A new report found that almost 23,000 people between the ages 25 to 44 left the state in 2021-2022.

While I agree that the housing crisis is real and Boston prices are too high, this article has a bias that really annoys me…

The concerning amount of people moving out across 2021 and 2022 — almost 23,000 — were between the ages 25 to 44. They were predominantly white, middle- and high-income earners and college-educated.

Why is the fact that they are white important to this discussion?

Despite the desire of many to settle in Massachusetts, the state’s housing challenges, coupled with the influx of migrant families, have hindered their ability to do so.

The rest of the article then goes on to point out how much of a problem immigration is. What it seems like this article is really about is how white people are leaving Boston.

  • partial_accumen
    12•1 month ago

    Why is the fact that they are white important to this discussion?

    Its not all white people predominantly leaving. Its higher income earning, higher educated, and younger white people. I can only guess, but is it that there is are opportunities available (outside Massachusetts) to this group that aren’t available (at the same quantity) to any other ethnicity and that leaving the region is an acceptable cost to these people?

    The rest of the article then goes on to point out how much of a problem immigration is. What it seems like this article is really about is how white people are leaving Boston.

    The part you quoted citing the demographic leaving is the only mention of white people in the whole article. It looks like you missed the overall theme which is: People want affordable housing.

    The immigration point is because that is another group that wants affordable housing in the same place. That’s what both groups have in common. The difference in action between the two groups is apparently many white, middle- and high-income earners and college-educated aren’t finding it, so they’re leaving Massachusetts. Immigrant populations are apparently just going without (or potentially cohabitation at a higher rate than they would like).

    • @Beetschnapps
      1•1 month ago

      Boston is a college town. Its colleges happen to be quite good (Harvard, MIT etc.). For instance, in Boston there are close to 10 universities in an area less than 5 miles square.

      With that in mind, flux is common while housing issues that affect the entire country are also present. Mass isn’t strange. People attending uni and then leaving isn’t strange either. Mass has big issues with affordable housing but there’s no reason to consider them unique or special.

    • @boreboreOPMEnglish
      -1•1 month ago

      I agree that it is not the main point of the article, and I agree with you about the problems these people are facing.

      I still don’t see why it’s important to call out the race of the people leaving, and then immediately follow it up with a negative comment about immigrants. I expect better of GBH.

      • partial_accumen
        4•1 month ago

        I still don’t see why it’s important to call out the race of the people leaving,

        Why aren’t black, middle- and high-income earners and college-educated leaving? How about why Korean-american, middle- and high-income earners and college-educated people aren’t leaving? How about Hispanic, middle- and high-income earners and college-educated people?

        Why aren’t all those other groups leaving too?

        and then immediately follow it up with a negative comment about immigrants. I expect better of GBH.

        Please quote the exact “negative comment about immigrants” you’re reading from the article. I’m not seeing any. In fact, I’m seeing the opposite when the article quotes:

        “We’ve got to find a way to welcome more immigrants,” she said.

        • @boreboreOPMEnglish
          2•1 month ago

          Maybe I was being overly sensitive. I appreciate your opinion.

  • @stoly
    4•1 month ago

    I’m sort of confused at where they are going to go because everywhere, even rural areas, are expensive. Now you need to choose which area you want to live in based on culture, amenities, etc and not on cost.

    • partial_accumen
      4•1 month ago

      I’m sort of confused at where they are going to go because everywhere, even rural areas, are expensive.

      I’m not seeing data that supports your statement. I’m seeing data that says the opposite:

      Median home cost:

      • Massachusetts $601,000

      vs

      • New Jersey $494,000
      • Texas $348,000
      • Louisiana $243,000
      • Ohio $235,000

      source

      • @stoly
        2•1 month ago

        And that’s my point, I guess. You can choose between a historical place like Boston with all of the culture and air about it or you can go to a place like Ohio, Louisiana, or Texas and lose all that but maybe buy a home. Plenty of people leave California and then realize that they made a huge mistake.

        • partial_accumen
          4•1 month ago

          If your housing costs are so egregious you can’t afford to consume that culture, then the fact its within your city is really pointless. Isn’t it $40 just to park near Faneuil hall these days?

          • @stoly
            0•1 month ago

            I could buy a house in a rural area but prefer to live car free in a cultural center. It’s worth the financial strain to have the peace of mind that I am someplace safe and not somewhere they like to round up gays for fun.

            • partial_accumen
              3•1 month ago

              It’s worth the financial strain to have the peace of mind that I am someplace safe and not somewhere they like to round up gays for fun.

              If this is your mindset, I highly recommend you do some more traveling to educate your worldview a little bit more.

              Here’s a piece about Columbus Ohio:

              “A 2015 Gallup poll put Columbus in the top 15 of the nation’s 50 largest metro areas with 4.3 percent of its population identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. That’s a larger percentage than New York City and Washington, D.C., let alone fellow Midwest cities like Indianapolis (4.2 percent), Cleveland (3.7), Cincinnati (3.2) and Pittsburgh (3.0). In 2010, the Gay/Lesbian Index listed Columbus as one of the top 20 “gayest” cities in America.” source

              • @stoly
                -1•1 month ago

                I’ve lived in 6 states and two countries, have spent many months in Europe where I have family. I also have the misfortune of being born into a family of future Trump supporters and all of the anger and betrayal that is involved in that. All of this experience has taught me that the only plave for someone like me to be safe is if I am in a city with universities, museums, and such. I am not safe in suburbs, small towns, and especially rural areas (and I have lived in all of these).

                • partial_accumen
                  3•1 month ago

                  I am not safe in suburbs, small towns, and especially rural areas (and I have lived in all of these).

                  The disconnection I’m seeing is that you’re equating a city of 2,138,926 people like Columbus Ohio as small town or rural.

                  If you’re just counting the city proper, Columbus Ohio is the 14th largest city in the USA at 907,971 people. Boston only ranks 25th largest at 650,706 people.