities only determine policy for their own a small city or town, they ignore broader concerns (such as high housing costs... which, to be fair, if they tried to address unilaterally, would be unsuccessful) and are particularly susceptible to parochial complaints (NIMBYism) or political corruption (the BRA... though in Boston the problem is the schools, not planning). Finally, we are more geographically constrained than other areas (i.e., there's less sprawl) because our transit system cannot support broader spatial development (I'm always amazed / appalled by those road warriors from New Hampshire) and because land use in outlying towns is likewise regulated.

That is all.

Ed, the bubble in Boston grew precisely as the area was losing population. Sure, lots of people want to live here. Lots more want to leave--and they have left, as evidenced by demographic data. The "demand" wasn't driven by people wanting to live here, but by loose credit.

Sure, it's easy to make Boston look good by comparing it to Cincinnati, or anyplace with a dying or stagnant economic base. It's a lot harder when you compare it to Austin or North Carolina, where jobs (before the downturn) have been plentiful and the cost of living quite low.

Where we do agree is about zoning. Most of metro Boston favors McMansion development by law. There's also an excessive premium placed on urbanized areas. Lots of people want to live in Brookline, but local governments interfere with the markets by preventing another Brookline-like environment from developing.

I think Dave is close to the mark. For certain professions, like finance, you have to choose between an area with multiple job opportunities (which includes, but is not limited to, Boston) and other areas which have some, but fewer companies to choose from. People in other lines of work don't have those constraints, and that's why they've been leaving.

Better to live in the North then down South, The people and their culture are backwards. I think that SC and NC are nice but I wouldn't live there for a bigger McMansion and the Southerners still hate Northerners nobody what anybody says. The only cheap places to live in the US are the places nobody wants to live. The West Coast and the Northeast are all priced in the same range. California being the most outrageous! I like the seasons in the North but I don't think that the people are too friendly, but definitely better educated than most of the country.

I moved here recently from DC for the "brain mecca" effect, and to be in a city, but a smallish city. Plus, it's one of the hubs for the software industry (so is DC, for that matter), and is definitely better for startups than anyplace in the US other than Silicon Valley (I have lots of VC interactions). Boston may be losing some ground to Seattle and Austin and even Atlanta, but it's still a clear #2.

I was particularly motivated to comment though, because of the dig on Boston's transit system. It is, in my mind, #2 in the states, far ahead of #3 (Chicago). NYC is better, but it's a much bigger city, and it has its downsides (navigation is tougher, for one).

Yes, there are spots where the subway has poor coverage, but the system as a whole does a pretty good job of covering the important areas by rail, and the bus coverage is not too shabby. Plus, the commuter rail is excellent in so far as the US goes. It's very extensive compared to almost every other city in the US (again, except for NYC).

Compare it to DC, where people give the Metro high marks. But, the coverage of the "popular", high commerce areas is crap. It takes 10 minutes to walk into Georgetown from the closest metro stop (a big area for clubs, posh shopping, etc). Adams Morgan is another big area that theoretically has its own stop, but it takes about 15 minutes to walk from the stop to the actual area (you even have to cross the Duke Ellington Bridge).

When you look at the subway within the city limits, DC's coverage of the city itself is nowhere near as good as Boston. When you look at things from a commuter's perspective, DC is a horrible, horrible place. The metro itself is the best commuter option. There is the Virginia Railway Express, but it is extremely limited in where it stops, and convenient to almost nobody. The metro covers so little of the suburbs, it's appalling. Most people I know who commute via metro drive at least 5 miles to get to the metro.

In Mass, there are lots and lots of good transit options. It was definitely a very important factor to me choosing Boston (I could have worked from anywhere, but wanted to be in a city w/o a car and some tech, w/o being in NYC, which I find too overwhelming).

Using public transit in Boston is convenient, and is reminiscent of the GOOD transit systems of similar sized cities in Europe. But, can you think of any other good public transit system in the US outside of Boston and NYC? Chicago's got a decent commuter system, but the L is far worse than the T. San Francisco is horrible (3 separate trains that have poor coverage of the city, and you can't transfer between them.) Lots of otherwise fine, walkable cities have no real trains at all (e.g., Seattle, with the Monorail that goes nowhere interesting).

Yes, the green line is slower than one would like (I always walk the extra block or three to the orange line unless going west of ICA). Yes, the T could be far better managed, financially. But, come on, you guys have a great thing going here-- don't trash talk it!

Southerners, please remember your manners if you choose to respond to Shoshana! Thank you.
I published the comment because regional prejudice is worth talking about. It is part of why people stay here even though it costs and arm and a leg to live here.

I would leave if I could. My husband clings to his very well paying job, as I guess he should in this economy, but if the right opportunity popped up we would be blaring country music to Nashville as fast as we could. It isn't just the housing prices, but the better manners and lack of snow and filthy resteraunts that would draw us there.

I should mention we lived down south before being transplanted here.

I stand corrected. I pledge to not trash-talk the MBTA again unless I have a specific complaint.

I have always enjoyed using the metro in Washington, but I have not commuted with it on a regular basis. I also like BART in San Francisco. I have lived in NYC, and the system there is very useful, once you know how to get around in it.

The BART is good if you want to go where it goes, which isn't nearly enough places. Remember, it covers San Fran AND Oakland (larger than the area Boston covers on rail, but similar in overall population, at about 4M each). Between those two cities and the burbs (for instance, it goes out past SFO to at least Milbrae), there are 42 stops. The T has 51 stops on the subway, and another 123 commuter rail stops.

I've spent a lot of time in San Francisco, and I take BART and walk when I can, but I find that I very often take a cab. I rarely do in Boston. I can't imagine living in San Fran without a car, but

I could see living in NYC or Boston without a car (I do have one to make it more convenient on the occasion that I need to go to the burbs, but did live a long time without one). I would consider a car essential in San Fran, DC and every other place where I've heard people put the public transit before Boston (Chicago and Philly, both of which are places my brother has lived for long periods).

The only reason I am still here is because we all immigrated from Belarus as a big extended family and took root here in Boston. Otherwise I would have been gone long time ago. I can't stand the weather, the potholes, the old and expensive housing inventory and an ancient green line subway line.

I did live in DC for two years after law school working for a law firm. I used their metro system on a regular basis and liked it much much more than the Boston's green line. When we moved back here I got a job at Prudential and used the E line every day. I don't want to use it ever again.

I moved to Boston as a single gal 15 years ago. I met and married my husband (who was born and raised in Boston). Three months after the wedding, we took a trip South. We found: incredibly nice people, jobs that paid the same as Massachusetts, plenty of opportunity, arts and culture, better weather, affordable lifestyle.

We asked ourselves: Why stay?

So, we moved. We haven't regretted the decision once. Not even for a second. Sure, there are things to miss about Boston. But not enough to make us want to live there again.

Most of our friends have made the trek South for a visit. They leave our home wondering why they're still living in the Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, tolls are going up, the price of public transportation is going up and housing prices are still a joke. Add in a liberal population that won't allow for any type of conservative argument, ridiculous property taxes and mean people. Why would anyone stay?

For me, it came down to family. My mother has cancer. My father-in-law is 86, blind, and in poor health. We can't afford to stay here, but my husband is extremely reluctant to leave his father, even though he has plenty of other siblings (including one who lives with Dad).

I recently got a job elsewhere in New England. It's close enough to visit our relatives. When his father and my mother die, I plan to leave New England for good. A good life in the Midwest is much cheaper than constantly struggling to get by here.

I like Boston because it lacks the big bugs and alligators of Florida, the tornados of oklahoma and flat middle america, the hurricanes of the south (most of the time), west coast earthquakes, the endless winter tundra of the northern reaches, and the mid atlantic coastal ice storms in the winter and sweltering humidity in the summer. I can put up with an occasional blizzard in the winter. Pick your natural disaster.......................

I believe many people enjoy the Boston area (can't speak for all of MA) because of the educational and cultural institutions. I attend the theatre, ballet, lectures and exhibitions at museums, and take a continuing education class on occasion at a university. There's a wide range of great dining, the BPL, the Symphony and the Pops, the Harvard Museums - just to name a few that come quickly to mind. Also, we have the Atlantic on the east and mountains of NH to the North (well - they're small mountains!). Great place for enjoying nature. Conservation lands, stretches of beaches, historical sites. I was born and have always lived in the metro area - have not thought about living elsewhere (well, maybe a fleeting thought of Tuscany!)

The market has a magic. It is called Demand and Supply. If there was no demand for Mass. then there would be no supply. Everything else follows this rule. It can be pricing of housing,Jobs,Schools,Hospitals,Life style....

Seems that Mass is one of those states that it has what other states don't.

I was born and raised in the south, and attended school there through college. I moved up to Boston for graduate study and stayed. I recall when I moved up here bumping into someone who knew some people from my home town who had been living in Boston but were returning to VA. They were, I was told, leaving because they felt the locals weren't friendly. I found this attitude a bit amusing since I didn't think folks from my neck of the woods, central Virginia, were particularly warm and fuzzy themselves. My somewhat calcified view is that while southerners do tend to be more polite and perhaps a bit more easy going then notherners, they are, in the main, no friendlier than their northern cousins. Midwesterners are, in my experience, the friendliest as a group, but then this is all just generalizing pish really. If one is resourceful, one can find hospitable situations in almost any area depending on what one wants and needs.

But having said that, when I ponder living elsewhere in the U.S., I am hard pressed. As you may have guessed, I don't care much for the south. It is, for the most part, culturally devoid, and I despise the political climate and the overweening influence of religion in many parts of the region. The weather in much of the south is stiflingly hot and humid. In the summer, months go by without a break from it. This stands in stark contrast to the weather around here where days and maybe a week to ten days go by without a break. Sure the winters here can be brutal and long, but I wouldn't trade them for southern summers.

The midwest, sad to say, is every bit as culturally devoid as the south. There is no there there in all the Dakotas, Nebraska and large sections of the following states, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. And you haven't felt cold like Minnesota in the middle of winter, despite the fact that Minny no place is a charming small city that punches above well above its weight.

California is a disaster area, literally. A social collapse that isn't waiting to happen, but is happening. The weather does not compensate for the debacle that is the Golden State. The Pacific Northwest has its charms, and a case can be made for living there, but I don't see it as an improvement over dear old Boston.

I'm always amused by the posts from people who are no longer in the Boston area, and seemingly happy about that fact, who still take the time to post about living in Boston. Perhaps they miss it more than they let on? In my opinion, Boston is a perfectly civilized city - just big enough to have some pizzazz (along with a very functional public transport system - I love the T) and yet small enough to retain it's charm (and walkability). Boston remains a wonderful and beautiful small city - I couldn't be happier to have a second home here!

#8 re: rail service in/out of Boston - mass transit is terrific and I'd even argue affordable as long as you do not have to use the commuter rail. As compared to the cost and frequency of rail service we experienced in Germany, the commuter rail here is entirely too expensive. Financially it's not even worth it for me to consider using it.

#18 - there is nothing magical about the market and supply and demand. Things change and if the hi-tech and bio-tech decide that Boston is too expensive and decide to move on this same economic law will very quickly turn against this area. It's nothing magical, it's business.

Having lived in this area most of my life, but traveled all over the country, I think MA
(now I live in ME) is one of th emost over-rated states in the union. Prosperous cities like Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth (a really cool city) have better weather, excellent healthcare, university systems, lower income taxes, cheaper housing and incomes comparable to Boston. Your money can go much further in many of these other places that offer similar amenities. If my family was not around here, I would be living in Texas.

Boston is a great place to live if you can afford it...that's the catch. Unless you are into living off the land, any place in the world can be undesireable if you can't afford what you want. I just saw a show where someone bought a beautiful house and yard in a great neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama for $420K (would be an easy $1mill here). After snapping out the trance, I thought "Mobile, Alabama". I would miss the Cape & the Islands, the mountains and lake regions, Newport, Tanglewood, the great professional sports teams, restaurants (especially the North End) museums, schools and most important of all when your child is very sick the Childrens Hospital. It does cost a lot but every place has its bad points.

Interesting reading........considering moving north from crime ridden south Florida. However I will "pass on Mass" just in the ridiculous taxes on everything and move to southern NH. No income/sales taxes and Boston will all its attributes is 30 miles away. Boston is great but it makes no sense financially to move there.

I have been living in south Florida for 3 years now and am moving back to Boston in March. Love the weather here and people are basically nice, though incredibly rude and reckless drivers. I grew up in Boston and miss it. Miss my family, the beauty of Boston, the cape, the mountains, the museums (yes I do go to them) and the culture. Miss the liberal politics, religion plays too big of a role in state politics here. There are negative things about living anywhere...you just have to choose what is important for you.

I left Mass for NC a few years ago. Yes, the neighborhoods and housing are very pretty and relatively inexpensive.......a plus. BUT that is as far as it goes. I am ready to move back. Too bad my house devalued as the banking system tanked. I am afraid that I will never be able to leave.

Everything here is expensive including income tax. Everything (food, clothing) here is taxed EXCEPT (I am told) BIBLES! People here cannot leave religion out of ANY conversation and they always want to indoctrinate you into THEIR church. I wish they would keep their "bless his heart" crap out of every conversation. As far as I can see divorce rate is higher here and crime is OUTRAGEOUS. So much for the religious influence.

The existence of gangs is evident..... home invasions in nice neighborhoods, guns everywhere, people getting held up at ATMs.... I moved here, for one reason, so I could spend more time outside...... yet...... I spend most of my time LOCKED inside because of the crime rate......

I am sick of being told to my face that I must be a "Democratic, a Catholic, a liberal" even though people do not know me or anything about me other than, I am from Boston. Anti-semitism is alive here, as well. The friendly (phony) smiles only MASK their true feelings about others. It is just a way for people to intrude on your personal life and then gossip about it to other southerners.

All in all, I would prefer to live most places in Mass and endure those high prices of real estate. I lived there for most of my 50+ years and never had any problems mentioned above.

I have a nice brick house in Charlotte for about $300,000 if anyone is a taker........

The one place I can see moving to would be Seattle. Being near Vancouver is appealing.

As far as people being nicer in one place over another, the nicest people I've ever met were in Honduras but that does not make me want to live there.

I have lived in the South and was very happy to come back to New England. I actually did not like the weather. It was way too hot and muggy.

Hey! No one has mentioned all the comedians we have from Boston: Dane Cook, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Ken Ober, Denis Leary, Paula Poundstone. There must something in the water here.

Reasons we live in Boston:
(1) Weather. Don't laugh. If the Midwest is too cold in the winter and the Mid-Atlantic states are too hot, where does that leave?

(2) Jobs. The density of universities offers my wife a unique opportunity. And with several large affluent communities in the area, I can pursue my own business with some security even in tough economic times.

(3) Family-friendly activities and services. Again, a greater diversity than would be found in a smaller community.

Good question! I was born and raised in MA and moved to the Portland OR area about 16 years ago and loved it. I had a good job, could afford a house, and the pace of life was much more sane. We moved back here 11 years ago to be closer to family. There is hardly a week that goes by I don't wonder why we are still here. My kids are in a school they really like and my husband is reluctant to move... if either of those changes I am packing!

I've lived in the South and they are decades behind Massachusetts in their culture. There's always something fascinating to do here and amazingly talented people to meet. If you're educated and bright you'll fit in.

I really get tired of people living here year after year and complaining and saying as soon as they can they'll leave, etc. Hey, this is America, you are free to travel about the country. If you don't like it here or can't keep up, find a place that doesn't demand as much from you as you think MA does.

"Southerners, please remember your manners if you choose to respond to Shoshana! Thank you. I published the comment because regional prejudice is worth talking about. It is part of why people stay here even though it costs and arm and a leg to live here."
I take offense at your remarks towards my comments Rona, because I didn't mean to sound prejudice, only speaking some truths, that can be clarified by research and experience. There are beautiful places in the South and there are some friendly people there, but their culture is pretty exclusive to Southerners, in other words, you really can't fit in too easily! And I agree with the poster that the midwesterners seem to be the friendliest. Most times, it would seem that the grass is not always greener!

Posted by Rona F

#32 - you are right. This is America and we are free to travel... blah blah blah. The fact still is I don't like Massachusetts, but I am not going anywhere. You are tired of this fact? Well, the educated and bright will not be here for too long if the state is going to tax their income to death and keep offering ancient overpriced housing inventory. Not to mention ******* potholes. Why is everybody so complacent about potholes around here?

I have small homes in Atlanta and Boston and have been commuting regularly between the 2 cities for about 6-7 years. Actually I think both places have an equal number of pros and cons. I too was worried about the backward culture of the south however Atlanta is loaded with young professionals who have all migrated from "somewhere else". Sure, you get too far outside the perimeter of Atlanta and you start to find some wierdness. Aside from the summer, I like the warmer weather and it always feels lighter and brighter, the people are generally friendlier, there are alot more trees/greenery. Its much greener and Atlanta's central park (Piedmont Park) actually puts the Boston Common to shame.
There are better cultural activities in Boston however, the air is cleaner in Boston, and of course, you are on the ocean. Atlanta is a bit landlocked. And yes, the education level seems a bit higher in the northeast than the south which gives me a feeling of comfort for whatever reason.

Only here for family. The value to live here just isn't good enough anymore if you are in the middle class. There's alot to do in New England, but Atlanta is a great southern city with alot to do also. The housing costs up here have gotten just plain ridiculous and we know property taxes only go one way. Some towns like Sudbury, Wayland, Sharon are going to tax themselves right out of business. People can't sell there houses easily in those towns because the property taxes have gone so high. We hope to get out of here sometime in the next few years so we can better save and have a much better quality of life. We were both born and brought up here, but it's just not worth it anymore.

I can't believe most here miss the biggest reason for higher prices of homes. Boston is on the water, therefore, fully one half of the "surrounding area" is underwater. Boston has only half as much available land and half as much available suburban area as most landlocked cities. You take a big city and cut its available housing by 50% and you got higher prices!

Dear Shoshanna,
You may not have meant to sound prejudiced, however when you make a negative comment about everyone in a region, you are dealing in negative stereotyping. Many of the staff editors would have deleted your comment. I passed it with a note for those reading it to refrain from starting a flame war.
I am sorry if you were offended, I am pleased that you have further explained your experience in the South. Please read your orignal comment again. I hope you can understand my reaction and forgive me if I was being too heavy-handed.

I live in florida from mass, mass is my home always will be, The reson why some people look at mass sites, because we all still have family up there we still care about what goes on.

Rona, for a change I agree both with you and with Marcus. It is unfair to pass judgment on a stereotype of any group based upon their place of origin. "The people and their culture are backwards" is an ethnocentric remark. In most geographic locations, our descriptions are derived from personal experiences and are based upon seeing only "one part of the elephant". We all live in our separate worlds, including our neighborhoods in and around greater Boston, but these areas are fluid with people constantly entering and leaving (though perhaps more economically "landlocked" and not as fluid since $$ housing price runup and then the economic downturn). We are lucky to have these choices... and to have the choice to live in any region of this country.

we moved here from NY/NJ 12 years ago and live out in the metrowest burbs in a town that i really don't like. i would be happier if i could live closer to Boston, but we cannot afford it. i love many things about MA -- the science-heavy job market, the AAAS ads in the T stations, and all the college students, and the excellent public school system (compared to many other states). but i think out here in the burbs people are very unfriendly -- if you have not lived in town for two generations, you just are not a part of it. and there is not much to do. i would leave in a second if i could find a similar job market and healthcare system somewhere else. i have seriously looked for years, and seriously cannot. so we stay -- pros and cons. wish we had a little more cash flow, but money is not everything.

I would like suggestions from people as to where they think a nice place to move with wife and three young kids would be . My wife is a medical professional pulling down 130k per year and i could collect cans if I had to do so. We are in our mid thirties and have about 400-450k in equity from our current Mcmansion 25 minutes from downtown Boston.Were looking for a decent school system and temperatures that rarely go below 50 degrees during winter. Just so sick of the crappy weather here and the ultra liberals and all the political hacks and crooked politicians here that are robbing the saps in the dreaded private sector blind with 80% pension grabs after 20 years of so called work. Mostly though we are abusing ourselves to be putting up with this rotten weather. Any serious suggestions would be appreciated. thanks

My husband and I live here, away from all our family nearly all of which is located in our home state of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is a wonderful state…but I love Massachusetts and just bought our first home here even though we'll have our challenges raising our family away from a support net and the high cost of day care.

I love that I am near the ocean, yet can drive a few hours west into the Berkshires and be in an area that looks a bit like where I grew up (Bedford County, PA). I love the easy access to even more beautiful places like Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire. I'm relatively close to other beautiful coastal places like Newport or Long Island.

I grew up in an area that was basically 100% conservative and very religious. I love being here and not feeling criticized for my moderate to liberal political beliefs. I love the fact that Massachusetts is a model for things like same-sex marriage rights. I love correcting my conservative relatives when they cite something false about the state. My family around Philly wouldn’t have me move there for the world---they know I love being an urbanite and they don’t consider Philly safe (and they wouldn’t be that wrong either). My best friend lives in a rural area an hour outside Pittsburgh, my brother just outside---Pittsburgh has some great sport teams and some nice attractions---it isn’t Boston though.

I like 4 seasons. I've had friends who tried living in the South and found it a bit of a culture shock to say the least. I believe I'd have the same issue. I'd probably do okay in a big city or Florida...but I love the history and architecture here, which is not really the same in the West. We do go to the museums, sites, and battlefields as we find time. I've found people here to be super friendly from the first time I was here in March 2003---I've found they love you if you love them back...always happy to tell you about their neighborhood, their favorite watering hole, etc.

I've lived in Sweden. If you think Bostonians are reserved, you haven't seen anything. Frankly, I'd prefer the space to the busy bodies I grew up around with everyone in everyone's business. Growing up where I did where I couldn't go anywhere without my parents driving me somewhere, I'm grateful for public transport, even when its crappy (which is often).

I’ve been to 42 out of 50 states. Unless you think I should move to Alaska, Hawaii, California, Nevada, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Oklahoma, I’m perfectly happy to stay here based upon what I’ve seen elsewhere! If I left Boston, it’d be for somewhere in Europe.

I left MA a few years ago when I transferred to AZ w/ my company. At first the lower taxes, lower housing prices and better weather was appealing. After being here for a while, the lack of culture (there is nothing like a MFA, Boston Science Museum or Pops here), the poor schools (AZ is 48th in the country in educational funding per student and there are only 3 Universities in a state w/ comparable population to MA ) and horrific crime has made me rethink my decision. The MA knowledge based economy afforded me many options for a high paying job (at least before this recession) however the AZ economy consists mainly of call centers, construction companies and mines - i.e., there are far less options for a well paying white collar job.. My children are not yet school age, but I fear they will be disadvantaged educationally if we stay here. I am moving back to MA the first opportunity I get - there are so many intangibles in Boston that make it a great place to be despite the weather, ridiculous state governement and the taxes.

I'm just sticking it out until I have enough money to move someplace nice in South America.
... Most of us live here because we were born here. Just like most places in the world.

I like living in Boston, though its not perfect. I've lived in places that I liked equally in the south, and find Shoshanna's comments prejudiced nonsense (typical new england parochialism, Boston is an amazing combination of the parochial and cosmopolitan)

The key to living in Boston is too have money. My gf was asking what we'd do if our finances got hit, and I said simple - I'd pack the uhaul and move to Virginia or North Carolina immediately. I really don't understand what keeps people who live outside the 128 belt in this area. You get so much more for your dollar in other parts of the country.

And I'm not talking about moving to Florida or Charlotte. Yes they are hellholes. Though frankly I'm hard pressed to distinguish between the parts of Florida I grew up in and Natick... You can move to Austin, Raleigh, Charlottesville, Richmond & etc & etc. instead (or Portland, or Seattle, etc. if you can take more cold). And pay much lower taxes generally, and lower everything else.

I think about moving daily. I'm still 55% pro Boston, but its really on the edge. And I've lived in nice places down south, and I know they actually ARE nice. I'd take the weather in VIrginia or Maryland over here any day.

As to why prices are high here? Clearly supply and demand. Demand was due to a lot of high paying industries (finance, tech, medicine) and their spill overs. But as Boston gets more expensive, those companies aren't opening here. Demand will be going down. At least until prices correct to the point that companies can afford to locate here.

Charles: "Yes they are hellholes. " No prejudice in that statement? :) (I am joking.)

Florida is great and I would move but for the fact that every single member of my extended family lives here. The trick is deciding where to move to in Florida. Good schools can be hard to find! I think Florida may be a great place to be AFTER kids are done with school.

No, I lived 7 years in Florida. Its a complete hellhole. No prejudice, experience.

But its no worse than Natick or Framingham to my mind.

But there are lots of places out of state that are quite nice.

We recently moved back to the east coast and specifically the Boston area after close to 20 years in Austin, TX, because we missed the easily accessible culture available throughout the entire east coast (have to love the free museums in DC).

We found the public education system in Austin to be above par as compared to what our eldest daughter had experienced here, in a parochial school, prior to our move to Austin. Contrary to what some may believe, a southern drawl does not in any way indicate a slower mental acuity.

I can marry here.

I'm a college student now, possibly going down to study in Georgia. I've looked at home prices--they are very nice down there--but I still want to come back to Massachusetts. Your family is in only one place. And there's also only one place where you can be from: that's here. If it costs more, so be it; it's worth it.