People Continue to Move Farther Outward in Louisville Region

During the past decade, thousands of Louisville residents have left behind the urban core for bigger homes in surrounding counties. They take with them their higher salaries, and the people who replace them typically make much less, according to a Courier-Journal analysis of Internal Revenue Service data.

Since 1992, Jefferson County has recorded a net loss of more than $600 million in personal income to neighboring counties, including $66million last year, according to IRS data compiled from tax returns.

The average household income during 2001 and 2002 for residents leaving Jefferson County was $31,000, compared with $24,000 for those moving in.

Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson and city boosters said those leaving Jefferson County still work here, and the county has maintained 80 percent of the region's workforce.

My question is this: How long will the jobs remain in the urban core if the skilled and high-talent workers continue to move outward? Answer: Not for long. The jobs will follow the people!

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