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I prefer to live in Pullman. The two towns compliment each other, they have different vibes. While Moscow currently has better amenities, Pullman is quickly catching up. Plus Idaho has a 7% state income tax. No thanks. Pullman's schools are way better than Moscow's, and the quality of life is probably better. We pay less taxes but get all the advantages of only being 8 miles from Moscow.
How's the economy in Pullman and Moscow? Are they good areas for young people to find jobs?
How's the economy in Pullman and Moscow? Are they good areas for young people to find jobs?
There's a surprising number of engineering firms between the two towns, highlighted by Schweitzer Engineering. The quality of life is extremely high here, so it's a big attraction for educated families. The two universities are always hiring faculty and staff (with the added benefit of "spousal accommodations"). The newest unemployment rates were just released and Whitman County (Pullman, WSU) has one of the lowest in the state (3 or 4%). I assume Latah Country (Moscow, UI) is similar.
I think I'd take the Big 10. Feel like more quintessential college towns, and sports culture is arguably stronger with the Big 10 than the Pac 12.
Conference of Champions!
Pac-12 again wins most national titles - Pac-12 Blog- ESPN "This year’s championships add to an impressive tradition for the Pac-12. With 469 total titles, Conference teams have, by far, claimed the most national championships in the country all-time, over 200 more than the next closest league (Big Ten - 266)."
Pac-12 again wins most national titles - Pac-12 Blog- ESPN "This year’s championships add to an impressive tradition for the Pac-12. With 469 total titles, Conference teams have, by far, claimed the most national championships in the country all-time, over 200 more than the next closest league (Big Ten - 266)."
No marquee sports, though. Does every Big Ten school have a water polo team?
And I never said Moscow and UI are "better" in every single respect. Just that it is a prettier town (sits at the base of Moscow Mountain) instead of in the middle of the wheat fields, and it has more to it in terms of the downtown and retail. I think Pullman has an excellent research Park. And don't get me wrong, Pullman is a nice clean town. There just isn't as much there as you would expect with a University of 25-30K................But that's probably because Moscow is there as well.
And for the THIRD time, neither of these two places hold up that well by themselves but together they are just unique and the environment is really wonderful. I'm hoping to attend the Battle of the Palouse someday or at least catch a Coug and Vandal home game that are on the same day. Heck if they were on at the same time you could go from one to the other at halftime and not miss any part of the game.
I linked to the comment and quoted it.
My point was that I don't think most students who go to WSU decided to go there because Moscow was 8 miles away. I also don't agree Moscow is a prettier town. I think that they both look very similar. I like Pullman better because of the hills. Pullman is also closer to a lake area on the Snake River.
Moscow is surrounded by wheatfields too. Moscow Mountain is a tall mountain in the middle of wheatfields.
I also don't think average student at WSU has any interaction with Uni of Idaho. UI had an undergraduate enrollment of 9100. That is smaller than the College of Charleston. WSU has an undergrad enrollment around 25,000 and total enrollment around 30,000. In my view, this makes WSU a much more fun place to be if you are younger coupled with the fact that it has better sports.
I think Pullman would be better off if Moscow wasn't nearby because there would be more stuff in Pullman. Stores locate over in Moscow because Washington state has a very high sales tax because it has no income tax.
You don't seem to care for true college towns.
Last edited by ClemVegas; 05-24-2017 at 03:23 PM..
Pac-12 again wins most national titles - Pac-12 Blog- ESPN "This year’s championships add to an impressive tradition for the Pac-12. With 469 total titles, Conference teams have, by far, claimed the most national championships in the country all-time, over 200 more than the next closest league (Big Ten - 266)."
I'm talking general school sports culture, not winning culture. Big 10 schools have larger stadiums and by what I've seen, bigger tailgates and more pride culture. More what I'm used to with the SEC and ACC.
It seems like these 2 conferences both have great college towns. I'm wondering overall which conference has the better college towns based on
1. Walk ability
2. Entry level jobs for young recent college graduates.
3. Night life
4. Scenery
5. Dating Scene
6. Potential for future growth
7. Quality of the local universities
8. Best for young families
1. Walkability tends to be high in college towns. Tie
2. Slight edge to the Pac 12, because a larger percentage of their schools are located in large metro areas and most of the B1G schools located in smaller and midsize cities (including places like Madison and Ann Arbor) tend to have an oversupply of young people wanting to live there for the size of their economies.
3. Slight edge to the Pac 12 for the same reason as in #2 - larger cities mean more diverse nightlife options.
4. Pac 12, although State College is quite scenic, and Madison isn't too bad either. There are a lot more trees in cities with B1G schools, which gives kind of a quaint feeling in the fall that might not exist in the Pac 12.
5. If you're a guy, probably the B1G; if you're a girl, probably the Pac 12.
6. Probably about even.
7. Probably about even.
8. B1G college towns. A lot of the Pac 12 schools are in really expensive areas. The B1G schools that are in smaller communities tend to have excellent school systems, parks, and everything nearby due to the presence of major universities.
As you can probably tell from my username I am a big ten alum. I will continue my education at my alma mater but seriously considered several other large universities with a heavy emphasis on the big ten schools.
I have spent significant time in Columbus, Ann Arbor, Evanston, Madison, State College, East Lansing, West Lafayette, University Park, New Brunswick.
Leaving Ohio State out of the discussion due to my extreme bias the most impressive of the communities I visited by far are Madison and Ann Arbor.
Apart from the excellent academics they are absolutely lovely places to visit and live and are nationally competitive small cities in their own right.
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