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Something is driving Chicagons out of the city into the suburbs. Clearly the Chicagoland area is picking up population, but they aren't living in the city. A fairly simple explanation is that the suburbs are cheaper and relatively easy to reach via the rails.
The number 1 thing that drives families out to the suburbs is the fact that cities tend to spend more money in schools, roads, etc, in the suburbs than in the inner city.
We always have money to build new roads and schools in the suburbs,
but have zero money to fix a pothole in the inner city.
The number 1 thing that drives families out to the suburbs is the fact that cities tend to spend more money in schools, roads, etc, in the suburbs than in the inner city.
We always have money to build new roads and schools in the suburbs,
but have zero money to fix a pothole in the inner city.
Ok, wait, that still doesn't make sense to me! So what you are saying is that the city of Chicago has failed to maintain good schools and roads for the past 70 years which has driven nearly 1 million residents out of the city of Chicago since 1950??
Houston's city roads are terrible (at best)... schools (HISD) ehhh not all that great, but the city of Houston STILL grows like a wildfire and has for the past 80 years! So just saying that suburbs have better schools and roads doesn't explain why Chicago has been in a literal free fall in population since 1950.
Something really wrong has happened in the city of Chicago to cause such an extreme reduction in population. Something really right has happened to Houston in the past 80 years to cause such a population explosion.
Something really wrong has happened in the city of Chicago to cause such an extreme reduction in population. Something really right has happened to Houston in the past 80 years to cause such a population explosion.
Houston has the advantage of having oil and the price of oil in the last 10 years went up about 500%
Houston has the advantage of having oil and the price of oil in the last 10 years went up about 500%
Uh, the last time I checked, oil isn't the only industry Houston is about. Houston is very diversified in all aspects of energy including green energy as well. Not to mention the rapid growth in the techonology and medical research sectors as well. Oh and did I mention the Port of Houston (another huge economic factor of Houston).
So you aren't answering my actual question... what is happening to Chicago? Why are they losing so much population? I mean the economy of Chicago is vastly different from Detroit. Detroit's vanishing population is easy to explain due to the extreme crash in their economy. But what is going on in Chicago to cause a steady decline in city population for the past several decades? Why isn't the city taking some sort of action to get these 1 million people back?
You mentioned the growing suburbs and come on man, if the suburbs were not connected to the rail system there, they wouldn't be growing so fast. I mean who in their right mind in the Chicago area would live out in the suburbs and want to drive to downtown Chicago everyday? I am sure there are people who do it, but given your evidence that ridership on the L has drastically increased over the past 20 years, it tells me something (better schools, cheaper living + easy access to the city)...
Also, the city of Chicago doesn't seem to be as business friendly as Houston. Houston offers TONS of incentives to attract businesses to Houston (businesses of ALL kinds) not to mention our substantially lower taxes too.
Houston has the advantage of having oil and the price of oil in the last 10 years went up about 500%
The Texas Medical Center has had a far bigger impact then oil. Btw, Houston is not the oil capital of the world. It's natural gas. I don't know if you know this or not but nat gas prices dropped 80% over the last few years. Quite frankly the industry got decimated.
Please inner city Houston is losing...has been losing...just like Chicago.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicago3rd
Houston Data Stories » Swamplot: Houston's Real Estate Landscape "Census maps show a huge section of east Houston — most of the area inside Loop 610, east of Interstate 45 – lost population, as did sections of southwest and northeast Houston." Find the census maps on both and look and you will see a similar pattern of growth and loss. The donut.
Not a donut. The industrial areas around the ship channel in the east are losing people. The 3rd ward (southeast near University of Houston and Texas Southern University) is getting older and so there are fewer kids, but new development is trickling in. And the western half of the inner city (inside 610) is having massive growth and redevelopment.
Check the census maps...look into the reasons....smaller families...tearing down of CHA housing. Chicago was surprised in the last census, because there had been so much growth in the center....but the city bled out to the burbs...just like Houston. Again the same.
Not the same.
Because when looking at an area ones needs to look at its metro not the artificial boundaries that each state and local make up. We are discussing transportation and to have a health city the area...the whole metro has to be included. You were the one who brought up comparisons...they aren't that far apart...except Houston is gaining more people than Chicago (speaking metro).
Chicago has had growth spurts too and will have them again. It is a cycle. To give you some insight...Houston is 1 year older than Chicago...but smaller and isn't world class yet. Same age....different growth spurts during different times. Chicago has fantastic public transportation Houston has transportation on the level a metro a tenth of its size. Public transportation is what we are talking about.
"World class" is a ridiculous term. Houston doesn't have 9 million people in its metro like Chicago. The Chicago metro is likely to remain bigger for many years. That's true.
Also...how much of the population growth in Houston was due to annexation. I saw
Very little. Annexation has been pretty minimal since the 80s annexation of the Kingwood area.
Please inner city Houston is losing...has been losing...just like Chicago. Houston Data Stories » Swamplot: Houston's Real Estate Landscape "Census maps show a huge section of east Houston — most of the area inside Loop 610, east of Interstate 45 – lost population, as did sections of southwest and northeast Houston." Find the census maps on both and look and you will see a similar pattern of growth and loss. The donut.
Check the census maps...look into the reasons....smaller families...tearing down of CHA housing. Chicago was surprised in the last census, because there had been so much growth in the center....but the city bled out to the burbs...just like Houston. Again the same.
Because when looking at an area ones needs to look at its metro not the artificial boundaries that each state and local make up. We are discussing transportation and to have a health city the area...the whole metro has to be included. You were the one who brought up comparisons...they aren't that far apart...except Houston is gaining more people than Chicago (speaking metro).
Chicago has had growth spurts too and will have them again. It is a cycle. To give you some insight...Houston is 1 year older than Chicago...but smaller and isn't world class yet. Same age....different growth spurts during different times. Chicago has fantastic public transportation Houston has transportation on the level a metro a tenth of its size. Public transportation is what we are talking about.
Also...how much of the population growth in Houston was due to annexation. I saw
You're reading it wrong. Population in the inner loop grew overall, but a section on the east side did lose population.
Please inner city Houston is losing...has been losing...just like Chicago. Houston Data Stories » Swamplot: Houston's Real Estate Landscape "Census maps show a huge section of east Houston — most of the area inside Loop 610, east of Interstate 45 – lost population, as did sections of southwest and northeast Houston." Find the census maps on both and look and you will see a similar pattern of growth and loss. The donut.
Check the census maps...look into the reasons....smaller families...tearing down of CHA housing. Chicago was surprised in the last census, because there had been so much growth in the center....but the city bled out to the burbs...just like Houston. Again the same.
Because when looking at an area ones needs to look at its metro not the artificial boundaries that each state and local make up. We are discussing transportation and to have a health city the area...the whole metro has to be included. You were the one who brought up comparisons...they aren't that far apart...except Houston is gaining more people than Chicago (speaking metro).
Chicago has had growth spurts too and will have them again. It is a cycle. To give you some insight...Houston is 1 year older than Chicago...but smaller and isn't world class yet. Same age....different growth spurts during different times. Chicago has fantastic public transportation Houston has transportation on the level a metro a tenth of its size. Public transportation is what we are talking about.
Also...how much of the population growth in Houston was due to annexation. I saw
First off, the only area inside our loop that has lost any population is around the ship channel according to the article you posted. I can't blame people for not wanting to live in this area, I wouldn't want to. This is one extremely small area of Houston compared to the rest of the city.
Second, you are clearly missing my point. Houston gains population every census so regardless if one area loses population that means another area drastically gained population in our city. Chicago loses WAY more than it gains and that has been the case since 1950.
Third, Houston hasn't annexed a residental area in almost 20 years! Kingwood was the last and most likely final residental area Houston annexed. Houston has expressed no interest in ever annexing a residental area and only have their eyes set on up and coming commerical and industrial areas. As of today, the only major area Houston seeks to annex is an industrial area of the eastern metro area along the Port of Houston. Clearly this makes total sense. Residents don't make up the largest amount of tax revenue, BUSINESSES do! So why should Houston waste it's time annexing residental areas? Houston city council thinks the say way! In conclusion of my third point, annexation is NOT why Houston is growing!
Forth, where are you getting your data from guy? I seriously need to see your computer screen or whatever is leading you to belive Houston is like Chicago and Houston only gains population from annexation.
Fifth, doing business in Houston is TREMENDOUSLY more economical than Chicago. I cannot believe the taxes businesses (and residents too) have to pay in Chicago!! Totally blew my mind. It is no wonder why businesses flock to Houston. Houston offers businesses tax incentives for moving to Houston. Tax incentives are something that is not in Chicago's vocabulary. I am glad they are not because Houston totally capitalizes on mistakes other cities make. You should really compare taxes between Houston and Chicago, it will really paint a true and clear picture of why Houston grows so rapidly... and also explain why people evacuate Chicago rapidly too. Oh wait, did I say evacuate, well judging from the past 70 years of census information it certainly seems like the correct word to use.
Anyhow, Houston grows because our economy is the strongest in the nation right now. Not only is Houston economy strong, it is proven true and steady for the past several decades. Houston will continue to grow faster than any other major city in the USA for decades to come (without the need of annexing people might I add).
It is or wasn't "something" wrong. And that is the main problem with your opinion. It is hard for you to see all the many complicated reasons why Cities ebb and flow.
I spend just as much time in this "Houston" group lifting Houston up and fight against (hundreds of photos in the photo section) all those who have all this ignorant and simple minded opinions about Houston... so I feel comfortable sharing some good and bad opinions about Houston.
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