Big-US-Cities-Boom-as-Young-Adults-Shun-Suburbs (Cincinnati, Dayton, Hamilton: real estate market, school districts, income)

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by Ohioan58

No, really ... Here's how I see urban vs. rural living:.....

First off, I enjoyed your post. I appreciate the time it takes to write a lengthy response and put it out there.

Basically ( and correct me where needed), for you, living in the city is something more suited to young people and once someone gets older they will prefer living in the suburbs.

I disagree. There are many, many, many elderly people living in cities all across America. I would conjecture that out migration of older people comes back to moving from a colder to a warmer climate. Or moving from a high cost of living area to a lower one. However, the older someone gets the less likely they are to move. Perhaps my grandmother is a prime example of this. She has lived in the city most of her life and has been at the same residence for around 60 years or so.

I will say that I have seen people from smaller towns consider urban living more of a youthful phase. So, it's not that your perspective is in error. I think it fits your lifestyle and you are happy.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by rrtechno

I wish everyone could have civil, respectful comments.

Amen to that. I have tried very hard to quit arguing around here and not let my buttons get push by antagonistic posters.

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by rrtechno

I wish everyone could have civil, respectful comments.

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

I will say that I have seen people from smaller towns consider urban living more of a youthful phase. So, it's not that your perspective is in error. I think it fits your lifestyle and you are happy.

I appreciate it.

I think I was putting undue emphasis on the age factors. What you said above is exactly what I really meant. My mother was a born and bred Daytonian and when we'd take a drive through some nearby town like Spring Valley she'd remark that it seemed extremely sterile, lacking people, and boring. So there's an example of an elderly small city person who doesn't want anything to do with rural life.

What I meant about age is the factor of difficult mobility, as well as preferring open space and solitude to diversity and density. Let's say Kjbrill and his wife use Rascal scooters to go everywhere. Cities aren't normally designed for that. And the city is noisy, and random.

I do think it's true that it requires more energy to live in a big city. You walk more, and you strategize more about getting from point A to point B. It's a more demanding environment in some ways.

One definition of life itself is movement. You have to exert more personal energy living in a city. Suburbs are kind of dead in some metaphoric and quite real non-metaphoric ways.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

There are at least two inner ring suburbs that you can't even notice you are no longer in Cincinnati, only to be in Cincinnati again a few miles down the street. Most of them are doing just fine. From my perspective, any community that is doing well is a benefit to the Cincinnati metro.

I hope that Radio man is correct in his speculation about the inner ring suburbs. I live in one, spend a lot of time traveling around many others, and would say that most of them are facing serious problems. As for the ones within the Cincinnati city limits, I think the city is cutting resources to groups like the community councils at their long-term economic and cultural peril. Yes, what's happening in the core in terms of revitalization is very positive and encouraging, but a core surrounded by slums is not likely to succeed. A small amount of dollars can go a long way in the inner ring, but not in the high-visibility manner so beloved of politicians. Too bad.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

but a core surrounded by slums is not likely to succeed.

Not to get off topic as this post would take us, but downtown is hardly surrounded by slums.

[nei]

Originally Posted by JR_C

I just visited salary.com and looked at the average salary for my job in both Youngstown, and NYC. (don't know if that's the best source for this kind of comparison, or not) I could expect a 20% increase in my income, if I found an equivalent job in NYC. I don't think I could find a 900 s.f. 3 bedroom dwelling for $780/mo. in NYC. While that may seem extreme, I did the same thing for Chicago, with similar results.

Ohio prices are unimaginable to New Yorkers or New Englanders. Some older industrial cities in Western MA (Springfield & Holyoke) have houses selling for around 100k, but in the larger metro areas not really. In the healthier western MA towns (including where I live), houses start around 200k, maybe a little less.

A 3 bedroom for $780 / month in NYC?! You'd have trouble finding a 1 bedroom apartment below that price, ghetto or suburb. A good Long Island Cape Cod (or one in the outer sections of NYC) are usually around $300k, sometimes higher depending on the neighborhood.

For the same job, big expensive cities come out badly. The difference is that there are far more high paying jobs. My friend living in Brooklyn with a good programming job doesn't care he has to shell out an extra $6000 in rent, he cares he can get the good paying job that he wants that's also good career-wise. He was from small town Pennsylvania, no jobs there for what he does. My mother has a job that pays a decent salary in Manhattan, a similar job probably won't exist in Cinncinati (just guessing), it doesn't really matter that houses are a third to half the price.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

Not to get off topic as this post would take us, but downtown is hardly surrounded by slums.

I think what Sarah's saying is that Cincinnati has to pay attention to all its neighborhoods, not just downtown, Over-the-Rhine, and a few other places. Correct me if I'm wrong, please, Sarah.

I'd agree, if the city is indeed cutting its support of the community councils, that it's a huge mistake.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I think what Sarah's saying is that Cincinnati has to pay attention to all its neighborhoods, not just downtown, Over-the-Rhine, and a few other places. Correct me if I'm wrong, please, Sarah.

It depends what one means by "pay attention to." There simply isn't the money to promote development in all the neighborhoods. It would waste what relatively little money there is.

[progmac]

Originally Posted by nei

Ohio prices are unimaginable to New Yorkers or New Englanders. Some older industrial cities in Western MA (Springfield & Holyoke) have houses selling for around 100k, but in the larger metro areas not really. In the healthier western MA towns (including where I live), houses start around 200k, maybe a little less.

Cincinnati housing isn't the 'great bargain' I expected when I moved here. It is similar in cost to the Denver area, when one considers quality of neighborhood and taxes. I imagine it is half of Boston. A well-kept 3BR house in a nice city neighborhood ranges from about $200k up to over $400k and beyond. There are plenty of places where you can pay over $750k for a 3BR condo. Property taxes are very high. Although probably comparable to the northeast. The tax is usually about twice the home value minus a few zeros (for example, the taxes on a $200k property are about $4k a year) You can find a 3BR in certain neighborhoods for less than the price of a car, though. That is fairly unique.

EDIT: okay, I just looked up the boston area. Prices are 2.5-3x what I mention above. You could maybe get a 1BR for the price I mention for 3BRs here in Cinti.