Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Pittsburgh
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 10-26-2009, 12:54 AM
 
20,273 posts, read 32,866,736 times
Reputation: 2910

Advertisements

I'd also think Minneapolis would be another good choice for you as long as you don't mind the weather. That said, I think you will find housing prices in particular are substantially higher in Minneapolis--not high by bubble-city standards, but still not as low as Pittsburgh either--which in turn will register as a significant difference in total COL.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 10-26-2009, 01:01 AM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,314,680 times
Reputation: 35862
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
I'd also think Minneapolis would be another good choice for you as long as you don't mind the weather. That said, I think you will find housing prices in particular are substantially higher in Minneapolis--not high by bubble-city standards, but still not as low as Pittsburgh either--which in turn will register as a significant difference in total COL.
That is what I have found. I have made comparisons and Pittsburgh is definitely less expensive than Minneapolis when it comes to housing. I would be renting but that would still be my greatest expense.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-26-2009, 02:18 AM
 
Location: Macao
16,284 posts, read 42,972,532 times
Reputation: 10231
That is very interesting the comment about PORTLAND being too centered around youth culture. I would agree. I like Portland a lot, but I can see your reasons for looking for somewhere that would be a bit more aging-friendly. Meaning, activities and such for an entire range of people of all different ages.

Having lived in MINNEAPOLIS before...I'll expand more upon it. First, I grew up in Michigan which has brutal winters. But I was amazed that Minneapolis actually had significantly more brutal winters. Meaning, I had to actually heat my car battery at night. If you didn't, it often wouldn't start. I never had to do that in Michigan. On the other hand, Minneapolis has this amazing SKYWAYS system, where everywhere you want to go downtown is all connected by skyways connecting a labrynth of buildings. However, you probably wouldn't be living downtown. Not that it isn't desireable, but moreso because it isn't that big. As far as college classes and community classes, tons of them in Minneapolis. The city really offers a lot to its residents. Very progressive place as well. Actually I liked most things about Minneapolis except the weather. I also liked 'Dinkytown' which is around the U of M campus, and St. Paul is interesting - although I almost never went over there.

The others I can't really comment on, only have small impressions.

But, CLEVELAND...I didn't like it at all. I just remember getting lost trying to find my way around, and seemed like it had a strong ghetto feel that I didn't like so much. I think I've read that suburbs are the way to go with that city, which kind of kills it to me. Maybe someone else is more informed on Cleveland though.

I've heard a lot of good things about Omaha.

Knoxville, I'm curious about it as well from a Pittsburgh perspective.

PITTSBURGH...seems to have pretty much everything you've mentioned you'd like. I've driven once through Pittsburgh myself and loved the views looking into the city, and I parked near 'the Point' and walked around. That was when I was 18 years old (which was 20 years ago)...but it always stands out, and everything I read and see on Pittsburgh, I really like. I am looking forward to the OP visiting Pittsburgh and impressions, etc. I am also looking forward to myself getting back there and getting to know the city a bit more first-hand.

Last edited by Tiger Beer; 10-26-2009 at 02:33 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-26-2009, 04:26 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,314,680 times
Reputation: 35862
Tiger Beer, I loved the Skyways in Minneapolis. I was there in the srping but it was unseasonably warm the first couple of days so I like the nice air-conditioned skyways to get around. They were also handy because I was staying downtown and there was street work being done everywhere so I was able to avoid all the dusty streets being torn up. The only problem was I kept getting lost in the Skyways. Serveral times kind security guards had to point me in the right direction.

I have only heard of Knoxville on this website. Some of the people on the retirement forum posted how nice it is and inexpensive. The Knoxville forum here has some good information too. I plan to visit there next Spring.

If Cleveland living means suburbs, count me out. I am a city person. I like a nice neighborhood in the city not too far from things. I actually have that in Portland and I like it a lot but I pay dearly for the privilege.

Last edited by Minervah; 10-26-2009 at 04:49 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-26-2009, 05:29 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 102,722,835 times
Reputation: 29967
IMO the only city you listed that offers a better quality of life than Pittsburgh is Minneapolis -- but it comes at a price both financial and climate-wise. Minneapolis is not a cheap place to live -- certainly not by Midwest standards -- and it's not high on many people's "retire and settle down" list because the winters up there are long and unrepentantly brutal.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-26-2009, 07:15 PM
 
Location: Cortland, Ohio
3,343 posts, read 10,890,705 times
Reputation: 1586
If you want to hear from people that actually live in the city of Cleveland and learn about any developments there you might want to check out UrbanOhio.com l Ohio's Ultimate Urban Site! 's forum. Lots of great pictures and tons of people that live downtown.

Cleveland's inner ring suburbs are very dense and walkable and the transportation in the Cleveland metro is pretty good. If you don't want to live right downtown you might want to look into Tremont, Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, some parts of University Heights and Shaker Heights. The guys/gals at urban ohio will give you some great advice.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-26-2009, 08:58 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,314,680 times
Reputation: 35862
Great advice everyone. I was used to Chicago winters but it sounds like Minneapolis winters are more severe. Regarding Cleveland, I think it has gone through ups and downs through the years. I'll still probably check it out. Thanks for the input.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-27-2009, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Morgantown, WV
1,000 posts, read 2,339,241 times
Reputation: 999
I wouldn't bother with Cleveland, and Knoxville isn't on the same scale as the other three cities that you've mentioned and will have by far the hottest and most humid summers. I would narrow things down a bit and stick with Minneapolis or Pittsburgh. Both cities should have exactly what you want(Cleveland...not so much), and I would try to visit both cities over the next couple years to see for yourself which would be better. I don't think you could go wrong with either of the two, Minneapolis will be a bit more modern and cosmopolitan while Pittsburgh is 100% its own thing and unique to the country.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-27-2009, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,314,680 times
Reputation: 35862
H'mm I am seriously thinking of postponing my Knoxville trip and going to Pittsburgh first. The more I hear about it and research it on the net, the more I think it needs to be bumped up on the list. I really value all of your opinions pro and con about all these places. I have posted on the other citys' forums and people have been helpful as well.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-27-2009, 12:17 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,536,533 times
Reputation: 5162
I have a hard time thinking Knoxville would be a good fit, but it's not like I've been there recently. I'm puzzled by why so many immediately dismiss Cleveland, though. I think there may be places there which could fit. The public transport may not be as good. Overall there are more jobs here perhaps. And the cultural offerings in Pittsburgh trump anything else its size. But by those measurements there's no need to look anywhere else. Why leave Minneapolis in and not Cleveland? Doesn't make sense to me.

Personally I'd have trouble not driving in any of these places, but with a rental apartment (no maintenance, no yard) in the right neighborhood of Pittsburgh, I would venture that of these places that's where I'd have the least trouble. But I say this knowing that I'm not familiar enough with some of the others. I've been to Cleveland enough to know that there are some interesting neighborhoods and interesting things to do. How that fits in as a whole I don't know because I haven't considered moving there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Pittsburgh

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top