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Old 10-24-2011, 10:50 PM
 
Location: New York
30 posts, read 42,619 times
Reputation: 39

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Hello all!

I'm a college student that is graduating next year and I just so happen to live in New York, which is for some reason the place so many people want to be! I actually cannot wait to leave for various reasons but some of those reasons don't really have to do with the city itself.

I have been doing a lot of reading on different cities and Pittsburgh sticks out to me! It has a beautiful skyline, and it has great scenery! It also seems very green, which is something that I really appreciate. The economy seems to be stronger than New York's but I'm really just basing that on the unemployment rate so I'm basically ignorant to the city's actual economy and what life is actually like there.

The city is so much cheaper, too, which is one of the things that is attracting me. There are also plenty of cultural attractions (galleries, museums, etc.), so it's not like I'd be missing out on everything.

I'm just curious, though; why is the city and the metropolitan area still losing people? The city completely changed itself, no? I don't get it!

What exactly are the benefits to living in Pittsburgh versus the cons? Cost of living is already something I'm well aware of, and I love cheap! Are salaries that much lower, though? Public transit really doesn't compare to NYC, though. Is a car a better option? I've never driven (don't laugh).

Basically, why should someone move to Pittsburgh, or why shouldn't they?

I plan on visiting in January, which is when the city should be at its worst weather-wise. I might visit again in the summer if I like it. If I like a city at its worst then I should like it at its best!

I shall shut up now!
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Old 10-25-2011, 02:41 AM
 
Location: Perry South, Pittsburgh, PA
1,437 posts, read 2,871,033 times
Reputation: 989
There really aren't any real cons to living here. People just like what they don't have.


And cars are awesome. Get you one.
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Old 10-25-2011, 03:58 AM
 
20,273 posts, read 33,003,811 times
Reputation: 2911
Quote:
Originally Posted by NotSoCreativeUsername View Post
I'm just curious, though; why is the city and the metropolitan area still losing people? The city completely changed itself, no? I don't get it!
So two things, basically. First, during and after the steel bust of the early 1980s, lots of young adults left to find work elsewhere, which means they also took their present and future children with them. But many of their parents and grandparents stayed here. Those people are gradually passing away or migrating to retirement communities. The result is an unusual death to birth ratio.

The other thing is that also because of the steel bust and related population losses, we didn't have many of the jobs that have attracted lots of international immigrants in recent decades. International immigrants and their children are pretty much accountable for all the net population growth in the U.S., so take that component out and you will get little or no population growth.

By the way, there is good evidence the population has turned around in just the last couple years, and is now either flat or growing. That was bound to happen eventually as the older pre-steel cohort gradually becomes less of a factor, but it may have happened sooner because of the relatively strong economy.

Quote:
What exactly are the benefits to living in Pittsburgh versus the cons? Cost of living is already something I'm well aware of, and I love cheap! Are salaries that much lower, though?
Salaries tend to be lower, but in many industries salaries are not so much lower as to wipe out the COL advantage (particularly the cheap housing). So if you can get a good job, you can come out ahead.

Quote:
Public transit really doesn't compare to NYC, though. Is a car a better option? I've never driven (don't laugh).
If you work in certain locations, you may be able to live in a walkable neighborhood and have a good transit, walking, or biking commute. In such cases you don't necessarily need a car or need to drive, although it wouldn't hurt to learn, and you could also look at Zipcar (a carsharing service) for occasional car needs.

Quote:
Basically, why should someone move to Pittsburgh, or why shouldn't they?
Pittsburgh appealed to us because with two good jobs we could have a great lifestyle (nice historic home in a nice walkable neighborhood, inexpensive transit commutes, great accessible amenities for ourselves and our families, and so on). For some people it may be too big or too small, or not have the right jobs, or so on, but for us it was a nice fit.
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Old 10-25-2011, 06:34 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh PA
1,125 posts, read 2,346,875 times
Reputation: 585
Quote:
Originally Posted by NotSoCreativeUsername View Post
Hello all!

I'm a college student that is graduating next year and I just so happen to live in New York, which is for some reason the place so many people want to be! I actually cannot wait to leave for various reasons but some of those reasons don't really have to do with the city itself.

I have been doing a lot of reading on different cities and Pittsburgh sticks out to me! It has a beautiful skyline, and it has great scenery! It also seems very green, which is something that I really appreciate. The economy seems to be stronger than New York's but I'm really just basing that on the unemployment rate so I'm basically ignorant to the city's actual economy and what life is actually like there.

The city is so much cheaper, too, which is one of the things that is attracting me. There are also plenty of cultural attractions (galleries, museums, etc.), so it's not like I'd be missing out on everything.

I'm just curious, though; why is the city and the metropolitan area still losing people? The city completely changed itself, no? I don't get it!

What exactly are the benefits to living in Pittsburgh versus the cons? Cost of living is already something I'm well aware of, and I love cheap! Are salaries that much lower, though? Public transit really doesn't compare to NYC, though. Is a car a better option? I've never driven (don't laugh).

Basically, why should someone move to Pittsburgh, or why shouldn't they?

I plan on visiting in January, which is when the city should be at its worst weather-wise. I might visit again in the summer if I like it. If I like a city at its worst then I should like it at its best!

I shall shut up now!
Depending on the job, you can expect a significant paycut. I personally know someone who moved here from NYC, did housekeeping at a hospital and went from making $35,000 a year plus benefits to $20,000 a year with no benefits. That is nearly a 50% paycut but then again it depends on the job you have as well (for example if you work for the PAT you will actually make more here than you would in NYC.) Things that Pittsburgh lacks in comparison to NYC would be: A selection of ethnic restaurants, NYC has Little Italy, we have Olive Garden, NYC has China Town, we have Wok and Roll. Also, there is far less diversity here than in NYC. Lately, Pittsburgh has gone through a transformation of a being a city of immigrants that it was, to now attracting little immigration. If you hear the term yinzer (older Pittsburgher stuck in their ways), this may have a lot to do with them dominating the city. Public transit as it sits now isn't terrible but with the mayor continuing to cut the routes, I wouldn't give up your car. Job opportunities: NYC of course has more opportunities of course but you are in a Metro of approximately 20 million people while Pittsburgh being about 1/10 of that size there is much less competition. Also, jobs around here tend to be drawn more toward the medical field or working at one of the many universities. There are some finance opportunities but they are small when compared to wall street. Pittsburgh isn't a bad city, it is in much better shape than most to its immediate west but it is worlds different from NYC. I suggest visiting for about a week at least before moving here because it's not for everyone
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:11 AM
 
94 posts, read 134,221 times
Reputation: 79
Quote:
Originally Posted by escilade18 View Post
Things that Pittsburgh lacks in comparison to NYC would be: A selection of ethnic restaurants, NYC has Little Italy, we have Olive Garden.
Holy hyperbole, Batman. According to Urbanspoon, there are 482 Italian restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. I doubt all of those are Olive Gardens. In fact, there isn't even an Olive Garden in Pittsburgh. The closest is in Green Tree.
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:25 AM
 
Location: ɥbɹnqsʇʇıd
4,599 posts, read 6,716,012 times
Reputation: 3521
Quote:
Originally Posted by NotSoCreativeUsername View Post
I'm just curious, though; why is the city and the metropolitan area still losing people? The city completely changed itself, no? I don't get it!
We're still feeling the hurt of the steel bust at least population-wise, plus people have been moving to the suburbs for personal preference and to escape city taxes. Is it turning around? Maybe, but honestly no one knows for sure. It's just speculation right now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NotSoCreativeUsername View Post
What exactly are the benefits to living in Pittsburgh versus the cons? Cost of living is already something I'm well aware of, and I love cheap! Are salaries that much lower, though? Public transit really doesn't compare to NYC, though. Is a car a better option? I've never driven (don't laugh).

Basically, why should someone move to Pittsburgh, or why shouldn't they?
Salaries are much lower here than other cities in many fields, especially if you are early in your career. A great way to check actual wages is to contact employers for job openings that you might have no interest in and flat out ask what they want to pay. I've done this in the past to "price" myself in my career to see what expectations were.

Will the low cost of living offset low wages? Maybe if you get lucky. Employers know they can pay employees less here, it's almost like "outsourcing" right in the US. A lot of folks on this board will speak of rainbows and sunshine when it comes to salaries but I have an army of peers (aged 25-30) that beg to differ. Just a heads up!

Also, if you want to get anywhere in a timely fashion (like a job for instance) a car will most likely be necessary. Again, people will say I'm wrong but try to get to a job in the suburbs while living in the city without a car.....
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:31 AM
 
674 posts, read 1,412,274 times
Reputation: 690
Quote:
Originally Posted by escilade18 View Post
A selection of ethnic restaurants, NYC has Little Italy, we have Olive Garden,
Have you ever heard of a little neighborhood called Bloomfield???
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:35 AM
 
Location: ɥbɹnqsʇʇıd
4,599 posts, read 6,716,012 times
Reputation: 3521
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burghgirl17 View Post
Have you ever heard of a little neighborhood called Bloomfield???
I'm a big fan of Bloomfield, but honestly I think the "Little Italy" label is a bit misleading. They don't even have that many Italian restaurants and the ones that they do aren't highly regarded.
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:46 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
1,519 posts, read 2,673,953 times
Reputation: 1167
Quote:
Originally Posted by Picksburg Stillers View Post
Holy hyperbole, Batman. According to Urbanspoon, there are 482 Italian restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. I doubt all of those are Olive Gardens. In fact, there isn't even an Olive Garden in Pittsburgh. The closest is in Green Tree.
Seriously. And like they don't have Olive Gardens in or within 10 miles of Manhattan either...

Olive Garden Locations
Restaurant location results for "10005"


10 results within: 10 miles5 miles 10 miles 25 miles 50 miles
ZIP Code:


Search

Last edited by Tinare; 10-25-2011 at 07:55 AM.. Reason: Clean up
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:49 AM
 
674 posts, read 1,412,274 times
Reputation: 690
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl View Post
I'm a big fan of Bloomfield, but honestly I think the "Little Italy" label is a bit misleading. They don't even have that many Italian restaurants and the ones that they do aren't highly regarded.
But it sure as heck isn't equivalent to Olive Garden. Bleh.

I have better meals in Bloomfield than I have in Little Italy, I have to say. But to be fair, I've only had a meal in Little Italy once.

To say that all we have is Olive Garden is B.S.
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