Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm from Florida, but living in Pittsburgh currently for grad school. The area does have some positive aspects, but through my filter they are far outweighed by the negatives, which are principally:
1. WEATHER: Can't state that strongly enough. Even in late August the nights here were a tad frigid by my standards, and I have been physically uncomfortable with the temperatures here since the end of September.
2. Lack of diversity. Smacks you in the face when you come from living in a minority-majority county to living in a place where Hispanics and African-Americans collectively are less than 15% of the population. Also a very tiny LGBT population.
3. Nothing to do. For a 20-something, absolutely abysmal nightlife.
4. The small-town mentality. Since most people who are here have been here their entire lives - along with 20 generations of family before them - the "Pittsburgh is all there is" mentality can be a bit much to deal with at times.
The Rust Belt economy doesn't help, either, but irrelevant to me since I have absolutely no plans to start my career here.
So yea...can't wait to leave!! I had never known what it was like to truly dislike a place until I moved here...
i think if people have been here for any real period of time then thats all i need to say but for those who haven't heres a list
ghetto
hood mentality
boring but thats probably b/c i've been here forever
corrupt government
low pay i make 10/hr and know 40+ yr old people who thinks thats not bad
cost of living here is cheap real cheap if you don't mind war zone like areas
i think if people have been here for any real period of time then thats all i need to say but for those who haven't heres a list
ghetto
hood mentality
boring but thats probably b/c i've been here forever
corrupt government
low pay i make 10/hr and know 40+ yr old people who thinks thats not bad
cost of living here is cheap real cheap if you don't mind war zone like areas
That's pretty good pay for the south! When I was in VA in the 90s they were paying $6.50,$8 max. I also know people in KY who think those low amounts are good. Btw PA isn't much better.
Also good point about people who have lived somewhere for a period of time versus just passing through and passing judgment just on that.
more for Long Island:
- pretty boring (for me, i'm dying on weekends)
- mostly old looking houses compared to the south and the west
- pretty much self segregated.
I voted weather. Massachusetts is too cold. People say we have 4 seasons, but they are not divided equally. Winter is by far the longest. If I live somewhere with 4 seasons, I want it to be the other way around.
I'm from Florida, but living in Pittsburgh currently for grad school. The area does have some positive aspects, but through my filter they are far outweighed by the negatives, which are principally:
1. WEATHER: Can't state that strongly enough. Even in late August the nights here were a tad frigid by my standards, and I have been physically uncomfortable with the temperatures here since the end of September.
2. Lack of diversity. Smacks you in the face when you come from living in a minority-majority county to living in a place where Hispanics and African-Americans collectively are less than 15% of the population. Also a very tiny LGBT population.
3. Nothing to do. For a 20-something, absolutely abysmal nightlife.
4. The small-town mentality. Since most people who are here have been here their entire lives - along with 20 generations of family before them - the "Pittsburgh is all there is" mentality can be a bit much to deal with at times.
The Rust Belt economy doesn't help, either, but irrelevant to me since I have absolutely no plans to start my career here.
So yea...can't wait to leave!! I had never known what it was like to truly dislike a place until I moved here...
I enjoy reading your insightful posts. I am currently exploring the opportunities of moving to Florida, minimally on a part-time basis, but it is my Pittsburgh roots that are holding me back. The negatives that you sight for this region are some of the positives for me. Some things I think, I think (a line taken from a disgraced Pittsburgh writer....
* Interesting that you are in Pittsburgh for grad school. It certainly has nothing to do with the climate. Could it be for the quality of the universities surrounding "da Burgh"?
** When I was down in Florida in August, the temperatures in Orlando were in the 90's (close to 100% humidity) at 10:00 at night. I can see why the 50's & 60's at night might not be what you are used to.
*** Because of the universities, one would expect a better nightlife. The aging population might have something to do with it, but I believe that another issue may be more prevalent. Simply, the Pittsburgh region overall is very strict with enforcing liquor laws (especially in/around the universities) for both underage drinking and DUI. The cost of being busted have a long and impacting effect. For many college students and many young workers, the costs are not worth the risks.
**** Granted, there is not too much of an Hispanic diversity in this region. The Hispanic population is virtually nil, and what limited numbers there are speak English. There are few illegals, as well. Is that truly a deficit or a benefit of the area?
***** I often ask myself, why do I want to stay in an area when the grass is definitely greener in another area in February? Part of Pittsburgh is the history. It is a blue collar town that is slowly transforming itself into the 21st century. There is a sense of cohesiveness that you site as a deficit, that I view as a jewel. The hospitals, the libraries, the museums, the stadiums, the architecture, the schools, the neighborhoods, the communities, the parks are all topnotch that you may not yet experienced. Pittsburgh has lost many of its "rust belt" good paying jobs (that Florida never had), but it has still been relatively resilient with the national economy. On the other hand, I look at the winter climate of Florida with envy, but I immediately recognize that the citizens of the state of Florida are in much worse financial and cultural straits than we are in Pittsburgh.
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
4,084 posts, read 12,679,286 times
Reputation: 1974
Overdevelopment, zero sense of historical preservation, and lack of solid urban planning/zoning. It's what's pushing me to leave. Although I like the city for its positives, I'm skeptical it will ever overcome these negatives in my lifetime. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24818628/ Crap like this happens all the time and hardly anyone blinks an eye.
Location: from houstoner to bostoner to new yorker to new jerseyite ;)
4,084 posts, read 12,679,286 times
Reputation: 1974
I just read through the thread and thought I'd add a few more gripes. Isolation from other major cities of interest, lack of public transit, the heat and humidity that lasts for half the year (granted the other six months make up for it), the NIMBYs who block progress, and the lack of options for people who want to live a more urban lifestyle, while there's no shortage whatsoever of suburban options.
I'm from Florida, but living in Pittsburgh currently for grad school. The area does have some positive aspects, but through my filter they are far outweighed by the negatives, which are principally:
1. WEATHER: Can't state that strongly enough. Even in late August the nights here were a tad frigid by my standards, and I have been physically uncomfortable with the temperatures here since the end of September.
2. Lack of diversity. Smacks you in the face when you come from living in a minority-majority county to living in a place where Hispanics and African-Americans collectively are less than 15% of the population. Also a very tiny LGBT population.
3. Nothing to do. For a 20-something, absolutely abysmal nightlife.
4. The small-town mentality. Since most people who are here have been here their entire lives - along with 20 generations of family before them - the "Pittsburgh is all there is" mentality can be a bit much to deal with at times.
The Rust Belt economy doesn't help, either, but irrelevant to me since I have absolutely no plans to start my career here.
So yea...can't wait to leave!! I had never known what it was like to truly dislike a place until I moved here...
I actually love the weather up here, I always hated the stifling heat in FL. I also think there is plenty to do in Pittsburgh, but I'm in my mid 30's, so I'm not any longer interested in the bar and club scene.
However I agree completely with your #2 and #4 points. Pittsburghers are the most sheltered people I've ever met. They've never been anywhere else, so they have nothing to compare this city to, so they complain about the most ridiculous things. And for city with such a "tough" reputation, I was surprised at how much the people do NOT live up to that reputation. Anything a few miles out of their neighborhood is "far", people actually think Pittsburgh summers are "too hot and humid", any place with a person of color is a "bad area"...I could go on. Just 2 weekends ago, I had plans to go to a movie with a friend but he backed out because it was "too cold." Too cold for a movie? C'mon, grow a pair, "tough" guy! And yes, some diversity would do this area good. Maybe these people could open their minds a bit if they met other people different than themselves and learned about other cultures. But just explaining to them sometimes about what life was like in FL, they look at me with a deer in the headlights look, so who knows, it might be a lost cause.
Ok, rant over, lol. I really DON'T dislike all the people here, I made some good friends, and the locals can be very warm and friendly. I think the city is totally unique and quite beautiful, with it's architecture, hills, rivers, bridges and wonderful parks and trails. Some parts almost have a European feel to it. And I work in healthcare, which is thriving in this area, so this is actually a great city for me to be in during this recession, and the cost of living is quite low. But I just wish the people would be more open-minded and less "hillbilly."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
memphis
