But lots of people stay. They tough it out. When I ask them why they stay, here's what they tell me:
1) It's convenient. New Jersey pivotal location puts it close to everything -- New York, Philadelphia, the ocean, the mountains, farmland, great medical centers, shopping, recreation, historic sites, top schools and universities -- you never have to travel very far. It's all nearby.
2) My family is here. New Jerseyans are a close knit bunch, or so it seems. And many people simply want to be close to their parents, grandparents, kids and grandkids. They figure life is short and they want to spend it near the ones they love and care about.
3) My job is here. Yes, post Covid in the era of remote employment this is not as important as it once was. Still, huge numbers of people have to report to work to work everyday at offices, labs, classrooms, medical centers, warehouses, factories, stores and job sites. RWJBarnabas Health alone employs 44,000 people in New Jersey. The on site workforce is immense.
4) This is my home. The longer you stay here, the more this seems to emerge as the reason for remaining. People set down roots in a place and it becomes familiar and comforting to them. They develop a sort of natural inertia and they don't want to leave.
5) The food. I'm not a foodie, so this is a bit of a stretch for me. But you wouldn't believe the number of people who have told me the food is the reason why they stay here. Beyond Jersey tomatoes, sweet corn, blueberries and all those other seasonal goodies, people rave about the tomato pie, pork roll, disco fries and a panoply of boardwalk, diner and roadside stand goodies. Go figure!
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