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I'm surprised no one mentioned some northeast PA cities. Scranton peaked at about 150K in the 1930s and is under 80K now. Nearby Wilkes-Barre approached 100K and is around 40K now.
Hartford, CT is dying. It peaked at around 150,000 in 1990 and is now down to about 125,000.
In that vein lets also add the CT cities of Bridgeport and New Haven and Springfield, MA (similar population numbers). I thought about adding them (and Hartford) to my post about northeast PA cities, but I thought they were thinking of say cities that literally lost either side of half it's population peak.
Well, I think the whole concept of a city is kind of outdated. In early civilizations, people had to stick together and keep their resources concentrated in a small area to survive. But nowadays, we have high speed transportation and the ability to build homes pretty much anywhere. The modern way of living is suburban sprawl. Personally, I like semi-rural living, with a city within a 20-30 minute drive.
Poor Youngtown, Ohio. Still has some great features,
But it went from 170,000 from 1930's -1960's to present day 70,000.
Steel mills closing hurt the town the most.
This town shocks me. It use to be larger then my city, Pueblo Colorado, and we were and continue to be a steel town, yet we have grown while they died.
Collingswood? I was there last year and it did not seem to be dying. Why not add Haddonfield? And regarding the Hamptons equivalent for Chicago: Lake Geneva WI. If you are in town, take the boat tour and see the mansions.
the previously gentrified areas of NW (already have small family sizes, poor folks long gone, dominant drivers are new construction and rising rents leading to MORE persons per unit
the 20009 DC zip code, which starts near my neighborhood has probably been one of the most gentrified in the last decade in the US, with tons of new condos, restaurants, etc, it's got just 1.8 people per household and over half the housing stock is studio and 1 BR apartments
my zip, 20008, which gentrified decades ago, has just 1.6 people per household, meanwhile, the just starting to gentrify 20002 zip has 2.3 people per household
gentrification reduces household size, and I see this with the limited inventory of 2 BR apts around here in newer buildings
Wow! I live in Harrisburg Il and it is sad that the town has become what it is today, nothing! I moved here in 1974, and have lived here since. I have managed to work and make a decent living. nothing great, but decent. Union was big here when I first came. The local IGA, I believe it was called Harmons IGA at the time was Union, and some people retired with a pension, until it was bought by a non union individual. Coal Mines were Union, and provided many jobs for people, from machinists in mine repair shops to welders and coal miners. Harrisburg was a nice little town with really cool people. It has turned into a infested slum, with low income and poverty stricken low life crack heads. Of course Harrisburg was always a town that partied. Pot, beer, hard liquor, sex, abundant in Harrisburg. People love to party here. But my advice for the young is stay clean, go to the near by colleges and leave for work if you have to, then when you get ready to retire, Harrisburg will be here for you, if the weather doesn't drown the little town. Great Pics of the area!
Last edited by porg n poot; 06-06-2011 at 10:17 AM..
Reason: spelling
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