Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi has just started his second term in office. During his inauguration some weeks ago, he acknowledged the trend of youths leaving the state in droves.
However, the governor has expressed his commitment to do everything possible to reverse the outflow. According to Reeves, youths are the strength of the state and should not be allowed to leave.
Mississippi Youths are Leaving En Masse
To quote the very words of the governor, he said, “For too many decades, Mississippi’s most valuable export has not been our cotton or even our culture. It’s been our kids.”
With this statement, Gov. Reeves seems to be saying he is aware Mississippi youths are looking elsewhere for life-actualizing opportunities.
Let’s See What the Charts Say
There are several objective metrics whereby the US monitors the quality of life in each state. The US News and World Report look at stats like employment opportunities, economy, infrastructure, crime, etc.
However, recurrent reviews have ranked Mississippi in the bottom rungs of states with the potential for a youthful population. Of all states in the US, Mississippi ranks 48 overall.
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A State Struggling to Get By
When we pan in on specific metrics, it is evident that Mississippi youths have enough excuse to flee. For example, the state’s GDP stands at $139 billion, a meager 0.5% of the total GDP of the US economy.
For those who think $139 billion is much for a state, it would probably come as a surprise that that figure ranks Mississippi 49th in the economic category.
How Good is Your Math?
Mississippi is not exceptional in education either. The state throttles in at 41 on the list of states’ performances in education.
Several educational parameters score Mississippi low, even lower than the national average in some instances. For example, the average student in Mississippi graduates with a debt of $29,741, which is obviously higher than the national average.
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Unstable Finances, Easy Wreck
The News and World Report also ranks Mississippi poorly on the financial stability metric. This particular metric is an indication of how predictable the financial future of residents is.
For short-term financial stability, the state ranks 28th and does far worse in the long term, coming in at 41st. The inability to predict the financial future is yet another potential reason for the mass exodus of youths.
The Power’s Out Again!
In the fast-paced Internet world, career analysts claim anyone can do great things with just a laptop and a good Internet connection. Interestingly, the Musk brothers started their career with a similar playbook during the dot-com boom.
However, poor infrastructure is one of the lapses of Mississippi. The state struggles to provide adequate transport, affordable energy, and broadband internet connectivity.
There’s a Silver Lining
Interestingly, it is not all-red for Mississippi. Despite the US News and World Report ranking the state as 49th on the economic opportunity list, there is a place where it comes in first, and no, it’s not a crime.
Mississippi is the most affordable state in the US to live in. With roughly $2,300, a single adult will comfortably get by in an entire month. This amount applies to the cost of basic necessities like housing, gas, food, etc.
We Can Bring Them Home
These are some of the things Gov. Reeves is looking to improve upon during his second term. He told listeners that Mississippi is experiencing a notable brain drain during his inauguration address. Youths are leaving as soon as they graduate.
Reeves also noted that this population loss in Mississippi is paying great dividends to other states. According to him, Mississippi residents are doing great exploits in other states, making headway in business, politics, entertainment, etc.
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