Who Gets to Stay? How Healthcare Costs Are Reshaping Southern Oregon's Future
Reimagine Healthcare by Noah Volz
Episode notes
Since 2019, Southern Oregon has lost 3,400 working-age residents who cited healthcare affordability as a primary reason for leaving. That's more than one person every single day for five years—people who wanted to stay but couldn't make the math work.
In this episode, host Noah Volz reveals the demographic crisis unfolding in Southern Oregon and shows exactly how healthcare costs are determining who can stay, work, and age in the region.
What You'll Learn:
The Migration Crisis: Between 2019 and 2024, Southern Oregon lost 5,280 working-age people while gaining 4,600 retirees. The result: a shrinking tax base, declining school enrollment, and a workforce shortage that's getting worse. Nearly half of people leaving cite healthcare costs as a major factor.
Who's Leaving: Young ...