I am tired of hearing how great Pittsburgh is! (good schools, wage)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by charisb

In Wake County, 26% are under 18, while in Allegheny County that number is 19%. Is having so many children good for the economy?

I don't see why it wouldn't be.


Having to take care of children financially pushes a lot of men to work harder and be more productive to meet those new demands. More productivity sounds like it is good for the economy.

[Goinback2011]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

I don't see why it wouldn't be.


Having to take care of children financially pushes a lot of men to work harder and be more productive to meet those new demands. More productivity sounds like it is good for the economy.

You're assuming there is a man in the family.

[zman63]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The city of Pittsburgh itself is home to several major universities and colleges as well as 2 major penal institutions, both of which have younger than average populations.

Those factors can reduce the median age by significant amounts.

You are correct. The population adjustment from 305 to 306k was due to the dormitory and jail population. All of the college students living in university housing were counted in the 2010 census. I am not sure how many college students reside in the city limits, but 30,000 people of the 306,000 could be college students going here for school. They may not be a full time population, but they will reduce the age of the inner city drastically. It would also cause a neighborhood to have a lower income, as oakland, due to full time students with either part time jobs or no jobs at all.

I have talked to people involved in the census and they told me why this adjustment to 306k occurred as such. They also said if college students would not contact them back nor would they provide any information that they reside somewhere else they were counted in the 2010 city census numbers. This person also said if you removed the college dormitories from being counted the city population would be somewhere between 250 and 280k.

[zman63]

Originally Posted by charisb

As is the case for many U.S. cities, including Raleigh.
As for the median county age being 41, that still sounds pretty young to me.
In Wake County, 26% are under 18, while in Allegheny County that number is 19%. Is having so many children good for the economy?

It isn't young. We are one of the oldest counties in the nation. They are having children because they are catering to those in the prime of their life. Those are the people having having families and growing their career.

Wake County is estimated to have a population of just eclipsing 900,000. While Allegheny County has an estimated 1.229 million residents. So wake county is smaller but has a much larger number of people under age 18.

Wake County has one school district, the wake county public school system. Their population overall is smaller, yet they have more school aged children than we do.

Which begs me to ask the question. Why does Allegheny County need 42 separate school districts?

[charisb]

Originally Posted by zman63

It isn't young. We are one of the oldest counties in the nation. They are having children because they are catering to those in the prime of their life. Those are the people having having families and growing their career.

Wake County is estimated to have a population of just eclipsing 900,000. While Allegheny County has an estimated 1.229 million residents. So wake county is smaller but has a much larger number of people under age 18.

Wake County has one school district, the wake county public school system. Their population overall is smaller, yet they have more school aged children than we do.

Which begs me to ask the question. Why does Allegheny County need 42 separate school districts?

But more educated people have children later in life. I am 34 and my friends are just starting to have chidlren now.

[eschaton]

Allegheny County is nowhere near the oldest in the nation - although it may be the oldest "core county" in a major MSA in the country.

[zman63]

225,000 eligible school aged children in Wake County NC. They have one school district one school board, one school director, one budget, one school tax rate.

232,000 eligible school aged children living in Allegheny County PA. We have 42 school districts, 42 school boards, 42 school board directors, 42 separate budgets, 42 different tax rates.

Wake County is streamlined and growing. Allegheny County is a huge, expensive and a fragmented mess that hinders growth.

[zman63]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Allegheny County is nowhere near the oldest in the nation - although it may be the oldest "core county" in a major MSA in the country.

Aging America: The Cities That Are Graying The Fastest - Forbes

[charisb]

Originally Posted by zman63

Aging America: The Cities That Are Graying The Fastest - Forbes

Did you actually read this article, or just the headline? The conclusion is that this can actually be a good thing for the economy. An excerpt, for example:

"Seniors may also become something of an entrepreneurial engine for local economies, notes one recent Kauffman Foundation Study. In fact, the share of new entrepreneurs who are 55 to 64 year old has risen from 14.3% in 1996 to 20.9% in 2011."

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by charisb

Did you actually read this article, or just the headline? The conclusion is that this can actually be a good thing for the economy. An excerpt, for example:

"Seniors may also become something of an entrepreneurial engine for local economies, notes one recent Kauffman Foundation Study. In fact, the share of new entrepreneurs who are 55 to 64 year old has risen from 14.3% in 1996 to 20.9% in 2011."

That's actually not happy news, unfortunately. What's been happening is people who are 55+ are the most likely to be let go during downsizing, since their health insurance is more expensive and they've worked their way up to high salaries over the years. I can't tell you how many people I know who worked for companies 30-40 or more years, had stellar job reviews, and then got the boot for no reason except "we had to choose someone."

Those people are still a decade away from receiving Medicare. They have kids in college and elderly parents who need to be cared for. They have mortgages, medical bills, etc. Yet the odds of them finding another job are slimmer than most people realize. In some parts of the country, like Silicon Valley or DC, there are still jobs. In other areas, including Pittsburgh, they're more likely to be out of luck. So they start new businesses, since they have no other choice. It's not a matter of entrepreneurial spirit, its a matter of desperation. Some will do well (I hope), others will fail, most will simply keep their heads above water. Most are living off their savings, which is not really a good thing since those savings were supposed to pay for their needs in retirement. What will these people do in 20 years when the savings are gone and these little businesses have folded up? It's scary to think about.

So what's happening is you have a large segment of the population that is now going from being well off and contributing to the economy to now barely keeping their heads above water with these little businesses. It sounds like a good thing, but it really isn't. IMO, of course.