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.
I disagree with those saying Nashville is already there. It has a certain hipster appeal, but stops well short of Austin/Portland, and its cool momentum seems to have stalled.
I disagree with those saying Nashville is already there. It has a certain hipster appeal, but stops well short of Austin/Portland, and its cool momentum seems to have stalled.
It's not up there with Austin or Portland yet, but it's the next city in line imo.
It's not up there with Austin or Portland yet, but it's the next city in line imo.
Of all the cities on the poll, Nashville is clearly the furthest along, but I'm not certain that it's next in line. Nashville has a couple of things working against it: it's more conservative than the other cities (except SLC), and it's overtly Southern. Nashville can never be the new south, because its calling card is country.
I see why its winning the poll, but it's certainly not "already there".
I feel like New Orleans is already cool... So is Pittsburgh (at least catching the attention of hipsters, anyway).
The others I have no idea.
I really don't see SLC coming "cool" anytime soon though. I hate to say it but I think Utah ruins it on that one. Stringent alcohol laws (remember, "cool" people like microbreweries and coffee) and the reputation/stereotype of the LDS definitely ruins the chance for SLC to be cool anytime soon. And like I said, I don't think it is SLC as it is Provo and other LDS communities who have tainted the Mormon image that are either in or near Utah (Colorado City, Arizona is the biggest one I can think of at the moment and it's on the border). LDS I think is a very misunderstood religion, to be fair I don't understand it either but the media really doesn't help the religion and Mormons are good people, I'd say on average better than the other Christian denominations. LDS is pretty common here in Arizona as it is in Idaho and Nevada so I don't have a Utah-level of experience with it but at least I am a bit familiar with how they work (my high school was across the street from a Mormon church, so I had a lot of high school peers that were Mormons). Other then the fact that they appear insular and aloof to non-LDS, they are a-okay with this atheist.
The main reason I think this is the case is because Salt Lake City once held the Winter Olympics, so it has officially gained international recognition for amazing mountains to ski and so on, but STILL did not get the same boom as Denver and almost everyone I know is moving to Denver for mountains, and marijuana to be honest. And in SLC those mountains are much closer. But Utah, the state itself, being so red with stringent alcohol laws and I would never in my own mind believe Utah would ever pass marijuana legalization (Colorado is booming because of this a lot) is holding SLC back.
SLC seems to do well on its own when it doesn't rely on the rest of the state to do things, think public transit (I heard SLC does very well here) and so on. SLC seems like a blue city in a red sea scenario, similar to Austin BUT Utah may arguably be more conservative than Texas on some fronts, especially social policies which is what makes it hard for SLC (again, Utah not the city itself). I think SLC could be in the future, when Denver becomes as expensive as coastal California and people realize Denver isn't all that when there are plenty of other cities in the West that provide the same levels of outdoor recreation with even easier mountain access and cheaper costs (SLC, Flagstaff, Tucson, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Boise, anything in Montana besides Billings, Coeur d'Alene, Jackson, Bend, Sacramento, etc.) Practically every other city in the West can provide the same things as Denver, and sometimes even more (white water rafting in Boise and western Montana, lakes/off-roading/unique hiking in Utah, desert and mountains in southern Arizona and New Mexico, etc.). Personally Colorado and I are similar on a political level as of right now and I do like what Denver is doing, but I think it's costs are outrageous. Not that Colorado is anything short of mountain activities, it's just all other Western states provide the same thing, so I don't understand the premium.
Also I hate to be one of the billions of people who had to put SLC because of the LDS here, but I really do believe that it's the reason why SLC is held back. Media perception of LDS.
If I had to take a guess, and remember I've never been to the cities on this list (besides NOLA) I would guess Baltimore. Baltimore seems like it is in a prime location to be a cool, cheaper city on the Eastern seaboard.
If I had to take a guess, and remember I've never been to the cities on this list (besides NOLA) I would guess Baltimore. Baltimore seems like it is in a prime location to be a cool, cheaper city on the Eastern seaboard.
The problem is that it's too close to DC. Baltimore has some things going for it but I doubt it could ever be an "it" city because a much better city (sorry, it's true) is only a 40 minute drive away. It's not like Pittsburgh whose closest competition is Cleveland.
The problem is that it's too close to DC. Baltimore has some things going for it but I doubt it could ever be an "it" city because a much better city (sorry, it's true) is only a 40 minute drive away. It's not like Pittsburgh whose closest competition is Cleveland.
Baltimore could be Oakland to DC's San Fran (albeit much further away). As a matter of fact, I should have included Oakland in the poll.
SLC seems to do well on its own when it doesn't rely on the rest of the state to do things, think public transit (I heard SLC does very well here) and so on. SLC seems like a blue city in a red sea scenario, similar to Austin BUT Utah may arguably be more conservative than Texas on some fronts, especially social policies which is what makes it hard for SLC (again, Utah not the city itself). I think SLC could be in the future, when Denver becomes as expensive as coastal California and people realize Denver isn't all that when there are plenty of other cities in the West that provide the same levels of outdoor recreation with even easier mountain access and cheaper costs (SLC, Flagstaff, Tucson, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Boise, anything in Montana besides Billings, Coeur d'Alene, Jackson, Bend, Sacramento, etc.) Practically every other city in the West can provide the same things as Denver, and sometimes even more (white water rafting in Boise and western Montana, lakes/off-roading/unique hiking in Utah, desert and mountains in southern Arizona and New Mexico, etc.). Personally Colorado and I are similar on a political level as of right now and I do like what Denver is doing, but I think it's costs are outrageous. Not that Colorado is anything short of mountain activities, it's just all other Western states provide the same thing, so I don't understand the premium.
People move to Denver because they like Denver. If they didn't they wouldn't be paying the prices and moving there in droves. SLC and other Western cities are growing too, but there's a reason they aren't growing as fast. They don't have the same energy or hipness to them. Denver clearly has something those other cities don't as well, so it goes both ways. I doubt SLC will be stealing Denver's thunder anytime soon.
The problem is that it's too close to DC. Baltimore has some things going for it but I doubt it could ever be an "it" city because a much better city (sorry, it's true) is only a 40 minute drive away. It's not like Pittsburgh whose closest competition is Cleveland.
Well isn't DC expensive? That is a major draw for Baltimore there on its own, especially if sufficient public transit is in place between the two.
Baltimore, at least from Google images, appears to have a lot of brick infrastructure and good city structure for a pedestrian/public transit style living that is very trendy as of right now. I have to admit I have a soft spot for brick buildings, I love them, and so do a lot of other people. It's popular to take old industrial buildings (especially brick ones) and turn them into modern lofts. I do believe Baltimore could be a prime location for an "it" city but I think what holds back Baltimore more than being close to DC, is crime. Crime and on top of being close to other major metros, is what I should be saying, as they can move to DC and commute so be it but not have the issue of crime. Or one of the towns in between the two.
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.
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.
