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Just a thought but if it is truly that great of a city why has Pittsburgh lost so many people has of late. Why recommend a place that cant even hold on to its current residents???
Just a thought but if it is truly that great of a city why has Pittsburgh lost so many people has of late. Why recommend a place that cant even hold on to its current residents???
What does population loss have to do with quality-of-life? Newark, NJ is growing in terms of population; is that place utopian? Far from it. Scranton has a great quality-of-life with history oozing from its pores, yet it has declined in population for decades. Climate has a lot to do with the current stagnation of many Northern cities and states. Folks are leaving MI, PA, OH, NY, NJ, WI, and various other states en masse in large part because they want to soak up the sun (and melanoma, but I digress) in Sunbelt cities with 340 days of sunshine per year. We've already had a foot of snow here this season, and winter hasn't even officially begun yet. While I love the stuff, my neighbors all grumble like Dick Cheney about it while dreaming of winter homes down South.
The Northeast and Midwest were booming in the first half of the 20th Century because this is where all of the commerce and prosperity was. Now that various financial meccas like Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonia, etc. are popping up in the Sunbelt, folks realize they can have the same quality-of-life and employment options in these cities with the added bonus of a lower cost-of-living and sunnier weather. Of course they're going to flock there. At some point these more arid areas will run out of water, and folks in the Northeast and Midwest will (hopefully) deny them access to our drinking water, which will force these folks to start retreating back North. However, I don't foresee this happening for perhaps another 50 years given current growth trends (if Al Gore is right NYC will probably be underwater by then anyways, as will New Orleans and FL).
One of my grown children lives in Pittsburgh, and I thought for about a year or more of living there as well.
It's loss of population in no way makes it a less attractive place to live, and in some ways increased my interest in it: easier to move around; easier to get tickets to a show, etc.
But to answer your question: a few facts contribute to the diminished population: aging, and loss through death; a shortage of good paying jobs, and others that I am less able to articulate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryneone
Just a thought but if it is truly that great of a city why has Pittsburgh lost so many people has of late. Why recommend a place that cant even hold on to its current residents???
One of my grown children lives in Pittsburgh, and I thought for about a year or more of living there as well.
It's loss of population in no way makes it a less attractive place to live, and in some ways increased my interest in it: easier to move around; easier to get tickets to a show, etc.
But to answer your question: a few facts contribute to the diminished population: aging, and loss through death; a shortage of good paying jobs, and others that I am less able to articulate.
I agree with the above. Plus, the main problems with the loss of population (IMO) are school closures, less tax base to provide services and the like.
I would choose Pittsburgh, simply because it has the best climate IMO. Has four very distinct seasons, has a nice downtown area, and I disagree about people saying it is more Northeastern than Midwestern. Pittsburgh when I was there reminded me a lot of St. Louis and also of Cleveland. I have always taken a liking to the Midwest...I don't know why, something about its cities being rich in history and culture and also their gothic churches and interesting architecture. Louisville to me didn't seem to have the bigness and fullness that Pittsburgh has, although its climate too is four distinct seasons and it has a rich culture. San Antonio I've never been to..closest I've been to it is about 81 miles to the north on US Highway 281. I think all three cities are nice...I guess I'd choose Pittsburgh because it feels the most to me like where I live now.
I would choose Pittsburgh, simply because it has the best climate IMO. Has four very distinct seasons, has a nice downtown area, and I disagree about people saying it is more Northeastern than Midwestern. Pittsburgh when I was there reminded me a lot of St. Louis and also of Cleveland. I have always taken a liking to the Midwest...I don't know why, something about its cities being rich in history and culture and also their gothic churches and interesting architecture. Louisville to me didn't seem to have the bigness and fullness that Pittsburgh has, although its climate too is four distinct seasons and it has a rich culture. San Antonio I've never been to..closest I've been to it is about 81 miles to the north on US Highway 281. I think all three cities are nice...I guess I'd choose Pittsburgh because it feels the most to me like where I live now.
I can see why it would remind you of St. Louis ajf, it's on three rivers and St. L. is on one. The issue of whether it is midwest or east is debated a lot; most people feel it is east. It's sort of like your feelings about Missouri being midwest or south. Pennsylvania is an eastern state. A city in PA is therefore eastern. I grew up in that area, about 15 miles from Ohio, and we considered ourselves Pennsylvanians, though we never thought much about east vs midwest. I think most of us would have said 'east' if we were asked where Pennsylvania, and thus the Pittsburgh area, was located in the scheme of things. I can tell you the people in the midwest think it's east. The economy is a negative factor, for sure.
I grew up in a Pgh. suburb three decades ago. I go back to visit family, and always take time to head downtown. The downtown scene is actually quite vibrant if you take the time to get out. There are lots of unique little areas & neighborhoods like the South Side, Strip District, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, etc. The burbs are generally nice too, although I would say very much the family scene - stick to areas close to downtown.
It's true that Pgh. is losing population, and I'm not sure why. It was just rated the most liveable city in 2007. But then, Pgh. has always been an enigma in this way. It's where the east coast neets the midwest, where industry meets agriculture. It's an incredible mixing pot of eastern/central europeans, with a whole lot of other ethnic groups thrown in. The type of person Pgh. produces is unique - people like Andy Warhol, or musical groups like Rusted Root.
One downside, and part of the reason people leave, is the weather. Pgh. has a sunshine deficit compared to many other places. The upside to that is it keep the city cooler in the summertime. It's a city where you can be more comfortable in the summer, even with some humidity.
My #1 recommendation is Pittsburgh. If you need better weather I would recommend Louisville. I've only been to San Antonio once so I can't really say. At the time though, it just seemed like a sad, little town with a cute canal running through it.
Pittsburgh. It feels like the biggest city and has the best natural beauty. Only downside is the economy, but I have heard that it is getting better.
How could you say such a thing? Lol. I still say San Antonio.
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We've already had a foot of snow here this season, and winter hasn't even officially begun yet. While I love the stuff, my neighbors all grumble like Dick Cheney about it while dreaming of winter homes down South. 
Pgh: Most Liveable City 2007
