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Rethink how you interpret and understand data, in addition to turning off the snark. An urban area as defined by the Census is not the same thing as living in a city center, no way no how. For example, the US Census defines places such as Belleville, Iowa, as an urban center with a whopping population of 2,543. That would be a tiny suburb in most major metro areas.
Instead, the term encompasses areas that are, relatively speaking, densely populated, including the suburbs. For you to see the term Urban Center and define it as a downtown area is a misinterpretation. In that sense, it is more accurate to think of the term urban as non-rural.
There are more people in urban areas. This is factual.
There are 1.1 million children in NYC schools. Obviously, quite a few people with children chose to live in the city. Some do so, specifically to offer their kids experience beyond "generic" America.
Using the word "generic" is so cliche. Despite what some think, many suburban villages, towns, and cities do have a distinct character and offer "experiences". suburban cities are cities in their own right, founded centuries ago, not merely established for urban refugee settlement. My city has a lot of history that existed well before it became a "suburb of Austin". If generic America means less crime, good schools, slower pace, trees aplenty and wide open spaces then I'm all for it. My experience growing up in NYC was cool but I'm fine with not sharing it with my girls. If they want to experience the city life then they can move there.
I grew up in a solid middle classed development in the boroughs. It was great, there were green spaces, but the landscape was dominated by highrise buildings, highways galore, and strip malls (go figure). Bumper to bumper traffic into and out of the neighborhood. Meanwhile, my kids have access to nature and greenery right in their own backyard. I'm surrounded by tranquility and trees. Last night my kids played in the cul-de-sac and I didn't have to worry about traffic or anything. Sorry, but I don't think I've chosen wrong.
The truth is one lifestyle isn't better than the other. It all comes down to personal preference and that's why these arguments are endless.
I was reusing the word that the poster with whom I was responding to, used.
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Despite what some think, many suburban villages, towns, and cities do have a distinct character and offer "experiences".
A small town is not a suburb, it's a small town.
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suburban cities are cities in their own right, founded centuries ago, not merely established for urban refugee settlement.
A suburban city is a city, not a suburb. What the heck is a 'suburban' city anyway?
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If generic America means less crime, good schools, slower pace, trees aplenty and wide open spaces then I'm all for it.
Less crime, or less crime per capita. The difference matters. The other things are good things, but can also be a double edged sword. I'm all in favor of well-planned communities with a town center and ACTUAL things to do. Hanging out at the movies, the local players musical going to the one decent restaraunt in the area is not enough, at least not for me. It wouldn't be enough for most people if you took away their tvs and their internet.
My experience growing up in NYC was cool but I'm fine with not sharing it with my girls. If they want to experience the city life then they can move there.
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I grew up in a solid middle classed development in the boroughs. It was great, there were green spaces, but the landscape was dominated by highrise buildings, highways galore, and strip malls (go figure).
Strip malls are rare in NY compared to elsewhere. They can go.
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Bumper to bumper traffic into and out of the neighborhood. Meanwhile, my kids have access to nature and greenery right in their own backyard. I'm surrounded by tranquility and trees. Last night my kids played in the cul-de-sac and I didn't have to worry about traffic or anything. Sorry, but I don't think I've chosen wrong.
No one said it was a wrong choice. But I'm not about to let people's prejudices against cities to go unchecked. They are tauting a lot of uninformed information and just plain wrong information. A town with 500 people and 2 murders in 10 years, statistically is far more dangerous than the big bad city.
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The truth is one lifestyle isn't better than the other. It all comes down to personal preference and that's why these arguments are endless.
I'd actually like to see an improvement to suburbs where they have their own vibrance, their own pulse. Some places are lucky and started with a real town. But what about places that is just one giant cul-de-sac with NO COMMERCE, no social scene. This is precisely why Americans feel more alone than ever, and why the hositility and violence in this country has increased so much. It's not healthy to be that isolated.
I was reusing the word that the poster with whom I was responding to, used.
A small town is not a suburb, it's a small town.
A suburban city is a city, not a suburb. What the heck is a 'suburban' city anyway?
Less crime, or less crime per capita. The difference matters. The other things are good things, but can also be a double edged sword. I'm all in favor of well-planned communities with a town center and ACTUAL things to do. Hanging out at the movies, the local players musical going to the one decent restaraunt in the area is not enough, at least not for me. It wouldn't be enough for most people if you took away their tvs and their internet.
My experience growing up in NYC was cool but I'm fine with not sharing it with my girls. If they want to experience the city life then they can move there.
Strip malls are rare in NY compared to elsewhere. They can go.
No one said it was a wrong choice. But I'm not about to let people's prejudices against cities to go unchecked. They are tauting a lot of uninformed information and just plain wrong information. A town with 500 people and 2 murders in 10 years, statistically is far more dangerous than the big bad city.
I'd actually like to see an improvement to suburbs where they have their own vibrance, their own pulse. Some places are lucky and started with a real town. But what about places that is just one giant cul-de-sac with NO COMMERCE, no social scene. This is precisely why Americans feel more alone than ever, and why the hositility and violence in this country has increased so much. It's not healthy to be that isolated.
I'm totally fine with strip malls. Don't understand any of the hatred. In fact I find it a bit silly. At least where I live, the strip malls offer a bevy of retail and it doesn't look run down. compared with what I had to deal with in NYC, I'm definitely fine with strip malls.
Our murder rate for a city over 100k is very low. Single digits. Many years no murders at all, but thanks to an increase in population, there were two last year, which is still good for a city that's over 100k and probably getting close to 130k at this point.
Many suburbs do have their own pulse but people fail to see it. They just focus on such cliched things like "chain restaurants" "strip malls" and subdivisions and fail to see anything else because they don't live in a suburb. they're just observers, nothing more. My suburb has a lot of local commerce and a "social scene". But I am totally fine with not living around lots of people and I'd like to be "social" on my own terms. Totally fine with having more land and a nice sized house too.
I don't have a "prejudice" against cities. I am a native New Yorker. I was born and raised in THE BRONX. I know all about the New York City experience and it's great. But for the past 14 years, I'm where I want to be. And the complaints about suburban living are just as retread and uninformed.
There are more people in urban areas. This is factual.
I think you're entirely missing the point. The problem is that you don't seem to understand that the definition of 'urban' also encompasses the suburbs within those large metros on your helpful visual aids.
So when we debate the difference between suburb and cities, we're talking about two different living options within a single urban area.
Last edited by MinivanDriver; 03-23-2018 at 12:07 PM..
Other cities, like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Gary have lost their reason for existence. They're zombie cities that stumble around looking for something to do. Yeah, Pittsburgh has a lot of hospitals but so do all cities. Medicine is the leading employer in almost every city now. Hospitals don't make cities, let alone make them great.
Uh, Pittsburgh is considered one of the top AI and Robotics locations in the country - ever hear of Google? Uber? They and many other companies have large facilities there.
Real Estate there is hot - and low priced. My son and daughter-in-law now own 4 properties, which they rent out to workers at places like Uber.
"The economy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is diversified, focused on services, medicine, higher education, tourism, banking, corporate headquarters and high technology"
"Pittsburgh was chosen for the 2009 G-20 summit as its transformation is an example of a 21st-century economy. "
"Pittsburgh has also ranked in the top five most livable cities in four of the seven multi-year rankings of Places Rated Almanac "
I mean, is it backwards day again? Is Trump President? Then, yes, it is...
Lots of steel mills and other similar industries still are around...not in city limits, but in the area.
It should be noted that the highest violent crime rates in history tended to be in TN and KY.
Today, TN is the leader...and LA (not the city, the state!)....and SC is the leader in property crime.
Often the truth is contrary to the reality that people assume.
I have lived in Philly, NJ, WV, TN, RI, FL and MA. and nowhere did I feel unsafe nor did we ever spend money on a security system. In most of those places we used to open the door and let the dog run free (I know that's not popular these days!)...our kids ran free also. Whether walking, biking or when they got their DL. Never an unsafe moment in all those years...including 20 years that we ran a retail store with lots of cash sitting around.
Because we cannot support this sort of infrastructure, funding it inadequately as we do right now, for much longer.
It's not that you can't live 30 miles from your job anymore, it's just that it will become significantly more expensive than it is now.
But how many people really need to commute for their jobs? If you work in information and knowledge, you can perform work from anywhere with an internet connection, you definitely don't need to be physically present to do your job.
That's one area where too many employers are still stuck in obsolete modes of thinking and management.
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Originally Posted by craigiri
Uh, Pittsburgh is considered one of the top AI and Robotics locations in the country - ever hear of Google? Uber? They and many other companies have large facilities there.
Real Estate there is hot - and low priced. My son and daughter-in-law now own 4 properties, which they rent out to workers at places like Uber.
"The economy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is diversified, focused on services, medicine, higher education, tourism, banking, corporate headquarters and high technology"
"Pittsburgh was chosen for the 2009 G-20 summit as its transformation is an example of a 21st-century economy. "
"Pittsburgh has also ranked in the top five most livable cities in four of the seven multi-year rankings of Places Rated Almanac "
I mean, is it backwards day again? Is Trump President? Then, yes, it is...
Lots of steel mills and other similar industries still are around...not in city limits, but in the area.
I've heard Pittsburgh is one of the most livable cities - so hopefully it won't undergo the same forces of decay that have ruined the others...which are liberal policies carried out by liberal management.
Unfortunately I also have heard that's underway as we speak. Can you comment on that?
But how many people really need to commute for their jobs? If you work in information and knowledge, you can perform work from anywhere with an internet connection, you definitely don't need to be physically present to do your job.
That's one area where too many employers are still stuck in obsolete modes of thinking and management.
In some fields, that's possible. In others, it's not.
We'll have automation replace most of the labor in the world before everyone will have a job working from home.
I am nearly 40, have 2 grown children and 2 small children still at home and this past year I moved from a suburban area to city core and could not be happier. I am not rich, it's just not a high cost of living city. My rent is far less than my mortgage was in my "good neighborhood with the "best" school. I went from commuting nearly 3 hours a day total to hardly ever setting foot in a vehicle because everything we need is within walking distance. I save a TON on gas.We feel far more connected to our home now that we stroll along the sidewalks, vs. staring at it out car windows. My daughter is attending a public school that is just a good as the one we left. I actually chose my neighborhood based on the public school here. My preference for cities may stem from the fact that I lived on a very rural farm during part of my childhood and disliked being so isolated and the fact that the nearest anything was a 40 minute drive.
The rich people here tend to live in the suburbs where the large, more expensive homes are.
I have no hard feelings towards the burbs- to each their own. No bashing here, just a preference thing.
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