SparklyUnicorn Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Also - I would say when I have disguessed with people the kinds of policy approaches that might lead to less mobility, they often don't like it. While they might mean more settled neighbourhoods, some could make moving a little more difficult, and people really resent the idea of anything restricting them in that way. Moving isn't all that easy. The reasons people move are varied. My husband moved here from another country. Trust me, nobody has really made that process easy. Then we moved about 130 miles from where we started off. Again, not particularly easy. Especially with no help and very little time. That was for a job. What would have been better? Potentially go long periods of time without money so we don't have to move? Or go where the jobs are? It was a no brainer at that point in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I found these interesting statistics about reasons why people move. https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p20-574.pdf On p.3 is also a table with data on distances moved for each of the moving reasons. I found it interesting that less than 50% of the long distance moves (>200miles) were job related. As expected, the percentage of job related moves is higher for people with higher education. On p.6 is also an interesting table that splits the three categories into more detailed reasons. This doesn't surprise me too much. We moved 130 miles for a job. My husband did interview at jobs much further. Trying to pull off interviews that far is difficult. A lot of companies shy away from hiring people too far away unless they absolutely can't get anyone more local. DH had to really stress to a few of them that he was willing to move that far. Companies don't want to help pay moving expenses (we didn't ask for this, but some people do). Also some companies don't want to wait. We packed up and moved within 2 weeks. It was insane. Dead of winter with zero help. Some people will just flat out say they need more time than that. The company couldn't wait longer. So in order to move that far and get settled it is easier if one is moving to be closer to family. Some family may be willing to help out a lot including letting family members live with them while they find their own place. We didn't have that either. I can't imagine how things would have been moving farther. At least with that distance we could drive there and back in one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Moving isn't all that easy. The reasons people move are varied. My husband moved here from another country. Trust me, nobody has really made that process easy. Then we moved about 130 miles from where we started off. Again, not particularly easy. Especially with no help and very little time. That was for a job. What would have been better? Potentially go long periods of time without money so we don't have to move? Or go where the jobs are? It was a no brainer at that point in time. Well the whole idea with a less mobile workforce is that fewer people would find it necessary to move, they would tend to stay closer to their place of origin. North Americans I think don't always realize that in a lot of other western countries, people aren't so mobile - they may go away to school or for a while in young adulthood, but they are much more likely to settle close to where their families come from than we are. It requires though an emphasis on putting jobs where people are rather than moving people to jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Well the whole idea with a less mobile workforce is that fewer people would find it necessary to move, they would tend to stay closer to their place of origin. North Americans I think don't always realize that in a lot of other western countries, people aren't so mobile - they may go away to school or for a while in young adulthood, but they are much more likely to settle close to where their families come from than we are. It requires though an emphasis on putting jobs where people are rather than moving people to jobs. How would they make a workforce less mobile? The US is huge. There were jobs where we lived, but there are far more here that match the field my husband works in. This is actually the second job since we've lived here. Jobs come and go. Companies come and go. If one isn't willing to be a bit flexible, they might go a long time without a job. And should people be expected to limit themselves only to the possibilities that are nearby? People are more and more mobile in other countries too. My husband grew up living in the house his mother grew up in that her father grew up in. My husband moved to another country. His brother moved far away within the same country. Other family members have similar stories. Some have moved to other countries. Some far away within the country. Very few have stayed nearby and none of them still live in the same house their parents grew up in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 (edited) North Americans I think don't always realize that in a lot of other western countries, people aren't so mobile - they may go away to school or for a while in young adulthood, but they are much more likely to settle close to where their families come from than we are. It requires though an emphasis on putting jobs where people are rather than moving people to jobs. But many jobs are where they are for a reason. People flock to North Dakota for the oil boom. And many jobs are where the people are - there is a much greater number and variety of jobs in large metropolitan areas. Most companies are not moving to small rural towns in the middle of nowhere. Also, keep in mind that European countries are smaller and have great public transit. So, in order to take the job 150 miles away you don't have to move - you can stay living where you are and work during your one hour commute on a comfortable high speed train (or drive on a freeway without speed limit). People don't necessarily move their main residence, but many people commute, either daily or weekly. In Germany, it is very difficult to buy a house - small country with high population density and land a finite resource. Many people choose to commute and keep their residence. In 2013, 1.2 million people worked more than 150km from their homes. Edited March 14, 2016 by regentrude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I love moving! Unfortunately, I haven't moved in the last 16 years :( I married a man who doesn't like to move. I should have known since his family lived in the same house his whole life. If I had it my way we'd move every 2 to 4 years. Not just to the next town, but a new state or a new country. My family moved to a new state when I was 11 which meant I left very good friends. My first day in the new town I told my parents I was going to go out and make new friends. I hopped on my bike and rode around town until I found one :) She was my best friend for years. When I moved I found a new best friend, and now I don't go the best friend route. It will make it much easier to move around once the kids are out of the house. My kids don't want to move from this town. If I move houses it won't be to move in the same town. They seem to think they can't leave their friends, and make new ones. My parents have moved 5 times in the last 20 years. I guess I'll be traveling around without my dh since he's a homebody. I'll give him a chance to come with me. Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.