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.
Good, now we're getting somewhere. Tell a person from the bay area or NYC to move to Amarillo (which I think is a nice town).
Amarillo is just a very isolated city in the High Plains and the surrounding landscape is pretty bleek. (I am sure it is a prefectly nice city, though).
Amarillo is just a very isolated city in the High Plains and the surrounding landscape is pretty bleek. (I am sure it is a prefectly nice city, though).
The point is it has the 7th lowest unemployment rate in the country when other areas have unemployment nearly 3x that rate.
1 Iowa City, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area 3.2
2 Ames, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area 3.6
2 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area 3.6
Have you ever seen a story in the NY Times, The Washington Post, LA Times, Chicago whatever paper is still standing, the Boston Globe or heard a national TV news personality speak of any of these places? Ever?
The American public is a victim of distorted elitist media coverage. I'm guessing there are people who work for the national news media who have never been to those places and therefore they think those places are unworthy of their attention because God forbid they'd ever have to actually go there to do a story. People aren't flocking to those places because they don't know about them/what's good about them. Omission in the National news media, in my opinion, is the biggest manifestation of bias. It's not Democrat or Republican. It's urban elitism. The problem is, most people only believe the junk they read and hear never dreaming there are other stories out there.
But do you really think a person used to New York, LA, Chicago, or Boston is going to adjust to living in such a radically different situation? Do you really think they're going to take the huge paycut even if the COL is lower? You also have to consider the types of jobs that are available.
Life's not all about getting a job and a cheap place to live. Not to everyone, it isn't.
And just because an area's unemployment rate is low doesn't mean that the quality of jobs available will justify the cost of relocation. The unemployment rate where I live is a reasonably modest 6.5% according to April numbers. But unless you've got very specific tech skills and an active security clearance, most of the open jobs you're looking at are waitstaff, retail clerk, and other service industry jobs that will pay in the $18-$30K a year range.
I know a lot of people who can make it on those kinds of wages here, but it's not easy and a person just coming into the area wouldn't know the difference between a safe and respectable working class neighborhood and the drugs and hos neighborhood at first glance.
I love when I tell people I'm from Iowa City, and they're like "Ewww, I'd die. Did that like....totally suck?" I'm like "...noooo...we had plumbing and electricity....".
Iowa City is a slept on city, for sure. It is more diverse than people think too. I thought I saw Hill Harper from CSI in one of those pictures. I know he was born and raised in Iowa City.
The American public is a victim of distorted elitist media coverage.
Good point. Iowa City and Amarillo, TX are not places that I would ever consider relocating to, even if I found myself unemployed. If it was not for the internet, how would I know those cities even existed, lol???
Good point. Iowa City and Amarillo, TX are not places that I would ever consider relocating to, even if I found myself unemployed. If it was not for the internet, how would I know those cities even existed, lol???
I would relocate to Iowa City well before even considering Amarillo. Iowa City is just in a much more desirable location and only a 2.5 hour drive to the Chicagoland area.
Iowa City is just in a much more desirable location and only a 2.5 hour drive to the Chicagoland area.
Never knew that Iowa City was that close to the Chicago area. A 2.5-3 hour drive is not bad at all for a big city experience. That makes Iowa City a little more attractive!!
Never knew that Iowa City was that close to the Chicago area. A 2.5-3 hour drive is not bad at all for a big city experience. That makes Iowa City a little more attractive!!
I don't think it is that far from St. Louis or Minneapolis either.
It's because no one is just willing to leave what they know for something they don't.
It's a choices.. either someone gets fresh start or stick with the pressure until it becomes diamonds.
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.