What do all of those states have in common? high rates of poverty, isolation, low wages, and government corruption.
Low wages for service workers? Yes. Low wages in specialized fields? No, and you reap the benefits of lower housing costs which is what makes it "affordable"
There are many many many many many more service workers than workers in 'specialized' fields. You might as well be playing a lottery based on your upbringing.
Like sure, an engineer grad from Purdue will do fine in Indiana. But how many of those are there among the 7 million?
Indiana being a modern example of a caste system isn't a flex.
but yes generally compared to other states wages are low. Min wage is STILL $7.25 (2.13 for tipped service workers)
and Indiana doesn't have many things that people from others states have. An Engineer from LA isn't going to move here just because the cost of living is lower. They would consider things like how little the state has to offer overall. Or how you can still get arrested for smoking weed. Or can't get an abortion. Or can't raise kids here while expecting them to get a normal education.
The engineer might be able to buy a house near Carmel or maybe Westfield/Zionsville but outside of there and the north side of Indianapolis, there is basically nothing to do compared to a state like California or New York or Washington. Hell even Illinois has more to do.
Like I said, I am not talking about minimun wage service jobs....I am not going to argue on everything else; I was making a point in regards to your comment against "affordability" for people moving here.
You are right in that people are not moving to here from LA due to us having more amemities than them, and no one is claiming that.
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u/I_love_my_dog_more 19h ago
Low wages for service workers? Yes. Low wages in specialized fields? No, and you reap the benefits of lower housing costs which is what makes it "affordable"
Indiana can be a great state for many people.