[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

What? The Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Palm Beach area is loaded with retirees. The median age of Dade and Broward Counties is 40.1 and 40.2 which is about the same as Fairfield (40.4), New Haven (40.1) and Hartford (40.3) Counties. I don’t think people think of Connecticut as a young state. The average age in Palm Beach County is 44.8 which is pretty high. For comparison the median age of Boston is 32.3. Jay

People don’t think of CT as a retiree state, either.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

People don’t think of CT as a retiree state, either.

Yes but for different reasons. Most retirees in Connecticut lived and worked here but we do get some out of state retirees in places like the massive Heritage Village in Southbury, Oronoque Village in Stratford, Oxford Green in Oxford Old Saybrook and others. Dade and Broward Counties are similar but because of the much higher median age, Palm Beach County is clearly a retiree Mecca. Jay

[Lincolnian]

Who exactly has permanently moved out of CT is deceiving. I know people who have changed their residences but have not sold their homes. They spend the required time in Florida. There is another group that have moved half way to the Carolinas. The return rate for that group seems to be larger than those who split time between Florida and CT. Taxes do play a part in those split residents' decisions. The halfway group left for the appeal of a lower cost of living in retirement. Many that come back report that the savings weren't as great as anticipated and the weather and/or distance from their family in the long run didn't make it worth it.

I personally have investigated the Florida move and would like to spend some time there during the winter in the future. However, the areas I am looking at are as expensive or more than the Hartford area. At this point, I can't envision myself staying there more than the required 6 months to declare it my residence and benefit from the tax advantage component. Where I am in CT I could take a 10 minute Uber to Bradley, fly down on a direct flight in 2 1/2 hours, and pick up a shuttle from the airport to a hotel. I could do this trip to Florida 3 or 4 times a winter for a week at a time to get my winter fix. The cost to do that would be far less than carrying an empty house at least 6 months a year.

The over 1400 pages of this forum basically boil down to whether or not people personally feel the state is going in the right direction. Clearly some businesses see opportunities and are investing in Connecticut. Recent announcements in the Hartford area show that New York developers see a positive future for the area. Studies have shown that the Hartford area has a talented pool of workers and is a relatively affordable place to live for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

The state's financial situation is a factor that weighs on our general economic growth and the likely culprit for it's restraint during the recovery. Neither political party has effectively sold a viable solution. One thing that is certain is that borrowing more money and underfunding pension obligations are not likely to improve the state's fiscal health.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Yes but for different reasons. Most retirees in Connecticut lived and worked here but we do get some out of state retirees in places like the massive Heritage Village in Southbury, Oronoque Village in Stratford, Oxford Green in Oxford Old Saybrook and others. Dade and Broward Counties are similar but because of the much higher median age, Palm Beach County is clearly a retiree Mecca. Jay

That’s changing for PBC. You should see places like Boca, which was once a retirement Mecca for NYC area residents, is now young, very affluent, sort of house-wifey and lots of kids. And Broward and Dade are very young. Not many retirees at all. An average age of 40 is not old.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Did you actually look at the data?

I did. I subtracted population projected quantities (not mix %) by group 2020 vs 2010, and 25-64 , is up 900k. (almost split between 25-44 & 45-64, 500k in one group, 400k in the 2nd)

In one decade, their working age population increased about half of Ct's total working population.

That is amazing growth, linked to their thriving economic growth patterns.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

I did. I subtracted population projected quantities (not mix %) by group 2020 vs 2010, and 25-64 , is up 900k. (almost split between 25-44 & 45-64, 500k in one group, 400k in the 2nd)

In one decade, their working age population increased about half of Ct's total working population.

That is amazing growth, linked to their thriving economic growth patterns.

But if you looked at the age percentages of that growth you would see that as I noted, the percentage of the population over 64 grew more. In 1970 it was 17.3% of the population. It is projected to be 25.7% in next years census. That means a lot of the growth are retirees or people approaching retirement. Yes, other brackets grew but not as much as those over 64. Jay

[JGBigGreen]

Spot on. Facts were provided and facts were ignored to fit a certain perspective.

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

You gave an opinion that said six figure jobs weren’t leaving the northeast for Florida, without a source. I provided sources that stated this was, in fact, happening. If those sources aren’t good enough then it’s time to agree to disagree.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

But if you looked at the age percentages of that growth you would see that as I noted, the percentage of the population over 64 grew more. In 1970 it was 17.3% of the population. It is projected to be 25.7% in next years census. That means a lot of the growth are retirees or people approaching retirement. Yes, other brackets grew but not as much as those over 64. Jay

Percentages are not what pay taxes. People of working age are the bulk of taxpayers. Florida grew by 900,000 in ten years in the prime working-age category.

That other categories grew even faster does not offset that achievement.

I would settle for growing 10% as fast in Ct (25-64 population). It will, sadly, never happen.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Percentages are not what pay taxes. People of working age are the bulk of taxpayers. Florida grew by 900,000 in ten years in the prime working-age category.

That other categories grew even faster does not offset that achievement.

I would settle for growing 10% as fast in Ct (25-64 population). It will, sadly, never happen.

What? You want numbers. The 65 and over population in Florida grew from 989,359 in 1970 to 4,465,169 projected in 2020. That’s 3,475,810 over 50 years or 351%. The 25 to 64 year old grew from 2,976,899 in 1970 to 9,799,960 projected in 2020. That’s 6,823,061 or just 229%. So by far Florida’s growth has been mostly from retirees.

As for Connecticut’s growth, if you want that kind of growth, then move to Florida. Or North Carolina. Or Texas. Or any of those fast growing states you seem to love so much. We do not need it. That kind of growth means more ugly sprawl, congestion and destroying our state’s character. We are already the fourth most densely populated state in the country. We do not need more. Jay

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

What? You want numbers. The 65 and over population in Florida grew from 989,359 in 1970 to 4,465,169 projected in 2020. That’s 3,475,810 over 50 years or 351%. The 25 to 64 year old grew from 2,976,899 in 1970 to 9,799,960 projected in 2020. That’s 6,823,061 or just 229%.

JUST 229%?

It is amazing.