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America's small cities are losing some of their traditional appeal to upwardly mobile families seeking wholesome neighborhoods, a stable economy and affordable living.
A review of newly released census data shows, for example, that cities of between 20,000 and 50,000 residents have lagged behind their larger counterparts in attracting higher-educated residents in this decade.
America's small cities are losing some of their traditional appeal to upwardly mobile families seeking wholesome neighborhoods, a stable economy and affordable living.
A review of newly released census data shows, for example, that cities of between 20,000 and 50,000 residents have lagged behind their larger counterparts in attracting higher-educated residents in this decade.
Bummer. Small cities are what I like and one would actually be a "step up", in population terms, from where I live now. Although I'd probably live in small-city that's a college town so it might be different.
The only downside for a college town for me is that they tend to be pretty liberal and I'm somewhat conservative. Possibly I could look for a college town that revolves around a Christian college, provided it's not Jesuit or Quaker, or something else. Manhattan, Kansas and Hattiesburg, Mississippi were listed somewhere as good college towns and are in Republican-leaning counties. Neither is a religious college. Although it wouldn't have to be totally Right-wing, not sure I'd like that much better, so moderate could be fine.
It's just a dream for now, my career is stalled at the moment so I can't afford to leave my little podunk village.
Thomas, I've had the same idea--red state location keeps a college town from going extremely to the left, presence of college keeps the red state town from going extremely to the right = moderate and sensible, with the advantages of having a college nearby. I'm sure there are others that could offer this balance, but one that has grabbed my attention is Norman, OK.
Now, for me another potential drawback of a college town, besides the far-left leanings of many such places, would be a town that is totally dominated and defined by the presence of a university. Having a town's character totally defined by the presence of rowdy college kids can get a bit surreal at times. Maybe that is an advantage of a college town that is a small city rather than a little town. Perhaps a small city is large enough to have some kind of adult community not totally entwined with the college culture.
The only downside for a college town for me is that they tend to be pretty liberal and I'm somewhat conservative. Possibly I could look for a college town that revolves around a Christian college, provided it's not Jesuit or Quaker, or something else. Manhattan, Kansas and Hattiesburg, Mississippi were listed somewhere as good college towns and are in Republican-leaning counties. Neither is a religious college. Although it wouldn't have to be totally Right-wing, not sure I'd like that much better, so moderate could be fine.
It's just a dream for now, my career is stalled at the moment so I can't afford to leave my little podunk village.
You might also want to check out:
Cookeville, Tennessee (Tennessee Tech Univ, 11,000 students, very conservative area, didn't go for Al Gore even though Gore had his office in Cookeville when he was a senator)
Johnson City, Tennessee (East Tennessee State Univ, 13,000 students)
Actually, Ithaca NY, which is known for being a very liberal college town, actually is more moderate, if not conservative in towns just outside of it like Dryden, Newfield and Groton. So, you can get a balance in such an area even if it is known for being "liberal". You can find those that like to hunt and fish in Tompkins County and adjacent counties too. Cortland, which is only about 20 miles East of Ithaca, has a state college and is in a county that is very rural and the city I believe had a Republican mayor that just lost a close race. So, you can find more moderate places even in states that are known for being one way or the other politically. You see this a lot in Upstate NY.
The only downside for a college town for me is that they tend to be pretty liberal and I'm somewhat conservative. Possibly I could look for a college town that revolves around a Christian college, provided it's not Jesuit or Quaker, or something else. Manhattan, Kansas and Hattiesburg, Mississippi were listed somewhere as good college towns and are in Republican-leaning counties. Neither is a religious college. Although it wouldn't have to be totally Right-wing, not sure I'd like that much better, so moderate could be fine.
It's just a dream for now, my career is stalled at the moment so I can't afford to leave my little podunk village.
I don't know if I'm that conservative, aren't they like the home of Falwell's University? Although probably the whole town isn't like that.
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