People are moving to the Midwest

[pourcyne]

Glad you brought up the topic, OP.

Down here in the sticks, we have a surprising number of younger folks moving here from more-populated areas.

Some are coming for small-town life for their kids to grow up in. Others are coming because of the (more) affordable housing and cost of living. Lots of folks are moving here for the trees and landscape (building houses in the woods). Many are attracted by lower crime rates. At least one couple moved here because of good internet service (if you work online, you can live anywhere that has it).

The folks who move here don't care much about the availability of fast-food chains, ethnic restaurants (foodies can cook at home), oceans or mountains (plenty of water and hiking opportunities in Iowa), Broadway shows (shoot, you can watch those on Netflix). They like the changes of the seasons (I know, it's cuckoo, right?); they love that strangers wave to them in their cars (and not just with their middle fingers). It's a perceived notion of special, in terms of experience, instead of not being able to point out exactly where your condo is located in rows and rows of identical high rises.

On the other hand, lots-o-seniors are moving to the city, not for what a city offers, but to be near their kids and grand-kids. I guess the upside of that is lowering the median age of residents.

Urban flight is real. Rural areas need to learn to cash in on it.

 

[Al_4_State]

cloudy yes. but the lack of wind will make you think you are 9 doobies deep.... MY HOUSE DOESNT HAVE AC

The lack of wind will result in me being dead asleep surrounded by empty Old Dutch bags?

 

[3TrueFans]

Can I ask what about that you’re skeptical about?

Literally everything

 

[cowgirl836]

Yep that’s been the trend for awhile. But those southern states are going to quickly become uninhabitable due to water in the west and heat/storms in the east.

Also insurance companies are finally getting smart and refusing to cover a lot more areas in the south. The shift won’t be immediate but within the next 5-10 years it will be very noticeable. It’s why you get a place now while it’s still cheap

Spouse is in the home/property insurance space and his company has limited CA and FL coverage for a while but the increase in hail and flooding through the midwest has been killing them the past several years. 2023 was a record claims year for all the big carriers.

 

[hoosman]

I have just retired and was thinking that living in the south was a good setup. The south is becoming a climate helllhole from everyone I have talked to. Now I am thinking Wisconsin. The winters in the midwest are much milder lately, and there is a lot of good winter recreation in UP, Wisc, and northshore.

 

[pourcyne]

Not only is it age related, but didn't Iowa get a ton of nuclear fall out via rain in the early 60's and the people of that specific demographic who lived in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota at that time wildly outpace cancer rates for their cohort nationally?

That could be.

Or, it could be from all the carcinogenic farm chemicals that weren't banned in the 60's such as the Atrazine my dad used or the chlordane dust my mom used to sprinkle around the house to combat ants.

Not-to-mention the guys who got drafted to go to the Agent Orange War.

 

[JEFF420]

The lack of wind will result in me being dead asleep surrounded by empty Old Dutch bags?

yes, keep them to line yer snowboots

 

[Al_4_State]

That could be.

Or, it could be from all the carcinogenic farm chemicals that weren't banned in the 60's such as the Atrazine my dad used or the chlordane dust my mom used to sprinkle around the house to combat ants.

Not-to-mention the guys who got drafted to go to the Agent Orange War.

They use lots of those chemicals in Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, South Dakota, etc. Dudes from the whole country were exposed to Agent Orange.

What’s unique to Iowa?

 

[mywayorcyway]

One of the reasons I Ieft the southwest was because of potential water issues. I'm not one to jump on extremist theories but if you don't have access to clean water, you're screwed. My primary concern was being able to handle population growth. More people were showing up and you can build new houses, but you can't build new water.

 

[cowgirl836]

They use lots of those chemicals in Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, South Dakota, etc. Dudes from the whole country were exposed to Agent Orange.

What’s unique to Iowa?

Nebraska looks up there as well. Is there more wheat in the Dakotas/Kansas? Pulling this out of thin air but I didn't think the chemical use was as high on wheat. There has to be a way to look at it by county because I wonder if some of the rate gets diluted. There are some large pop centers in some of those states where people may not be as directly exposed. Between the % of population exposed and runoff/clean water rules, I'd wonder where Iowa falls but that's again, probably a cave thread.

 

[pourcyne]

They use lots of those chemicals in Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, South Dakota, etc. Dudes from the whole country were exposed to Agent Orange.

What’s unique to Iowa?

Not unique, but higher % of farms and farm populations.

Not sure the nuclear theory holds up.

Radius: The legacy of America’s nuclear weapons testing program from States Newsroom and MuckRock • Idaho Capital Sun

Decades after the first-ever U.S. nuclear weapons test in July 1945, the extent of the fallout has only now been understood, thanks to new modeled data by researchers.

idahocapitalsun.com

 

[madguy30]

The snow thing becomes problematic in different ways. Native pests don't get knocked down in population like they should (the Wisconsin ticks say HI!) and native trees need the cold I guess? We're having tree die-offs because of the mild winters. Which then in St. Clone's area..........increases the risk of wildfire.

I went to a gardening seminar earlier this year that was very hey this is happening, here's how to adapt. He said push back your gardening start date by a day every year and by....it must have been 2050 I think - my area will be something like 7a hardiness. It moved to 5a this year.

I feel like every time I look out the window I get a tick on me.

This time of year is always 'go-time' for them but they seem extra thick. The recent rains followed by fast growing grass etc. likely haven't helped.

 

[cycloneG]

Nebraska looks up there as well. Is there more wheat in the Dakotas/Kansas? Pulling this out of thin air but I didn't think the chemical use was as high on wheat. There has to be a way to look at it by county because I wonder if some of the rate gets diluted. There are some large pop centers in some of those states where people may not be as directly exposed. Between the % of population exposed and runoff/clean water rules, I'd wonder where Iowa falls but that's again, probably a cave thread.

Page 3

https://shri.public-health.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cancer-in-iowa-2023.pdf

 

[cowgirl836]

They use lots of those chemicals in Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, South Dakota, etc. Dudes from the whole country were exposed to Agent Orange.

What’s unique to Iowa?

Little bit of info in here - the rate of use is higher in Iowa and manure applied highest as well. Higest rate of binge drinking as well (honestly shocked it beats WI there) which is a big risk. So it could be a **** soup of a couple different things in Iowa specifically.

New report sparks questions and controversy over possible causes for Iowa 'cancer crisis' • Iowa Capital Dispatch

A recent report linking Iowa's high cancer rate to alcohol consumption has raised questions from health and environment researchers.

iowacapitaldispatch.com

 

[cowgirl836]

Page 3

https://shri.public-health.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cancer-in-iowa-2023.pdf

So heavier in general south of 1-80 but there's still some groupings that don't make sense to me without knowing the micro geographies. You have some of the highets and lowest counties next door to each other. I wouldn't think the farming/ag landscape would change that dramatically at the county line. Hmm, maybe overlaid with watersheds? One county getting more polluted water?

 

[cycloneML]

Another thread ( https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/buying-a-house-in-iowa.285827/ ) connected with a theme noted by local officials here in the Upper Midwest (Central WI).

I am retired and pretty active and connected in my community, so in chatting with my Metromarket manager friend (he's a transplant from the Quad Cities area and a Hawk), he got on the topic of people from Texas, California, and especially Florida applying for jobs with his Kroger (Metromarket). Out of those, he got a superbly talented regional manager (born in Oaxaca, Mexico) from the San Diego area. A Florida transplant became his in-house Floral Manager who increased his sales over the past year by over 300% and is now opening her own Floral Shop. Four members of a family from Texas applied and all were hired and working out well as great store employees after over a year. A lady and former associate for Kroger has brought her parents here from Florida to "escape." There were more but those were the ones I recall.

I found that interesting but nothing noteworthy until I spoke with a local Alderperson for my city. I am battling with the city as they plan to develop a nice 30-acre woodland (with a trout stream!) into 111 home sites! Those are tiny lots, lots of houses. I am a Wildlife Biologist by training and informing them of the 140 species of birds recorded in the woodlot planned for development. I asked what the big hurry was as they hadn't even done an environmental impact assessment, hydrology impact, or concerns of groundwater, sewage treatment, or neighborhood impact. The Alderperson responded, "We have a local need for affordable housing and there are many moving in as 'environmental refugees from the South' who have an increasing need for housing."

Now that got my attention. I add that to that list my new neighbors from Arizona and California. My area does not often get over 90 degrees, has an abundance of groundwater, low taxes, no hurricanes, few tornadoes, no earthquakes, and crime is not a major issue. We have good roads, decent schools, wild areas, and a diverse economy. The northern half of WI is a target area for those moving out of the south. Big change from not many years ago when those moving South were envied!

Glossing over the cold and snow?

 

[Bader]

Can I ask what about that you’re skeptical about?

Likely limited to fewer than 20k people moving out of the South

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Likely limited to fewer than 20k people moving out of the South

Right now for sure, that’s why I stated in the next 5-10 years as things continue to rapidly deteriorate down south.

Not everyone will have the means and those with extreme means will be able to insulate themselves but their will be a shift in addition to a stop in population loss.

 

[cycloneG]

So heavier in general south of 1-80 but there's still some groupings that don't make sense to me without knowing the micro geographies. You have some of the highets and lowest counties next door to each other. I wouldn't think the farming/ag landscape would change that dramatically at the county line. Hmm, maybe overlaid with watersheds? One county getting more polluted water?

That map was the first one I found and the color coding seems off.

This link is by zip code:

Cancer Analytics and Maps for Small Areas (CAMSA) – Iowa Cancer Registry

shri.public-health.uiowa.edu

 

[cowgirl836]

That map was the first one I found and the color coding seems off.

This link is by zip code:

Cancer Analytics and Maps for Small Areas (CAMSA) – Iowa Cancer Registry

shri.public-health.uiowa.edu

this one makes way more sense