Pittsburgh Misconceptions (Washington, Denver, Oakland: real estate, debt, jobs)

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by Seattle Guy

What a disgrace that these older brick home which are still new in a sense are going to be ruined in a short time. Who is making a decent income in Pittsburgh other than cops, teachers, and other people on the public payroll?

Well, my husband and I for one thing. Between the two of us, we're making about $20K more here than we were in Colorado in the same fields. Neither one of us is a cop, teacher, or on the public payroll. We're not in healthcare either, if that's what you're going to say next.

[Gerbil]

"we woule rather raise our children in Northern Virginia where there is diversity, opportunity and culture."

I think that is a very misleading statement. Pittsburgh has all of those things. I realize it isn't exactly the most diverse place... but if you walk around in the right neighborhood you will see people of many races, nationalities, etc. There is also plenty of opportunity here. No it's not booming, but there are jobs here, there are organizations to help you start a business, there are places and groups that support artists. I am not sure what kind of "opportunity" you are looking for that you think is unavailable here.

And culture? No we're not DC (which, let's face it, is where you live if you live in northern VA). But we have a variety of ethnic restaurants, an award-winning theater district, great museums, lots of arts venues... I am not sure what "culture" you think Pittsburgh lacks?

Seriously, it's just silly to take such general words and imply that Pittsburgh (or any place) doesn't have those things. That's misleading and makes no sense. That's just as bad as the old cry that there is "nothing to do here."

[claremarie]

Pittsburgh has all of those things. I realize it isn't exactly the most diverse place... but if you walk around in the right neighborhood you will see people of many races, nationalities, etc.

"The right neighborhood" being certain communities near the various universities, and other "hip" city neighborhoods. The suburbs are all white, all the time (with a few blacks for diversity). Having lived in northern Virginia for the past 20 years, but visiting Pittsburgh on a regular basis, the lack of Asians, Hispanics, Indians, etc. in the greater Pittsburgh area is striking. If you haven't lived in a major metropolitan area, especially on the coasts, perhaps you just aren't aware of Pittsburgh's lack of diversity.

There is also plenty of opportunity here. No it's not booming, but there are jobs here, there are organizations to help you start a business, there are places and groups that support artists. I am not sure what kind of "opportunity" you are looking for that you think is unavailable here.


Perhaps the original poster was referring to the many professional opportunities in the DC area, both within and without the federal government -- public policy positions, major national law firms, research think tanks, defense contracting, software development. They just don't exist in Pittsburgh, or in most smaller cities, for that matter.

[JoeP]

What is the point. Pittsburgh's burbs would be as diverse if it was home to the Federal government and its always growing cycle too.

You can't compare something so obviously different with Pittsburgh and then criticisize Pittsburgh not being that other place.

How many times can the same misguided thread keep coming up?

[bboy36win]

Originally Posted by JoeP

What is the point. Pittsburgh's burbs would be as diverse if it was home to the Federal government and its always growing cycle too.

You can't compare something so obviously different with Pittsburgh and then criticisize Pittsburgh not being that other place.

How many times can the same misguided thread keep coming up?

So I'm not the only one who cringes when Pittsburgh is compared to DC/Northern VA and vice versa? I'm not sure you can find two cities that differ so greatly.

[claremarie]

What is the point. Pittsburgh's burbs would be as diverse if it was home to the Federal government and its always growing cycle too.

The point is that the comment that "Pittsburgh has all of those things" that the original poster finds in DC is ludicrous.
Those who want diversity, economic growth, abundant professional opportunities, etc. should not be misled into thinking that Pittsburgh provides them in the same way as DC (or other major metro areas). The original poster was explaining why she doesn't regret leaving Pittsburgh for DC and why she isn't interested in returning.

[JoeP]

Has all of those does not mean = to DC. This is just another contrived way to bash.

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by claremarie

[i]

"The right neighborhood" being certain communities near the various universities, and other "hip" city neighborhoods. The suburbs are all white, all the time (with a few blacks for diversity). Having lived in northern Virginia for the past 20 years, but visiting Pittsburgh on a regular basis, the lack of Asians, Hispanics, Indians, etc. in the greater Pittsburgh area is striking. If you haven't lived in a major metropolitan area, especially on the coasts, perhaps you just aren't aware of Pittsburgh's lack of diversity.

Well, I personally have never recommended that anybody looking for information on this site move to the suburbs of Pittsburgh. I'm not a suburbs kind of girl in any city, myself, for precisely the reason you stated. In my experience, the suburbs of most cities, Pittsburgh included, are extremely bland and non-diverse. In fact, Pittsburgh's suburbs have never struck me as being any more or less diverse than any of the other suburbs I've seen in other areas of the country (not a compliment to either Pittsburgh or other cities in my book, by the way, just an observation).

And is it really fair to back up an assertion that Pittsburgh has a lack of diversity by excluding all of the city neighborhoods? Especially when every Pittsburgh-basher on here routinely and deliberately excludes Pittsburgh's suburbs from consideration when we talk about topics such as population, housing appreciation, and crime? This is just another example of a negative Nellie picking and choosing a "convenient" example to substantiate a biased opinion. If you want to use the suburbs to prove how "White" you think Pittsburgh is, fine. But you won't get to ignore all the people who live there the next time you want to bash on Pittsburgh's declining population.

On a anecdotal level, I live in one of the "hip" city neighborhoods you discarded in your argument. Personally, I feel like Pittsburgh from my perspective is one of the most diverse places I've ever lived, even including Arizona, where I lived in a town with ~40% Hispanic population. On any given day, I can get on the bus and hear 3 different languages spoken, see at least one person in non-western clothing, and at least one other person with piercings and purple hair. If that isn't diversity, I don't know what is.

But then again, I'm sure my Pittsburgh experience would count a lot more if I lived somewhere like, say, Cranberry.

[claremarie]

In my experience, the suburbs of most cities, Pittsburgh included, are extremely bland and non-diverse. I

You have clearly never spent much time in the DC area. Even the most nondescript, tract-home suburb is filled with people who were born in another country. Some 25% of Fairfax County's population is foreign-born. There are quite a few public schools in the suburbs in which white students are a distinct minority. The children at our suburban bus stop speak Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and Urdu. You cannot walk five minutes at Tyson's Corner shopping center without hearing someone speaking a foreign language.

Pittsburgh's population simply lacks that diversity. Check into the percentage of the metro area population that is Hispanic or Asian. It's single digits, if that. Most city neighborhoods in Pittsburgh are either majority white or majority black. To the best of my knowledge, none of the Catholic parishes in the Pgh area offers a Spanish Mass.

[JoeP]

Yes. And in the last hours DC was still DC. Which is a unique city. And some cities offer more than DC, but none offer the DC's unique workforce in such numbers.