ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN MISSISSIPPI, SOUTH CAROLINA PROMPTING MOVES
It didn’t generate a lot of press, but last week Gallup released the results of a six-month, fifty-state poll that could have some profound implications for certain states … including Mississippi and South Carolina.
Specifically, respondents on the survey were asked “if you had the opportunity, would you like to move to another state, or would you rather remain in your current state?”
Interesting question, right?
Among South Carolinians, 34 percent said they would like to move to another state while 65 percent said they would prefer to stay where they are. Those numbers are right in line with the national averages of 33 percent and 65 percent, respectively. Mississippians were slightly more inclined to pull up stakes – with 39 percent saying they would like to move and 59 percent indicating a desire to stay – but those numbers weren’t radically different than the rest of the country.
In fact both of these deep southern states fared much better on this particular measure than Illinois and Connecticut – where half of each state’s population saw greener pastures elsewhere.
Wanna see all that in a map? Here you go …
(Click to enlarge)
Okay …
So what’s potentially “profound” about this survey as it relates to the Magnolia and Palmetto states? Nothing, really … well, at least not until the pollsters shifted their focus away from the desire to move and started looking at people who are actually preparing to bolt. That’s where things get interesting.
According to the Gallup data, South Carolina was tied for fourth in the country (just ahead of Mississippi) in terms of the percentage of residents who are “extremely, very or somewhat likely” to move to another state within the next twelve months. For those of you keeping score at home, seventeen percent of South Carolinians and 16 percent of Mississippians fell into that category.
Now here’s where it gets very interesting …
As this website has written previously, the “economic miracle” taking place in South Carolina under Gov. Nikki Haley is nothing but smoke in mirrors. Sure the state’s unemployment rate has been slashed almost in half over the last four years – but that’s not because of new jobs coming to the state, it’s because South Carolina’s workforce continues to shrink as a percentage of the state’s population.
At 57.9 percent South Carolina has the fourth-worst labor participation rate in the country – marginally better than Mississippi’s 55.9 percent rate (which is the nation’s second worst). Oh, and bear in mind as you consider these figures that the national labor participation rate of 63.2 percent is hovering near three-decade lows.
Jobs – especially decent ones – are incredibly hard to find. And it’s getting harder, not easier to find work.
Which brings us to the kicker of this survey … the “top reasons given for planning to move” in each state.
According to the Gallup data, a whopping 50 percent of Mississippians and 49 percent of South Carolinians listed “work or business-related” reasons as being the impetus for their planned or contemplated departure from the state. Those figures are nearly 20 percentage points higher than the national average. In fact none of the other states with high percentages of “likely movers” even topped the 40 percent mark.
Do the math … (well, assuming you weren’t educating in a South Carolina government-run school). To a far greater degree than anywhere else in America, economic conditions in Mississippi and South Carolina are driving residents to consider pulling up stakes and heading for greener pastures.
That’s a scary thought to consider …
71 comments
What does work or business related mean though? Does this stat include members of the military? If so, of course SC will have a disproportionate number of people planning on moving in the next year or so.
But that could apply to most states.
SC has a larger military presence as a percentage of the population than most states.
Significantly higher, http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/censusatlas/pdf/12_Military-Service.pdf
This is actually a great point. I feel if we had access to similar surveys in the past, it would help factor that out.
But that would also apply to most of the states.
Look at all those high tax Yankee states with high desires to move.
They seem to move down here, and then bitch that SC isn’t like their progressive wonderlands.
What a bunch of hypocrites.
Careful now – By telling the (pertinent) Truth: You’ll make FITS look like the F*#king Idiot that he is…
Speaking of F*#king Idiot’s…
Care to expound????…I’d really like to hear more of your reasoning…
Too close to the bone, Shugga Tits?
That’s what I thought [email protected]$$..If someone ever asks you simple-minded cliché jockeys to provide an original thought, you $#!* all over yourselves…
You HATE…but you’re too F*#king Stupid to ever know why…except your masters told you so….
aww… colic?
By the way, does anyone know what Mr. Folks answer was to that survey question?
Unfortunately there is not a screen for all the “grass is always greener” folk who responded.
Jersey isn’t the highest? Well damn. Between the crappy politicians that run the joint, places like Camden, and shit like the Jersey Shore, I’d want the hell out.
Speaking of “crappy politicians”, I don’t think you have to go all the way to NJ.
Anyone who bases there opinion on what they see on a television show should stay the hell out,. You couldn’t cut it there anyway…any chance you can stay the hell out of South Carolina, too?
Nah–Illinois is the worst. High taxes, corrupt politics, bad crime, awful economy–a true progressive paradise. And by some weird coincidence it also happens to be where Obama spent his formative (political) years.
You usually comment with a reasonable degree of intelligence, what happened this time?
I was born and raised in Jersey and would live there again if I could afford it. Want to chip in? The diversity alone is worth the move. NJ has some beautiful scenery that most people haven’t a clue about. As far as crappy politicians go, Jersey doesn’t have anything on SC. At least Jersey has moved into the 21st century.
FITS…you are either STUPID or you think your readers are..
When you have to Labor so intensely to try to imply that maybe Nikki Haley is causing some ignorant liberals, who are talking about REALLY wanting to Move…to maybe, if pressed..Move…
You are proving EXACTLY the Opposite of what you set out to do…
Meanwhile: 1- Liberal pastors are Infusing God (or God as they pervert His Word) with Leftwing Politics regarding the Democrat-voting (and perpetually losing) Corridor of Shame.
2- Obama made a F*#king Fool of himself at the WH leftwing Correspondents Dinner.
And: 3- The State Newspaper is opining that a substantial number of people HATE JD Clowney.
4- While Dabo Swinney has Forced out Pete Yanity to install a minion who had a former job of scouring the Internet to erase any negative info. posted about Dabo…(talk about thought control)…
All this REAL news, and you are working to make a story of nothing…
Pull your head out your @$$….You’re as stupid as Obama voters…
I put imported Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) for March 2014 and January 2011 into Excell to see how Haley compares with other states. South Carolina ranks 10th in % growth of Civilian Noninstitutional population (11th if you count DC). SC was 4% compared to a 3% nationwide.
South Carolina is still in the top 4 states as one of the most corrupt states in the Nation. Harrell and Toal are doing their best to make us #1!
They need to import quality slimeballs like Haley did with Koller.
And export stupid liberals like you…to places where you have to LIVE by more of the policies your gods have secured…
Are you not able to stay on the subject of a thread?What a miserable stooge you are for Shitsheen and Ervin.
Actually, corruption and economic failure are linked. In that respect, Haley and Obama are the same.
No.Tom Ervin AND Obama are the same.Both work to elect Democrats.
BS !!!!!
I know Ervin personally!
Haley and Obama were separated at birth; but, are two peas in a pod! Pathological liars and narcissist!
Sandy, are you one of Haley’s lap dancers?
If you are a nikki supporter with no real info i suppose.
Glad I am finally getting through to some of you!
I’ve been saying this for a long time!
They are all just alike!
Amen again!
Don’t forget Elinor (bloody Bitch) Kitzman!
Now that ranking has to be scientific. Kinda like the same science that swears by manmade global warming…LMAO….and fed to [email protected]$$#$…
In my opinion God created the Carolina’s to give us an idea what heaven would look like.
Beautiful mountains and beaches.Culturally unmatched and beautiful weather.
Get rid of the libs moving in and indeed we would have a true paradise.
God also created cancer, which is what Columbia is to South Carolina.
Shit. It took God 40 fucking years to get Moses out of that desert.
Sandy, from your posts it’s obvious how little you know of God!
Are you Sikh, like your goddess Haley?
As long as a person can make a living, sure it’s nice; but what good is all the scenery if you can’t afford to go and see it?
Culturally unmatched? You seriously have to be joking!
Culturally unmatched?
“Culturally unmatched” is one of those wonderfully ambiguous phrases that you assume to be positive.
Kind of like TBG putting “You’ll be lucky to get this person to work for you.” on a job recommendation……
Sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis of incurable cancer – I’m praying you have a long life.
For ALL the republicans, thank you, GOD.
MERS is a lidian/mid east problem. Maybe you’ll get it. It’s got to be good.
Amen!
Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland: Three Democratic states top the list of wanting to move. 44% of states have a Democratic governor, yet 6 of the worst 10 have a Democratic governor.
Taxes?
That is the most likely reason.
Not even in the top 5.
The top eight states in the would you like to move list voted for Obama in 2012.
…the “economic miracle” taking place in South Carolina under Gov. Nikki Haley is nothing but smoke in mirrors.
Smoke AND mirrors.
Why must you force the prosaic? Perhaps he’s coined a new phrase.. smoke, *in* a mirror would definitely obscure the view through it… perhaps combining smoke and mirrors into a single metaphor reduces the difficulty inherent in imagining the use of both smoke *and* mirrors to produce an alternate reality.
Welcome the bizarre and obscure! For in this abyss of confusion may arise the core mechanism of meta evolution!!
Why must you force the prosaic?
Because deep in my dark libertarian heart there are remnants of a conservatism that resists, NAY, REJECTS change.
“Smooooooooooooke on the water…
And fire in da sky!”
–Deep Purple
“We done smoked it.”
—-Duane Coleman
The smoker you drink, the player you get.
It’s the law.
TBG saw Joe Walsh open for Stevie Nicks at the old Cola Coliseum in the early 1980s.
Life’s been good to TBG, so far…
Is the head dead yet?
assuming you weren’t educating in a South Carolina government-run school).
Educated.
*That one should be somewhat embarrassing.*
Ding,Ding,Ding !!!! Bingo !!!!
To be fair – most of the I Wanna Move states had the most snow this winter.
I’ve been applying in Florida, North Carolina, Texas!
maybe I should apply in Georgia and ask Gov. Haley to help! She seems to care more for Georgia and their jobs (Her Savanna River sell Out to Georgia, at South Carolina’s expense). She probably would help, due to the fact, I’ll vote for anyone but her next election. I voted for her once, once was enough.
I see her no different than Pelosi, Reid, Obama, Cluburn, Feinstein, Shumer. They all care about themselves, more than anyone else!
You want fries with that?
Stock pictures from Eastchester, NY. Interesting.
Gee, why am I not surprised?
That picture will be me in about 8 years, getting the fuck out of this shithole state.
Improving the state enough for you to consider returning, no doubt.
I doubt it, it’ll take more than me leaving to fix this cronyism approved, fuck anyone who can’t help me, success is a double-wide and a paid off tow truck state. I’ll take my taxpayer funded state retirement and spend it elsewhere. Kind of my final fuck you to the state.
do you own any animals?
What does that have to do with anything?
Thanks Bible, SC is a doomed state. Tourist are the only way we should go. I want you to know when people come from other states, they like 2 things. The southern accent, the stupidity of it’s citizens. I am not joking, they say they like to visit on that account, we are stupid. Bet me ??
I must say, the best jobs creator in 10 years, is still working hard for us. Is this for real ?
Horray for Nikki, she has turned SC around.
I have a request to live in Sandy/Tango land before i move from SC.