How Bad Is The Economy In Your Local Area?

About as bad as it has ever been, massive mill cutbacks and closures, flat real estate sales, mass exodus of residents, dying communities, doom and gloom everywhere, insurrection on the uprise.

It is flat. Unemployment,, when you factor in the people who have exhausted their benefits as well as those who are still receiving benefits, is twenty percent in South Carolina. I hear many people have already exhausted their initial  benefits and are now drawing extended benefits. Much of the employment in this area is related to tourism and home construction. The reason home construction is so big in Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island is because many well off northerners and others sell out up north and elsewhere and move here where the cost of living is much less than where they came from. I have talked to some sub contractors in the housing industry and they say that they are barely getting by.To make matters worse most of the work that is available in home construction is not going to American citizens but  to aliens (both legal and illegal legal) who are willing to bid as low as they have to in order to get the job.. This causes the Americans who would normally be filling these jobs to stay on unemployment longer.  Aliens obviously do not quality for unemployment benefits, which in a way forces them to bid lower. Obviously when money gets tight people go on less vacations, eat out less, and are reluctant to purchase luxury items.

Well, the economy is thriving here. Fortunately, we have seen nothing except a few houses staying on the market longer than a normal time frame. I think maybe the young kids are having trouble finding a job that is NOT restaurant work. We have one of the largest growing zip codes and although building has slowed, we have seen a major upsurge in apt buildings. It has not affected my pocketbook at all and I wish I could say the same for my friends in Nevada and Calif. I know many people who have lost their jobs after giving their life to a company...30 yrs later. Very sad!!

Not good, loss of jobs due to mills closing down in our area.

Well, the un-employment rate is about 29%

Our area has not been hit nearly as hard as some other parts of the U.S.  Our jobs were more diversified in this area.  We are not just a mill town or oil town or an area that is almost fully a semi-conductor area.  Still when a job loss does occur it is difficult or impossible to get another one in a timely manner.  Our neighborhood of approx 400 homes has only 1 foreclosure sign up and 1 for sale sign.   We are a steady neighborhood but it is taking much longer for a house to sell on the market than it has in the past.  Everyone seems to be much more conscious of the amount of money we are spending...eating out less, staying closer to home for vacations (or not taking them at all), delaying any home improvements or remodeling, holding off on major expenditures (cars, new furniture)etc.  The children going off to college is a major strain on the budget since often the savings have been at least partially depleted to sustain the family who has one parent that has lost a job.  So, although we are not hurting as much as some in our nation, the economy is definitely thought about and talked about and planned around.  Our city and our state are lucky that we have a large segment of varying jobs available.  However, our cities are having trouble meeting their budgets, cuts in street repair, cutting jobs in non-essential areas are under way, the future is not looking bright and shinny.

About the same as everywhere else,companies have moved out,stores shut down,homes foreclosed,no jobs. And most of this was even before 9/11 or the berney made off with the money fiasco.most of it is because our local government refused to bring business into the area by giving them tax exemptions so they go to other states that will.but in the mean time these same officials are still drawing paychecks and bonuses and taking trips to hawaii to discuss what they are not doing in their positions as local officials. It's kind of funny/strange how the cycle goes round and round.while the neighborhoods are going down the toilet .now our genius officials are trying to bring gambling into the area so they can get the tax money. While throwing the taxpayers in that area under the school bus while lining their pockets with basically kick backs from the deal. In other words they have business interests in the area that brings them business.i could go on but we all know the stories.but never the less property taxes keep rising and cost's for all necessary goods.even though they(the local government) claim to be helping people to keep their homes. It's what do they call that a oxy-morons thinking.i'll quit now before i say something they already know.doh!

I guess as bad here as everywhere else. Personally I'm in great shape.

It's fair to poor, with high unemployment, housing foreclosures, and job losses. Hubby's company seems to be ok, but Sonny was recently laid off, and my grandson foolishly quit his job, so our personal income is getting tight.