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Die hard Scranton fan, metropolitan area, good intellectual vibe, reasonable cost of living, four season climate, liberal atmosphere, urban pioneer, row home fixer upper, pedestrian friendly
View Poll Results: Where Should the Overstressed, Depressed, Fashion-Obsessed, Dorky Guy Move?
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
7
12.73%
Chicago, IL
8
14.55%
Madison, WI
3
5.45%
Rochester, MN
0
0%
Ann Arbor, MI
5
9.09%
Traverse City, MI
2
3.64%
Columbus, OH
4
7.27%
Pittsburgh, PA
6
10.91%
Philadelphia, PA
3
5.45%
New York City, NY
11
20.00%
Boston, MA
5
9.09%
Annapolis, MD
1
1.82%
Baltimore, MD
2
3.64%
Charlottesville, VA
1
1.82%
Burlington, VT
3
5.45%
Northampton, MA
2
3.64%
Pittsfield, MA
1
1.82%
Boston, MA
8
14.55%
Hartford, CT
2
3.64%
Providence, RI
6
10.91%
Portland, ME
3
5.45%
Nashua, NH
1
1.82%
Concord, NH
0
0%
Manchester, NH
2
3.64%
Newburyport, MA
0
0%
Harrisburg, PA
0
0%
State College, PA
0
0%
Syracuse, NY
1
1.82%
Stay in Scranton, PA
5
9.09%
Other (Please Specify Below)
4
7.27%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 55. You may not vote on this poll
I guess if I were in your shoes I would stay in Scranton.
Even though it might not be a progressive area overall, Scranton seems to have alot of advantages low cost of housing and close to proximity to tons of major metropolitan areas.
If your depressed about the situation is there any way that you could maybe set-aside two days out of the month where you go to a big city with those interesting urban neighborhoods that are full of character and just spend those two days a month enjoying that big city vibe.
Are you really going to enjoy the arts, bookstores and coffeehouses every single day? With-in just a couple of hours of where you live you have many cities that have world-class arts and urban amenities and on top of that rents in Scranton are what maybe 1/2-1/3 of what they are in the middle of a large city.
Do you really need to have an urban vibe everyday? Alot of those cities on your list more then likely you would probubly have the same routine you do in Scranton without the proximity to major metropolitan areas.
Rochester, Minnesota I noticed is on that list. Instead of having NYC and Philadelphia a few hours away it would be Minneapolis. While the Twin Cities are rather artsy and "hip" when ever I have been in Minneapolis it tends to be a fairly quiet, slow-paced city overall that for the most part goes to sleep by 10-11pm most days and doesnt have nearly the extent of urban energy you have with-in a few hours of you now.
It seems like a nice place even though it might not be the most progressive it is an affordable metropolitan areas with-in a few hours of NYC and not to far from Boston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
With Scranton its a smaller, affordable and seems like a decent quality of life area albeit not the most progressive place but its so close to all those big cities just hours away.
With the increase in rent will you even be able to enjoy the amenities as often in the expensive North-Eastern major cities then if you just stayed where its affordable and then every couple weeks go to a big city just for the day and condense all of that urban fun into one or two days a month?
I dont know if I were in your shoes I would stay in Scranton.
It seems like a nice place even though it might not be the most progressive it is an affordable metropolitan areas with-in a few hours of NYC and not to far from Boston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
With Scranton its a smaller, affordable and seems like a decent quality of life area albeit not the most progressive place but its so close to all those big cities just hours away.
With the increase in rent will you even be able to enjoy the amenities as often in the expensive North-Eastern major cities then if you just stayed where its affordable and then every couple weeks go to a big city just for the day and condense all of that urban fun into one or two days a month?
Very valid points, and I've been considering these as well. As forum member Christina0001 just told me in a PM, out of the 100 largest housing markets in the nation, CNN/Money Magazine recently ranked Scranton as being the fourth-hottest for real estate gains. Our housing prices are expected to continue to rise at around 4.0% annually, which puts us just behind three Sunbelt cities (El Paso, Tulsa, and McAllen), and just ahead of Rochester, NY. At a time when most nearby markets have been experiencing a bursting bubble, people in those areas may soon consider Scranton as a potential investment, which could be a blessing in disguise for us---more people means more opportunities for culture and diversity, but it also means higher housing prices and the threat of us forming our own bubble in the upcoming years.
I think you would really like Boston. Unfortunately, none of the places you listed (in the Northeast or Midwest) are ever going to be up and coming. I am from New England but I am convinced that the South and West are the future of the country and the North will just become a very cold, lilly white retirement community (outside of Manhattan island, which will always be the "center" of the universe).
Yeah, just move to Boston. The cost of living is going down because only the hardcore residents want to stay there
Pittsburgh would be worth a visit, imo, to see how the city measures up or fails to meet your criteria. And, I'd add Friendship, some parts of East Liberty, Regents Square, and perhaps the South Side to check out.
Sounds like you were in a difficult area and perhaps during a weekday or Friday night rush hour when you visited Providence. I lived in town, and down South, on and off for many years, and I rarely experienced too much traffic except at the I-95/I-195 connector, and occasionally getting off I-95 into South County. But congestion may have seriously increased since I left (1995).
Northampton is the smallest of the 3 I put on my list, but for my money (and it is probably the most expensive of the 3) it has more intellectual stimulation that either Providence (where I both lived and worked) or Pittsburgh (where I am a frequent visitor).
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
Thanks for the insight! Out of those three, I've only been to Pittsburgh and Providence (twice to each city), and I added Northampton to the list for hearing so many great things about it from so many people. Pittsburgh beckons to me in so many ways. After checking out "Pop City" this morning by accident, I'm much, much more interested in seeing what the Steel City may have to offer to me, especially the Lawrenceville, Squirrel Hill, and Shadyside neighborhoods. Providence was wonderful to visit as well, but I hear nothing but bad things about its traffic congestion (which we were trapped in incessantly), and cost-of-living (which we could see was through the roof). Pittsburgh has quickly-risen to being among my top contenders right now.
I definitely think a move is in order, at least for a bit. You can always come back to Scranton, but I think it will do wonders for depression and feelings of alienation to live at least for a bit in a place where someone like you is more accepted. Give it a try for a year and then see what you think.
My votes would be for Minneapolis, Burlington and New York City, although I think all of your choices are good. Considering the somewhat lucrative field you plan to enter into, I would recommend finding a nice little neighborhood in Brooklyn, with an open-minded diverse population, where you can walk down quaint residential neighborhood streets and then shop on the main roads filled with people, giving yourself a nice neighborhood vibe, all the while being only a quick subway ride away from one of the most invigorating cities on Earth. Burlington has all that you want, but it's just a fairly small city and jobs aren't the easiest to come by. In terms of the vibe though and the amenities the city has, it's terrific. Minneapolis is a good pick as well, but it's not quite as lively and high-density as you may like for a large city.
I voted other, I think Asheville North Carolina would good for you based on what you said you like on want. They do have four beautiful seasons. And I didn't pick it just because I love it, I really think it is a place for you to think about. Also maybe Knoxville Tenn. Have you though about those areas?
Well, just reading your headline and the choices...I thought...why is he not considering the west coast?
But since you insist....I would go with Chicago, based on your preferences. Its not cheap, but its not that expensive either.
Basically even though my parents and I have quarelled quite a bit in the past, I still want to be somewhat near them should an emergency occur. Most of my extended family actually lives in Southern California (Hemet, Huntington Beach, and Los Angeles), but all of my immediate family lives here within ten miles of Scranton.
Chicago is definitely calling my name for a visit, but I'm not sure I'd relocate there. I suppose if the right job opportunity came knocking I'd be packing, but you never know.
I voted other, I think Asheville North Carolina would good for you based on what you said you like on want. They do have four beautiful seasons. And I didn't pick it just because I love it, I really think it is a place for you to think about. Also maybe Knoxville Tenn. Have you though about those areas?
I've also heard a lot of wonderful things about Asheville (and to a lesser extent Boone as well). Isn't that the city where the Vanderbilt Mansion is? It's supposed to be a very "hip" city way out in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Once again, something that turns me off about the South in general though is just the prospect of lengthy, humid summers that will only get worse if Al Gore's dire "global warming" predictions hold true. If I bake and cook in dreadfully hot weather here in the Northern mountains, I don't want to think of how much those of you in the Carolinas must swelter! I also hear that Asheville is growing by leaps and bounds. If it's anything like the Lake Norman area, this probably means the city is surrounded by ugly strip malls, tract housing, and other sorts of sprawl, which is something I do not want in my future hometown. It would be nice to have you as a new neighbor, though!
Last edited by SteelCityRising; 04-21-2007 at 09:17 PM..
Reason: Typo
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If I bake and cook in dreadfully hot weather here in the Northern mountains, I don't want to think of how much those of you in the Carolinas must swelter! 
It would be nice to have you as a new neighbor, though! 
