Posted by:
OnceMore
(
)
Date: November 03, 2010 02:16PM
The Mormon Times seldom publishes anything without the knowledge/approval of the church leaders, so it's likely that this article that recommends Alaska is also a veiled attempt to create more mormon communities in places where they think they can also control the political and business arenas.
The article does specify that these are the best places to raise an LDS family "outside of Utah." Utah is still number one.
Excerpts from The Mormon Times article:
http://www.mormontimes.com/article/18106/Places-with-best-economic-environment-for-LDS-families :
After crunching the numbers, we sorted the list of 361 metropolitan areas from most conducive to LDS families to least. So, if economic environment is your top priority when selecting a place to raise your family, here's our top 10 list, with some commentary on how they made it to the top:
1. Fairbanks, Alaska: With nearly 60 percent of the population earning $75,000 or more, residents enjoy among the highest incomes in the nation. Despite the higher cost of living, Fairbanks has an unemployment rate much lower than the national rate at 6.3 percent.
2. Anchorage, Alaska: Like their Fairbanks neighbors, residents of Anchorage enjoy high incomes with more than 56 percent have family incomes topping $75,000. Unemployment is only slight worse than that of Fairbanks at 6.8 percent. Combined with the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend payments each year (slated to be more than $1,200 per person in 2010) and no state income tax and no state sales tax, LDS families in Anchorage and Fairbanks enjoy an additional benefit.
3. Bend, Ore.: Although Bend is currently experiencing high unemployment, the rate of families in poverty is well below the national average at 6.7 percent. With no state sales tax and with a fairly simple income tax, Bend and other communities throughout Oregon are welcome places for LDS families.
4. Eugene, Ore.: With low child poverty rates and favorable state tax policies, Eugene is still struggling with a 10.5 percent unemployment rate. However, its decline in unemployment over the past 18 months has given Eugene some bonus points, bringing it into fourth place in our rankings.
5. Elmira, N.Y.: Elmira's unemployment rate is nearly two percentage points higher than the national average at 7.8 percent as of August 2010. Combined with a low state sales tax rate of 4 percent and high sales tax on tobacco and alcohol, Elmira presents a good economic environment.
6. Boulder, Colo.: Boasting a consistently low unemployment rate, which is currently only 6.4 percent, Boulder is faring relatively well in these difficult economic times. With only 1.6 percent of families headed by single mothers living in poverty (compared to 5 percent nationally), this is one community you can bank on for good economic opportunities.
7. Corvallis, Ore.: The third Oregon metro area to be in our list of Top 10 communities is Corvallis. It has a current unemployment rate of 7.3 percent. Low poverty rates, combined with the fact that nearly 50 percent of families are earning $75,000 or more, seal the deal for Corvallis to be in our list.
8. Fort Collins, Colo.: Like Boulder, Fort Collins has a low unemployment rate at 6.5 percent. Almost 48 percent of families earn $75,000 or more and only 2.4 percent of single-mother-headed families are in poverty — less than half the national rate.
9. State College, Pa.: State College's 6.6 percent unemployment rate, which has dropped two percentage points in the last six months, is well below the national rate. A simple state income tax structure, although not allowing personal deductions at the state level, gives this town extra points. However, the state's high gasoline tax, at 32.3 cents per gallon, prevents State College from being ranked higher on our list.
10. Sheboygan, Wis.: Just making it into the Top 10 list, this metro area on the shores of Lake Michigan has a decent unemployment rate of 7.7 percent. Less than 1 percent of married couples with children are living in poverty, and high state taxes on tobacco and alcohol help put Sheboygan at No. 10.