Omaha's Brain Drain

[Omaha Cowboy]

The “eye test” is completely irrelevant. It isn’t data.

However, there IS objective, real data available. And it shows Omaha and some cities with a net loss of young people, and some cities with net gains of young people.

Oh baloney. That’s like saying “I can’t trust my eyes” to the reality of what I actually see..

Please..

And the data of these studies is NOT real, objective data either. It can and is manipulated to serve the specific narrative of the study..

‘Here is what’s real- Omaha is a growing and vibrant metropolitan area which added 103,000 people to it’s population over the past decade of 2010 to 2020. This trend belies any notion that Omaha isn’t any more hip than any other metropolitan area which experienced a 12% decade growth rate or better..

You’re entitled to your opinion of Omaha and I’m entitled to completely disagree with it .. “Liam” is Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, St Louis, Birmingham, Memphis, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Wichita, Des Moines, Tucson, Little Rock, Louisville, Milwaukee etc etc.. Pretty much every American city..save a small perceived “celestial” handful. Youth get restless and the gravitational pull of growing up is part of the process.. As it relates to Omaha specifically, my experience is the VAST majority of young folks moving out for greener pastures move back typically within 4 years, if not sooner..

Is Omaha Shangri-La? No. But we all can take solace in knowing it’s trying to become the best version of itself it can be. Many cities who play in Omaha’s peer neighborhood struggle with doing this..

Omaha is positioned to take a major leap forward this decade- the tea leaves indicate this as well. Choose to believe this- or not.. But time will bear the reality within the next 5-8 years..and I happen to like the direction Omaha is headed, and so do many folks both young and old who have contributed to Omaha’s robust growth the past decade or so…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Okay, man. One guy lookin’ around is data science. The statisticians have thrown their lives away.

As for Omaha being “vibrant” or “hip.” I just…I mean…I don’t even know where to start with that statement.

Omaha is a good town. But it isn’t all that cool. (Yet. It’s working on it. Maybe it gets there. It just might. And I hope it does.)

I hope it does too. We’ll agree 100% on that..

I’ll use this quote from one of our forum members, ChadJK, who posted this comment in another thread recently while we were having a similar discussion-

“Somewhere in Honolulu is a couch potato that sits around complaining how bored they are. Somewhere in Bismarck, North Dakota, someone is having the time of their life. The difference? Attitude”..

I think that just about sums it up..at least to me …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[legato9]

I totally agree with the attitude part. Some people just kind of suck at life. Some people kick its a$$.

It’s still true that cities have a vibe and a culture and a personality.

The world needs Liam, too. There’s nothing wrong with being Liam. But for someone who wants some serious sexy and some adventure, he’s not the right fit. That’s all.

There are things a really love about Omaha. Like, when I go to some of the really fun cities that I dig, I often find myself super annoyed about how much traffic there is. Being parked on the freeway for like an hour or two in a day really blows.

My house in some of those cities would cost like…six billion dollars.

Lived in Boston for a minute. It’s beautiful and fun and there’s great nature…but the middle fingers and constant crappy attitudes really get to you after a while.

I love being able to get around town quickly. The people are really nice. My house is rad. Good restaurants. Most bands play here. The list goes on and on. It really has a lot going for it.

It just isn’t all that exciting or fun or vibey *as a city.* That’s all I’m saying. Nothing but love for it, though.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I totally agree with the attitude part. Some people just kind of suck at life. Some people kick its a$$.

It’s still true that cities have a vibe and a culture and a personality.

The world needs Liam, too. There’s nothing wrong with being Liam. But for someone who wants some serious sexy and some adventure, he’s not the right fit. That’s all.

It just isn’t all that exciting or fun or vibey *as a city.* That’s all I’m saying. Nothing but love for it, though.

I get where you’re coming from here man. Your “Liam” take is on point- and cleverly crafted..

Compared to where Omaha was 20, even 10 years ago, it’s dramatically improved in the “hip factor”. I truly believe we’ll get even better. Omaha will never be considered a “celestial haven”; but the best version of what it can be will be pretty damn good…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[nativeomahan]

As has been stated by myself and others, these studies are mainly flawed and the data manipulated to whatever narrative the site article wants to project..

The following lists paint an entirely different narrative on Omaha being attractive to Millennials/young professionals-

https://smartasset.com/data-studies/bes ... onals-2022

https://www.nebraskarealty.com/blog/pos ... to-live-in

https://www.gobankingrates.com/investin ... essionals/

There are others, but as we see, there are many recent list “studies” which point to Omaha as being a top city in attracting and maintaining young professionals..

I keep referencing the “eye test” and people interaction.. I get out quite frequently and make it a point to talk to a number of younger folks in the Millennial demographic.. People of ALL ages are moving here. The metropolitan area added 103,000 residents from 2010 and 2020 and that robust growth is continuing. The Chamber plan of adding 30,000 residents to our city core within the next 20 years points to ambitious and aspirational visionary goals; which the city is attempting to attain. The Riverfront Redevelopment plan, new Mutual skyscraper, the streetcar, Project NExt etc etc shows the momentum happening as we speak..

Omaha is coming in to its own right now..and it’s exciting to live here and see it happen before our eyes …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

I think those citations are a flawed comparison. Just because something might be the “best” doesn’t mean anyone *wants* it.

Beta was better than VHS. But nobody wanted it. CDs are better than vinyl. But vinyl outsells CDs.

Everyone has that friend. Let’s call him “Liam.” And everyone says, “Liam is such a great guy. Somebody really ought to snatch him up. He shouldn’t be single.”

Liam has a good job. He lives in a good neighborhood. He’s bright. He has a heart of gold. He’s got a decent sense of humor.

But he isn’t exactly lighting up Tinder. Why is that?

Liam’s house is beige AF. It’s furnished almost entirely from NFM. Liam buys all his clothes at Target, except for like one t-shirt he got at Ralph Lauren.

From the right angle and in the right light, he’s like a 5-5.5. But usually he’s like a 4-4.5.

Liam is a really good dude. But he has zero sexy and zero edge. He’s a guy to marry when you’re older. He’s not a guy to date when you’re young.

Liam is Omaha.

I like Liam. I’m totally rooting for Liam. When he does something cool, I’m genuinely super happy for him. But I’m not exactly surprised that he’s asleep at 9:30p on Friday.

That’s funny. Maybe I am Liam. I got married at age 52. I don’t think I ever bought many of my clothes at Target but JCP yes. I have my own “fashion sense” that most people probably roll their eyes at.
Omaha will never reach the “sexy” heights of metro Denver, Atlanta, Dallas, Portland (either one), The Twin Cities, Austin, Nashville, etc. etc. but we are doing better than most Rust Belt metros as well as several Sun Belt places. A big drawback for the sexy spots is terrible traffic and a failure of infrastructure to keep up with growth. Omaha really doesn’t have those problems (well not as bad as many cities, anyway).
My two nephews graduated with engineering degrees about 5 years ago from UNO and had job offers from many prestige engineering companies across the Midwest, as well as in Omaha. They chose Kansas City for a variety of reasons, and for the most part liked it there, despite having no family connections or friends there. But after about 3 years one moved to Nashville and the other back to Omaha. So a net loss of 1/2 for Omaha, but it had been 0/2 for three years. For the one in Nashville I cannot say for sure but I think the lure of a bigger city with myriads more entertainment options played a part. He loves it there but housing costs are much higher than in Omaha. He purchased a 1 bedroom condo near the city center for $385,000 and thought he got a great deal.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Liam is looking pretty sexy right now, at least to Domino Magazine (from this weeks Grow Omaha newsletter)-

“Not too long ago Austin, Texas was the cool-kids-capital of the country”..

“According to Domino magazine, Omaha will be one of the nation’s top destinations next year for people looking to move. In an article entitled, “Here’s Where Everyone Will Be Moving in 2023,” Domino analyzed year-over-year home sales growth across 100 metro areas in the United States. Here are the projected 10-fastest growing destinations:

1. El Paso, Texas
2. Columbia, South Carolina
3. Hartford, Connecticut
4. Buffalo, New York
5. Little Rock, Arkansas
6. Louisville, Kentucky
7. Baltimore, Maryland
8. Omaha, Nebraska
9. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
10. Columbus, Ohio”..


https://www.domino.com/lifestyle/where-to-move-in-2023/

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Garrett]

Ehhh... color me incredibly skeptical of that list, even more so than the one posted previously. Any list that ranks Hartford or Buffalo as hot metropolitan areas is a bad list. Hartford grew by a brisk 1,200 people between 2010 and 2020. That does not particularly strike me as the 3rd top destination in the country. Let's not accept a list as gospel just because it says Omaha is doing great, especially if you're going to give strong skepticism to a list that says it isn't.

[Linkin5]

El Paso is a top destination lol

[Omaha Cowboy]

I don’t think anyone is accepting any of these lists as “gospel”, lol..

It just proves a point I and others have made in previous posts here, that for every “list” which claims Omaha is hemorrhaging millennial population, there is another which generally shows data reflecting the opposite..

None of them are overall “right” or “gospel”.. And that’s why I continue to bring up the “eye test”. Look around Omaha and what do you see?..with your feet on the ground talking to folks of all ages, what do you hear?.. That’s MY best gauge..

What I see and hear is a thriving, growing Omaha metropolitan area trying it’s damndest to become the best version of itself it can be..

And for that, I am very proud of my friend “Liam”…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[legato9]

I don’t think anyone is accepting any of these lists as “gospel”, lol..

It just proves a point I and others have made in previous posts here, that for every “list” which claims Omaha is hemorrhaging millennial population, there is another which generally shows data reflecting the opposite..

None of them are overall “right” or “gospel”.. And that’s why I continue to bring up the “eye test”. Look around Omaha and what do you see?..with your feet on the ground talking to folks of all ages, what do you hear?.. That’s MY best gauge..

What I see and hear is a thriving, growing Omaha metropolitan area trying it’s damndest to become the best version of itself it can be..

And for that, I am very proud of my friend “Liam”…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

I haven’t seen a list that says that millennials are *actually moving here* (or even staying here).

“People” might be moving here. It might be the best city *for* millennials. But that doesn’t mean “millennials like Omaha and are staying here / moving here.”

I mean, green beans are super good for me. But I sure as funk don’t want them on my plate.

Again, I’m an Omaha cheerleader. I want it to utterly dominate. But there is no data that shows it doing particularly well with millennials.

[legato9]

Lest I come off as a drag:

Steelhouse - rad.
New parks - rad.
New skyscraper - rad.
Blackstone - very definite potential. And it’s already cool.
Luminarium - if it’s not too kid-centered, very rad.
Benson - getting super cool.
This new library - if well-executed - rad

Lot to be proud of.

[legato9]

Oh, and seriously…The Ashton Building!
Holy god they did a great job on that. Whoever that architect is needs to get a ton of work in Omaha.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I don’t think anyone is accepting any of these lists as “gospel”, lol..

It just proves a point I and others have made in previous posts here, that for every “list” which claims Omaha is hemorrhaging millennial population, there is another which generally shows data reflecting the opposite..

None of them are overall “right” or “gospel”.. And that’s why I continue to bring up the “eye test”. Look around Omaha and what do you see?..with your feet on the ground talking to folks of all ages, what do you hear?.. That’s MY best gauge..

What I see and hear is a thriving, growing Omaha metropolitan area trying it’s damndest to become the best version of itself it can be..

And for that, I am very proud of my friend “Liam”…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

I haven’t seen a list that says that millennials are *actually moving here* (or even staying here).

“People” might be moving here. It might be the best city *for* millennials. But that doesn’t mean “millennials like Omaha and are staying here / moving here.”

I mean, green beans are super good for me. But I sure as funk don’t want them on my plate.

Again, I’m an Omaha cheerleader. I want it to utterly dominate. But there is no data that shows it doing particularly well with millennials.

I see and talk to millennials who have moved here practically every week..and I know I’m not the only one..

I don’t need a “study” which manipulates data to tell me they are or aren’t moving here. We win some. We lose some. That’s the game for Omaha and most other American cities which are not considered “celestial havens”..

Omaha’s doing very well right now, and is positioned to do even better throughout this decade..

Let’s be very happy for “Liam”..and F the “lists” or the “studies” …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Omaha Cowboy]

Oh, and seriously…The Ashton Building!
Holy god they did a great job on that. Whoever that architect is needs to get a ton of work in Omaha.

And I’m with you on this…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[thenewguy]

ok catch me up on this "Liam" business? I tried skimming through to see what i missed, but clearly i haven't been active on the forum enough lately ;)

[ita]

ok catch me up on this "Liam" business? I tried skimming through to see what i missed, but clearly i haven't been active on the forum enough lately ;)

I think Liam's progenitor, legato9 explained it best. Here's the genesis of this newly minted forum nomenclature.

As has been stated by myself and others, these studies are mainly flawed and the data manipulated to whatever narrative the site article wants to project..

The following lists paint an entirely different narrative on Omaha being attractive to Millennials/young professionals-

https://smartasset.com/data-studies/bes ... onals-2022

https://www.nebraskarealty.com/blog/pos ... to-live-in

https://www.gobankingrates.com/investin ... essionals/

There are others, but as we see, there are many recent list “studies” which point to Omaha as being a top city in attracting and maintaining young professionals..

I keep referencing the “eye test” and people interaction.. I get out quite frequently and make it a point to talk to a number of younger folks in the Millennial demographic.. People of ALL ages are moving here. The metropolitan area added 103,000 residents from 2010 and 2020 and that robust growth is continuing. The Chamber plan of adding 30,000 residents to our city core within the next 20 years points to ambitious and aspirational visionary goals; which the city is attempting to attain. The Riverfront Redevelopment plan, new Mutual skyscraper, the streetcar, Project NExt etc etc shows the momentum happening as we speak..

Omaha is coming in to its own right now..and it’s exciting to live here and see it happen before our eyes …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

I think those citations are a flawed comparison. Just because something might be the “best” doesn’t mean anyone *wants* it.

Beta was better than VHS. But nobody wanted it. CDs are better than vinyl. But vinyl outsells CDs.

Everyone has that friend. Let’s call him “Liam.” And everyone says, “Liam is such a great guy. Somebody really ought to snatch him up. He shouldn’t be single.”

Liam has a good job. He lives in a good neighborhood. He’s bright. He has a heart of gold. He’s got a decent sense of humor.

But he isn’t exactly lighting up Tinder. Why is that?

Liam’s house is beige AF. It’s furnished almost entirely from NFM. Liam buys all his clothes at Target, except for like one t-shirt he got at Ralph Lauren.

From the right angle and in the right light, he’s like a 5-5.5. But usually he’s like a 4-4.5.

Liam is a really good dude. But he has zero sexy and zero edge. He’s a guy to marry when you’re older. He’s not a guy to date when you’re young.

Liam is Omaha.

I like Liam. I’m totally rooting for Liam. When he does something cool, I’m genuinely super happy for him. But I’m not exactly surprised that he’s asleep at 9:30p on Friday.

[Doctor Fate]

ok catch me up on this "Liam" business? I tried skimming through to see what i missed, but clearly i haven't been active on the forum enough lately ;)

I think Liam's progenitor, legato9 explained it best. Here's the genesis of this newly minted forum nomenclature.

As has been stated by myself and others, these studies are mainly flawed and the data manipulated to whatever narrative the site article wants to project..

The following lists paint an entirely different narrative on Omaha being attractive to Millennials/young professionals-

https://smartasset.com/data-studies/bes ... onals-2022

https://www.nebraskarealty.com/blog/pos ... to-live-in

https://www.gobankingrates.com/investin ... essionals/

There are others, but as we see, there are many recent list “studies” which point to Omaha as being a top city in attracting and maintaining young professionals..

I keep referencing the “eye test” and people interaction.. I get out quite frequently and make it a point to talk to a number of younger folks in the Millennial demographic.. People of ALL ages are moving here. The metropolitan area added 103,000 residents from 2010 and 2020 and that robust growth is continuing. The Chamber plan of adding 30,000 residents to our city core within the next 20 years points to ambitious and aspirational visionary goals; which the city is attempting to attain. The Riverfront Redevelopment plan, new Mutual skyscraper, the streetcar, Project NExt etc etc shows the momentum happening as we speak..

Omaha is coming in to its own right now..and it’s exciting to live here and see it happen before our eyes …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

I think those citations are a flawed comparison. Just because something might be the “best” doesn’t mean anyone *wants* it.

Beta was better than VHS. But nobody wanted it. CDs are better than vinyl. But vinyl outsells CDs.

Everyone has that friend. Let’s call him “Liam.” And everyone says, “Liam is such a great guy. Somebody really ought to snatch him up. He shouldn’t be single.”

Liam has a good job. He lives in a good neighborhood. He’s bright. He has a heart of gold. He’s got a decent sense of humor.

But he isn’t exactly lighting up Tinder. Why is that?

Liam’s house is beige AF. It’s furnished almost entirely from NFM. Liam buys all his clothes at Target, except for like one t-shirt he got at Ralph Lauren.

From the right angle and in the right light, he’s like a 5-5.5. But usually he’s like a 4-4.5.

Liam is a really good dude. But he has zero sexy and zero edge. He’s a guy to marry when you’re older. He’s not a guy to date when you’re young.

Liam is Omaha.

I like Liam. I’m totally rooting for Liam. When he does something cool, I’m genuinely super happy for him. But I’m not exactly surprised that he’s asleep at 9:30p on Friday.

LOLOL this is gold.

[ita]

Sorry, this article is more about Nebraska's brain drain, but has some nice (bad) statistics relative to this conversation.

Nebraska’s shifting workforce demands amid ‘brain drain’ should sound alarm, researcher says

Cindy Gonzalez
More people have continued to leave than enter Nebraska from other states, and the loss is heavily those with an education level of at least a bachelor’s degree.

The worsening trend over the past decade is particularly alarming as 65% of jobs in the state and nation by 2030 likely will require at least some higher education, researcher Josie Schafer told a gathering of top education officials last week.

She said that, today, about 33% of Nebraska jobs are filled by people with bachelor’s degrees.

“We are losing people,” Schafer said. “And the trend is actually getting worse post-COVID.”

[legato9]

Sad thing is, I I’m friends with plenty of Europeans in their 30s - many of whom have advanced degrees - who really dig Omaha and would move here in a heartbeat. But, of course, US immigration law would never, ever allow that. It’s insane.

[Louie]

Sad thing is, I I’m friends with plenty of Europeans in their 30s - many of whom have advanced degrees - who really dig Omaha and would move here in a heartbeat. But, of course, US immigration law would never, ever allow that. It’s insane.

I had some family move here from England when I was a kid and it took years to get through the process.

[legato9]

Sad thing is, I I’m friends with plenty of Europeans in their 30s - many of whom have advanced degrees - who really dig Omaha and would move here in a heartbeat. But, of course, US immigration law would never, ever allow that. It’s insane.

I had some family move here from England when I was a kid and it took years to get through the process.

For my friends, it’s impossible. No amount of time would change it.

They aren’t married to US citizens. And the odds of winning the Visa lottery are close to 0%.

[Louie]

Sad thing is, I I’m friends with plenty of Europeans in their 30s - many of whom have advanced degrees - who really dig Omaha and would move here in a heartbeat. But, of course, US immigration law would never, ever allow that. It’s insane.

I had some family move here from England when I was a kid and it took years to get through the process.

For my friends, it’s impossible. No amount of time would change it.

They aren’t married to US citizens. And the odds of winning the Visa lottery are close to 0%.

Dang, that sucks.

[legato9]

Sad thing is, I I’m friends with plenty of Europeans in their 30s - many of whom have advanced degrees - who really dig Omaha and would move here in a heartbeat. But, of course, US immigration law would never, ever allow that. It’s insane.

I had some family move here from England when I was a kid and it took years to get through the process.

For my friends, it’s impossible. No amount of time would change it.

They aren’t married to US citizens. And the odds of winning the Visa lottery are close to 0%.

Dang, that sucks.

Sucks for them, me, and Omaha.

A couple of my friends in particular would be in high demand in Omaha with their tech skills. I know for a fact that there are some companies here that really need their skills.

They could theoretically try for H1-B’s, but those aren’t green cards. A young professional from a nice country with a high standard of living isn’t likely to want to just uproot for a couple years.

And every H1-B in the US is accounted for on literally the first day that applications open. (There is a low cap on them.)

Our immigration system is so dumb.

[legato9]

Little follow up…

https://www.wowt.com/2023/02/15/deeper- ... ing-state/

[ita]

This was more on Nebraska's brain drain issue, but a really informative conversation for anyone interested in the topic. Highly recommended.

https://www.kios.org/show/riverside-cha ... -workforce

[Garrett]

Here comes the "eye test" haha

[ita]

Here comes the "eye test" haha

For those who don't have time/want to listen to the Riverside Chat episode I posted, the data behind the issue is that in all of Nebraska, and I can't remember the timeframe, might of been last year, it had 45k college educated and above persons move in and 50k move out. Years during the pandemic had a minus 2.5k net migration for that demographic. Based on some survey the UNO College of Public Relations did, the biggest reasons for moving out was job related (new job, higher pay, better opportunities) and for moving into the state was housing (cost, availability, type attainable). There is definitely brain drain, defined by Dr. Schafer, in Nebraska. Interestingly Iowa and Kansas have had brain gain, attributed by higher education and job opportunities.

[Big E]

the biggest reasons for moving out was job related (new job, higher pay, better opportunities) and for moving into the state was housing (cost, availability, type attainable).

Are you sure it wasn't property taxes and transgenders in sports? Because it was probably property taxes and transgenders in sports.

Luckily everyone can carry a hand-cannon in their pocket without a permit now, which should eliminate the one remaining hurdle of why people don't stay or move here.

[Big E]

the biggest reasons for moving out was job related (new job, higher pay, better opportunities) and for moving into the state was housing (cost, availability, type attainable).

Are you sure it wasn't property taxes and transgenders in sports? Because it was probably property taxes and transgenders in sports.

Luckily, thanks to our wise and forward thinking state legislature, everyone can carry a hand-cannon in their pocket without a permit now, which should eliminate the one remaining hurdle of why people don't stay or move

[Louie]

the biggest reasons for moving out was job related (new job, higher pay, better opportunities) and for moving into the state was housing (cost, availability, type attainable).

Are you sure it wasn't property taxes and transgenders in sports? Because it was probably property taxes and transgenders in sports.

Luckily, thanks to our wise and forward thinking state legislature, everyone can carry a hand-cannon in their pocket without a permit now, which should eliminate the one remaining hurdle of why people don't stay or move

The guns are to protect your property from rising taxes, duh

[Garrett]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Omaha chamber urges Legislature to avoid measures contrary to ‘positive business environment’

[ricko]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Omaha chamber urges Legislature to avoid measures contrary to ‘positive business environment’

A few weeks ago I came across a poll that listed Nebraska second to last on attitudes related to discrimination against gays in jobs, housing and some other areas I can’t recall. I don’t remember where I saw this, but I remember it being a pretty reputable polling outfit. Btw, Oklahoma was last. Sigh.

[ita]

Dr. Schafer, in the podcast I posted, speaks to this point. Corporations are largely at the forefront of diversity, equity and inclusion, whether they are really trying to implement and support such measures or trying to be perceived as such. While in her opinion decisive public policy was not a determinative factor for educated people in moving to or from the state, her point is that we need better job opportunities and more of them. If we want businesses, big or small, to move to or stay and grow in Nebraska, she thinks the State shouldn't do anything that would go against the DEI principals motivating businesses. At least, that's how I understood it.

[Garrett]

Dr. Schafer, in the podcast I posted, speaks to this point. Corporations are largely at the forefront of diversity, equity and inclusion, whether they are really trying to implement and support such measures or trying to be perceived as such. While in her opinion decisive public policy was not a determinative factor for educated people in moving to or from the state, her point is that we need better job opportunities and more of them. If we want businesses, big or small, to move to or stay and grow in Nebraska, she thinks the State shouldn't do anything that would go against the DEI principals motivating businesses. At least, that's how I understood it.

I gave it a listen a couple days ago. Was definitely very fascinating and she made a lot of great points that unpack the data.

[Athomsfere]

Dr. Schafer, in the podcast I posted, speaks to this point. Corporations are largely at the forefront of diversity, equity and inclusion, whether they are really trying to implement and support such measures or trying to be perceived as such. While in her opinion decisive public policy was not a determinative factor for educated people in moving to or from the state, her point is that we need better job opportunities and more of them. If we want businesses, big or small, to move to or stay and grow in Nebraska, she thinks the State shouldn't do anything that would go against the DEI principals motivating businesses. At least, that's how I understood it.

While I like her work, and I believe I've even cited her for exactly this topic (brain drain). I do think that these social and diversity issues doesn't have an impact is wrong.

From my own experience within a strong tech, mostly educated and swath of PhD. holding professionals in and around Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska's regressive politics are probably the single biggest people want to leave. Followed by a lack of amenities like oceans, mountains, or a truly international food scene like Seattle has.

The amenities, IMO matter less. It's fairly easy to drive to MSP or fly out somewhere for a week at a time a couple times a year.

I'll add, bias is extremely self selected. Salaries probably starting around $70k, many in the $100k+ or $250k per household. And almost everyone is STEM. It could be wildly different as a whole.

But I did once do a poll myself. I need to try and find the results. From memory though, the correlation went down with education level. High school and some college was very high in not wanting to stick it out with regressive policies, Masters level was still very strong, maybe 75%, and PhD was middling but the sample size was tiny even by the standards of a random poll.


At the end of the day, if Nebraska doesn't start doing a better job at the state level, it isn't going to help the cities or the brain drain problem. At best, it just won't hurt retaining educated as badly.

[Garrett]

Interesting New York Times article about population shifts in metropolitan areas, along with an interactive component that can show population data about any metro area in the country. Basically shows that Omaha is just about stagnant in migration for people with college degrees while gaining slightly for people without. Also including a few peer cities.

Coastal Cities Priced Out Low-Wage Workers. Now College Graduates Are Leaving, Too.

[riceweb]

Interesting data, but soooo much has changed since 2020 that I wonder how useful any of this is.

[OmahaJaysCU]

Holy |expletive| Des Moines!

[Omaha Cowboy]

Interesting data, but soooo much has changed since 2020 that I wonder how useful any of this is.

Agreed. The data is interesting.. But again, it’s 2023. It’ll be interesting to see the official census results from 2030 and see what actually shakes out..

Omaha is not “Behaving” like a city and metro that’s marginally growing today…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Linkin5]

Nebraska just advanced a bill to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender youth and lumped a 12 week abortion ban in with it. Can’t imagine why educated people are leaving the state!

[almighty_tuna]

It's just a |expletive| embarrassment. And the cowardice to leave via tunnels?

Nebraska: where 14yr olds are forced to give birth and be responsible for another life, but also banned from making choices about their own. But, you know, at least we aren't oppressed and can carry our guns everywhere.