Kansas City vs. Louisville vs. Omaha vs. Pittsburgh vs. Columbus vs. STL (compare, places)

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by SPSGuy

Pittsburgh has a thriving academic/university center as well as a growing economy suited for the future as well..........the days of it having a depressed economy with negative growth are over.

I agree. Pittsburgh is on the uptick. I love it there. Some of the architecture makes me drool. Like Louisville, it went through a huge depression from 1960-1990. Since then, it has been on a slow uptick. But Pittsburgh, being almost twice as large as Louisville, has much more urban decay to clean up. With the exception of the West End (big exception I know), Louisville has cleaned up and made viable again much of its original city area, making one of the most artistic, foodie friendly, 4 season weather, cheap, and low commute cities of any in the 1-3 million metro range.

If more people knew about Louisville, it would likely see the growth you are seeing in Charlotte and Raleigh. Yet, I think Louisville natives like it that way. They prefer to be the "best kept secret."

[koberaptor]

Kansas City > Pittsburgh > Omaha

i would put st louis in front of KC as well.

[steel03]

Originally Posted by tdagarim

Haha well the thread I started in the DM forum turned into a bumper sticker thread.

Let me just apologize again for that ridiculousness. That forum has become such a battlefield. Every thread turns into the same argument.

[streetcreed]

Originally Posted by s.davis

KC is a Pittsburgh-sized Omaha.

Columbus is a KC-sized Des Moines.

Omaha is a very nice small-city, especially for a not-a-college-town town.

Des Moines is one of the few nice cities of its size in the Midwest, but is sleepy and small. Basically a big "town", not really a city. A lot of those kind of towns end up with all of the flaws of a city but none of its real benefits, but Des Moines seems able to navigate that transitional size really well, IMO.

Pittsburgh is kind of an outlier, here. Firstly, it's not midwestern. Its a weird mash up of rust-belt and appalachian culture. I think its got its charms, but the rumors of its "rebirth"/"reinvention" seem pretty overblown. It is most comparable to KC of the towns listed, they have a lot of the same level of amenities, but Pittsburgh is more provincial, more established as civic entity and just has more of its own kind of soul. In that way, its a lot like StL or Cleveland.

Columbus is not the same as Des Moines. I suggest you are a due for a visit. Probably the craziest thing I've heard on the board all year.

[tdagarim]

I'm officially adding Louisville and St. Louis into the discussion as they have been suggested. Is there any way I can edit the thread title?

[steel03]

Originally Posted by streetcreed

Columbus is not the same as Des Moines. I suggest you are a due for a visit. Probably the craziest thing I've heard on the board all year.

Maybe you're the one who's due for a visit. Des Moines and Columbus are both thriving. It's a good thing.


If St. Louis is part of the discussion, I would personally go with St. Louis, but any of them would still 100% fit your requirements.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by streetcreed

Columbus is not the same as Des Moines. I suggest you are a due for a visit. Probably the craziest thing I've heard on the board all year.

Didn't say it was the same, and I certainly didn't mean it disparagingly. And yes, I'm definitely due for a visit to Columbus. I'll take any excuse to travel in Ohio - probably my favorite state.

[tdagarim]

Bump

[Mplsite]

This thread doesn't make sense. Moving on.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by tdagarim

I'm officially adding Louisville and St. Louis into the discussion as they have been suggested. Is there any way I can edit the thread title?

I added them for you. I still think Louisville wins this battle as it is the most progressive of the bunch and easiest to get around (ie less sprawl) with several great compact urban hoods and the best food scene among those listed except for possibly STL.