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Home > About BNE > Press Room > 2007 Archive > July > Brain Drain not a problem in WNY




Brain Drain

By Joanna Pasceri
July 31, 2007   Buffalo, New York

Brain Drain, you hear about it a lot in Western New York, young professionals leaving town to find better job opportunities. But the truth is, it's not a big problem facing this region. That's according to new research being released.

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We need more people like Dr. William Boden in WNY. The Rochester native who has studied and practiced medicine all over New England has now returned to his roots as Chief of Cardiology at Buffalo General Hospital and staff member at UB's Medical School. After stints in Boston, Rhode Island and most recently, Hartford, Connecticut, Dr. Boden is glad to be back.

Dr. Boden says, "Frankly there is way more going on in Buffalo than Hartford. We've got professional sports teams, the Philharmonic, great restaurants and theater."

Dr. Boden's return to Buffalo is considered a brain gain to the region. It's something that's not happening very often here in Upstate New York.

Dr. Richard Deitz, senior economist for the Buffalo Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, has spent the last six months researching how this area stacks up when it comes to brain gain. His figures show Nevada, as the state with the highest number of people moving in. New York State, as a whole, is below average, but Upstate New York, just behind Louisiana, is dead last.

Buffalo Niagara Enterprise President and CEO Tom Kucharski is a Buffalo native, who returned home lead the city's re-birth. He says there are signs of progress everywhere. Cranes are in the air again in Downtown Buffalo, the old coming down making way for the new in the growing Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus. For the first time, Kucharski says investors are talking to him about more than just the weather here. He says the area's biggest attractions are low real estate rates, proximity to Canada and less traffic congestion.

But what about brain drain? That's college educated people leaving town to find jobs. According to Dr. Deitz's research, it isn't a big problem in our area. Alaska has the highest percentage of people leaving, and Upstate New York is just about the same as the national average, retaining more people than many other states, including Nevada, and Virginia.

Dr. Deitz is hoping his findings help policy makers focus on what's really important here... not so much young professionals leaving, but rather, a lack of people moving in.

There are still plenty of challenges. New York State has the third highest tax burden in the country, one of the highest unionization rates and power costs, but it has something that only people who experience life here really understand.

Dr. Boden says, " There's a very wonderful personal dynamic that characterizes Buffalo, making it an endearing place to live and work."