Pittsburgh MSA migration "churn" with other MSAs and μSAs (2009-2010) (Scranton: condo, how much)

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by greg42

Yeah, probably not living right in Weirton so much as some new house built in the surrounding Weirton area. I was just noting yesterday the current-model Audi A4 in the garage with the WV plate. It was in the basement so this is not a day to day customer but someone with a lease. Definitely living over the border and commuting in to downtown every day. I suppose it could be a recent transplant who hasn't yet switched plates, but seems more likely they just live down there.

Once in awhile when I'm going out bond on the Parkway West during rush hour, I do see quite a few cars heading out of the city from West Virginia and Ohio.

[BrianTH]

I actually like DC, but more relevantly it has certain industries and jobs that are much less available here, and which recently have been growing relatively rapidly (although that dynamic may be coming to an end). And, of course, it is the nearest city which is substantially larger and more global than Pittsburgh.

[SteelCityRising]

Very disappointing to note that so many more people have moved from Greater Pittsburgh to Metro DC than vice-versa. With how many MD, VA, and DC plates I've been seeing around here lately I was beginning to become encouraged thinking that others from that area were "scouting" Pittsburgh as a potential relocation destination. I suppose that isn't the case, though.

It is a no-brainer how "connected" our two metro areas are. During the Holiday travel rushes traffic heading from the DC Area on I-70 West towards Breezewood was always extremely congested as Pittsburgh natives poured out. I also saw Steelers-clad vehicles left and right when I lived in Fairfax County.

P.S. H_curtis, if you consider housing prices in DC to be affordable then you really are out-of-touch. One of the primary reasons I left NoVA was realizing I'd never be able to afford my own home on a single $50,000 salary. I was barely able to afford my own 1-BR apartment at around $1,200/month, and I was quite a haul outside the city to begin with. In Pittsburgh I earn less but feel like I have more buying power as I pay a fraction of the rent and live within walking distance of Downtown.

[airwave09]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

4. I'm surprised to see positive migration from Las Vegas and L.A. and I'm surprised the positive migration from the NYC metro area is as high as it is.

I think it probably has to do with all of the positive press that Pittsburgh has been recieving in the NYT over the past several years, combined with this recession and already exhoribant cost of living in NYC.

The sunbelt positive numbers most likely have to do with the housing collapse in those areas and could be alot of ex-pats returning after finding out that the grass wasn't any greener there. Which is funny because those areas are essentially in the desert.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

A few things:

1. I'm guessing the in-flow from Texas may be from the Marcellus Shale jobs, becuase I doubt any other city in the Northeast or Midwest has an inflow of residents from any large Texas city.

2. I still don't and never will understand the Northeast obsession with moving everywhere from DC to Charlotte. I've been to these areas a few times before and would not like to live in those areas. I also didn't think that many people moved between Pittsburgh and Morgantown yearly.

3. We're doing a good job at attracting people from smaller metro areas.

4. I'm surprised to see positive migration from Las Vegas and L.A. and I'm surprised the positive migration from the NYC metro area is as high as it is.

I'm not Pittsburgh is very much on "the Working Class and Creative Class" NYC's Radar....Pittsburgh is now on the lips of a lot of (again Working /Creative Class) NY'ers.....because I brag about the burgh here to my circle, someone always cannot wait to tell me that they're either going to the Burgh or just came back and always a follow up with a line like "I had No Idea"....my reply usually goes something like "Yea you and the rest of the World Honey!"

Again right now the only people who are happy in NYC are those that can easily afford the life....Those that can't (85.999999%) are MISERABLE! with the eye gouging COL. so you can see how the Burgh is on their radars...When NYC media continues to hype a specific local it does take long for the residences to take notice.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Very disappointing to note that so many more people have moved from Greater Pittsburgh to Metro DC than vice-versa.

I'd be interested to know how many of those people were recent graduates of a local institution of higher learning, and where in turn those people originally came from. I'm not saying I know this is the case, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was a flow of students into Pittsburgh from various areas that then got concentrated into a flow over to DC after graduation.

P.S. H_curtis, if you consider housing prices in DC to be affordable then you really are out-of-touch.

When we were deciding between Pittsburgh and DC (circa 2008), housing prices were at least 2-3 times higher in DC for any areas/properties I would consider comparable.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Pittsburgh is now on the lips of a lot of (again Working /Creative Class) NY'ers.....because I brag about the burgh here to my circle, someone always cannot wait to tell me that they're either going to the Burgh or just came back and always a follow up with a line like "I had No Idea"....my reply usually goes something like "Yea you and the rest of the World Honey!"

That word-of-mouth, personal-experience stuff apparently has a huge influence on where people actually consider living, and it suggests that this PGH<->NYC flow could build on itself in coming years (assuming no change in other fundamental factors).

[SteelCityRising]

^ We can only hope. New Yorkers have such sexy accents!

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I actually like DC, but more relevantly it has certain industries and jobs that are much less available here, and which recently have been growing relatively rapidly (although that dynamic may be coming to an end). And, of course, it is the nearest city which is substantially larger and more global than Pittsburgh.

I like the city itself, but I don't like the surrounding suburban counties one bit. I think DC is probably the most sprawled out metros on the east coast.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

I like the city itself, but I don't like the surrounding suburban counties one bit. I think DC is probably the most sprawled out metros on the east coast.

Agreed. It's a NooooooVA thing. I really wouldn't mind the sprawl if there were ample "traditional town centers" within it. For example there's also a lot of sprawl in Southeastern PA; however, traditional walkable cores are left and right there as well to help break up the monotony of tract housing, big-box stores, parking lots, and chain restaurants. From where I lived in Reston I was a hellish drive to Winchester, Fredericksburg, or Old Town Alexandria to get a taste of that whenever I missed being in a traditional urban center (which happened daily). People clapped their hands and lauded Vienna there (all the overpriced few blocks of it), but most PA transplants I knew who moved to a place like Fairfax County had a terrible time adjusting to what felt like Cranberry Township on steroids. The attempts at creating new "town centers" (i.e. Dulles Town Center, Reston Town Center, Fairfax Town Center, etc.) STILL were strictly auto-dependent.

Pittsburgh has horrendous sprawl as well, but at least we also have many more walkable suburban areas---Sewickley, Oakmont, Verona, Blawnox, Aspinwall, Sharpsburg, West View, Dormont, Mt. Lebanon, Canonsburg, Coraopolis, McKees Rocks, Etna, Millvale, Bellevue, Avalon, Forest Hills, Wilkinsburg, etc. NoVA itself had a higher population than all of Metro Pittsburgh, yet it had far fewer walkable suburban areas---Winchester, Old Town Leesburg, Fredericksburg, Old Town Fairfax, Vienna-ish, Falls Church City, some of Arlington---not much else---and all of these places (save for far-flung Winchester) were more expensive as a result of their walkability. In Pittsburgh you don't have to sacrifice walkability due to expense.