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There's no question that the dirtiest secret about the otherwise splendid Upstate New York is that it has the highest property taxes in the country - as a percentage of your home's market value. (Other places have higher taxes, but the home values are proportionally higher, so it's not quite as dramatic.)
Omaha might be more attractive to people for that reason, and for the "growth" aspect - but I suppose it all depends on what you want to do with your money and leisure time. With my extra income in Omaha, well, I could buy a McMansion (not for me); I could buy a boat maybe, but wouldn't necessarily have any place to take it, compared to NY. I could spend my money on airline travel to the Caribbean. Or a new home theater. Or a fancy car. Personally, I'm not interested in that, but many people are.
I would argue that in Rochester, what you lose in income (and taxes!) you gain in the quality of life that is in your immediate area - either right by, or just a short drive away. You gain in the amount of memorable experiences (not consumption purchases) that you can enjoy. Everyone likes to say "Yeah you get better schools for the taxes" - and I don't know if that's true - but your taxes are also paying for other advantages in NY, such as a better social safety net for you and your neighbors, good public transportation, a decent highway system with no congestion, and the most outstanding state park system in the nation. There are more good *free* or low-cost experiences to be had in Rochester, IMHO, such as the hiking, fishing, historical museums and sites, tourist attractions, the other distinctive cities and towns nearby, the ethnic street festivals, etc that you just can't find in the isolated, flat, ethnically homogenous Midwest.
So, that is the tradeoff. You will have less spending cash in Rochester and a shorter active season (due to wintertime, but Omaha has winter too), but there are more and cheaper things to DO. If you're a "have" person you might like the Omaha advantage better, if you're a "do" person you might like Rochester better.
your taxes are also paying for other advantages in NY, such as a better social safety net for you and your neighbors, good public transportation, a decent highway system with no congestion, and the most outstanding state park system in the nation. There are more good *free* or low-cost experiences to be had in Rochester, IMHO, such as the hiking, fishing, historical museums and sites, tourist attractions, the other distinctive cities and towns nearby, the ethnic street festivals, etc that you just can't find in the isolated, flat, ethnically homogenous Midwest.
So, that is the tradeoff. You will have less spending cash in Rochester and a shorter active season (due to wintertime, but Omaha has winter too), but there are more and cheaper things to DO. If you're a "have" person you might like the Omaha advantage better, if you're a "do" person you might like Rochester better.
It's true that WNY has more amenities (lakes, interesting/beautiful towns and villages, etc). However you portray Omaha as nothing but flat, white, stripmallville, and that simply is not true. It is comparitaviely isolated (like many western cities), but the city itself offers quite a lot (and is neither flat nor homogeneous). There are great parks, museums, historical sites, performing arts, historic neighborhoods, etc. It's as if you're making these generalizations based on your own imaginings.
Both are great cities with a lot to offer, and it doesn't make sense to paint Omahans or people who prefer Omaha over Rochester as greedy, bland materialists.
For me personally, the taxes and cost of living are a very big deal when thinking about sending our kids to college one day. Also, Omaha's 30 inches of snow versus Rochester's 90 inches of snow is significant to my quality of life. And having spent considerable time in both cities, I have found Omahans to be much more friendly, down to earth, and less insular than Rochestarians. Now the last statement is a generalization and there are obviously exceptions, but it is a dramatic difference between the two populations in my experience.
There's no question that the dirtiest secret about the otherwise splendid Upstate New York is that it has the highest property taxes in the country - as a percentage of your home's market value. (Other places have higher taxes, but the home values are proportionally higher, so it's not quite as dramatic.)
Omaha might be more attractive to people for that reason, and for the "growth" aspect - but I suppose it all depends on what you want to do with your money and leisure time. With my extra income in Omaha, well, I could buy a McMansion (not for me); I could buy a boat maybe, but wouldn't necessarily have any place to take it, compared to NY. I could spend my money on airline travel to the Caribbean. Or a new home theater. Or a fancy car. Personally, I'm not interested in that, but many people are.
I would argue that in Rochester, what you lose in income (and taxes!) you gain in the quality of life that is in your immediate area - either right by, or just a short drive away. You gain in the amount of memorable experiences (not consumption purchases) that you can enjoy. Everyone likes to say "Yeah you get better schools for the taxes" - and I don't know if that's true - but your taxes are also paying for other advantages in NY, such as a better social safety net for you and your neighbors, good public transportation, a decent highway system with no congestion, and the most outstanding state park system in the nation. There are more good *free* or low-cost experiences to be had in Rochester, IMHO, such as the hiking, fishing, historical museums and sites, tourist attractions, the other distinctive cities and towns nearby, the ethnic street festivals, etc that you just can't find in the isolated, flat, ethnically homogenous Midwest.
So, that is the tradeoff. You will have less spending cash in Rochester and a shorter active season (due to wintertime, but Omaha has winter too), but there are more and cheaper things to DO. If you're a "have" person you might like the Omaha advantage better, if you're a "do" person you might like Rochester better.
Wow, you just insulted an entire region of the country. It's obvious you've never been to the Midwest, because where I alive it's not isolated, flat or ethnically homogeneous (I went to high school in Omaha, and I can spell better).
Anyway, I haven't lived in Omaha for 40 years, but I can tell you that you don't know what you're talking about. Growing up in Omaha in the 60's, was a great lesson in, what is now history. There was a lot of racial unrest, and racial riots of magnitude. Omaha was the headquarters for Strategic Air Command, and was very instrumental in preparing our country for a possible war with Russia. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, we had bomb drills in our school, and I woke up way too many mornings to sonic booms overhead. Not the most pleasant way to be awakened.
Do your research before you attempt to bash an entire city, an entire region of the country, and an entire people. We have better manners than that in the Midwest.
Wow, you just insulted an entire region of the country. It's obvious you've never been to the Midwest, because where I alive it's not isolated, flat or ethnically homogeneous (I went to high school in Omaha, and I can spell better).
Anyway, I haven't lived in Omaha for 40 years, but I can tell you that you don't know what you're talking about. Growing up in Omaha in the 60's, was a great lesson in, what is now history. There was a lot of racial unrest, and racial riots of magnitude. Omaha was the headquarters for Strategic Air Command, and was very instrumental in preparing our country for a possible war with Russia. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, we had bomb drills in our school, and I woke up way too many mornings to sonic booms overhead. Not the most pleasant way to be awakened.
Do your research before you attempt to bash an entire city, an entire region of the country, and an entire people. We have better manners than that in the Midwest.
Thanks, you more accurately portrayed my sentiments about that post . Although, that post is a perfect example of the insular attitude that seems to pervade Rochester. There is this attitude of Rochester being better than everywhere else, and the people there feeling like they have to put other places/people down in order to prove how much better they are. Even when it's not overt put downs like the post you responded to, it's often a more subtle, condescending approach. As long as you are talking about how great Rochester is, you will be fine. But once you offer any criticism - no matter how valid or constructive, you will be put down or an attempt to invalidate your perspective will ensue. And even if you're not criticizing Rochester, but instead simply saying something good about another place, you will be countered with the ways that Rochester is better. It's constant one-upping. It's very strange and hard for me to wrap my mind around people being so sheltered and afflicted with tunnel vision. It's truly one of the biggest cons when I consider moving there. It's right up there with the outrageous taxes and severe winters. Rudeness, ignorance . And there are plenty of shining examples on this one thread alone.
The hicks from Omaha, siberialand think they have more to offer than the Chester, NY.
They can't even sport more than one comedy club on top of the worst climate in america. They have no pro sports within a planet of the dump, there are no jobs there, and they make peanuts compared to everywhere else.
To those that think with clarity ( no less than 500 miles inland), which do you think is the better city?
Very easily, Omaha. Waaaaay more than Rochester.
Omaha's climate is very good, it may be hot in the summer but in the spring, some of the best severe weather to see happens up there. Plus, the winters are drier than Rochester, so the cold isn't as bad.
Rochester = mid-sized northeast city. Which in turn = run down. Enough said. Sorry, but it's kind of true. Sure, older parts of Omaha aren't pretty either, but the city is growing incredibly fast while Rochester remains stale.
I could care less about sports, so.. Don't care about that one. Rochester doesn't have any pro sports either.
The only downside to Omaha is its conservative nature, being in Nebraska. However, it's still a city so it's obviously going to be more liberal/progressive than the rest of the state.
Let them pick Omaha. Rochester will remain incredibly underrated on this board and a gem overall as a place to live.
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. Although, that post is a perfect example of the insular attitude that seems to pervade Rochester. There is this attitude of Rochester being better than everywhere else, and the people there feeling like they have to put other places/people down in order to prove how much better they are. Even when it's not overt put downs like the post you responded to, it's often a more subtle, condescending approach. As long as you are talking about how great Rochester is, you will be fine. But once you offer any criticism - no matter how valid or constructive, you will be put down or an attempt to invalidate your perspective will ensue. And even if you're not criticizing Rochester, but instead simply saying something good about another place, you will be countered with the ways that Rochester is better. It's constant one-upping. It's very strange and hard for me to wrap my mind around people being so sheltered and afflicted with tunnel vision. It's truly one of the biggest cons when I consider moving there. It's right up there with the outrageous taxes and severe winters. Rudeness, ignorance 
. And there are plenty of shining examples on this one thread alone.
