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I'm not knocking Pittsburgh, but I personally would never want to live there. My opinion is that it's too small, quite isolated, and the weather is poor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guineas
Despite this bargain, it's still shrinking in population in both the city and metro area. Maybe not such a great bargain after all.
I mean I get that people don't want to live in a city like Pittsburgh (hence our continued population decline); however, it's hard for me to have any empathy for people either on here or on social media whining about housing affordability who are choosing to continue living within very expensive major metropolitan areas. I could barely afford groceries when I was living near DC, which is why I packed up and moved somewhere cheaper. No, a place like Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Toledo or St. Louis or Indianapolis or Omaha may not be "sexy", but if you can take a nominal pay cut and comfortably afford rent and/or homeownership in these cities then why not go for it and work to make these cities better? I am working hard to make Pittsburgh better, and I wish others would move to cities like mine, too, to help make them better.
It's just frustrating on social media to see someone in LA or NYC whine about gentrification or that they can't afford both rent and groceries and then get a "haha" or "LOLZ" react back at me when I suggest moving someplace cheaper like I did to have more financial breathing room. I realize this forum skews affluent, but a ton of people in this country are struggling right now.
I mean I get that people don't want to live in a city like Pittsburgh (hence our continued population decline); however, it's hard for me to have any empathy for people either on here or on social media whining about housing affordability who are choosing to continue living within very expensive major metropolitan areas. I could barely afford groceries when I was living near DC, which is why I packed up and moved somewhere cheaper. No, a place like Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Toledo or St. Louis or Indianapolis or Omaha may not be "sexy", but if you can take a nominal pay cut and comfortably afford rent and/or homeownership in these cities then why not go for it and work to make these cities better? I am working hard to make Pittsburgh better, and I wish others would move to cities like mine, too, to help make them better.
It's just frustrating on social media to see someone in LA or NYC whine about gentrification or that they can't afford both rent and groceries and then get a "haha" or "LOLZ" react back at me when I suggest moving someplace cheaper like I did to have more financial breathing room. I realize this forum skews affluent, but a ton of people in this country are struggling right now.
I agree with you for sure. I moved from DC proper to Philly, as I still wanted to live in a major city but somewhere cheaper - and it's also tough to beat Philly's proximity to NYC, Baltimore, and DC. Before DC I spent a couple years in Baltimore, and only left because of work.
Also, I'd still choose Pittsburgh over any of the examples you named besides perhaps Indianapolis. Some people choose LA and NYC to simply to say they live there, despite having numerous roommates, saving NOTHING, and not having nearly the quality of life they would somewhere else.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesJay64
I agree with you for sure. I moved from DC proper to Philly, as I still wanted to live in a major city but somewhere cheaper - and it's also tough to beat Philly's proximity to NYC, Baltimore, and DC. Before DC I spent a couple years in Baltimore, and only left because of work.
Also, I'd still choose Pittsburgh over any of the examples you named besides perhaps Indianapolis. Some people choose LA and NYC to simply to say they live there, despite having numerous roommates, saving NOTHING, and not having nearly the quality of life they would somewhere else.
Your last paragraph brought back memories of a few poseurs I knew from Newport Beach, CA a few decades ago...3 guys, all in their early 30’s, would share a 2BR apartment just to boast they lived in Newport Beach….one of them even went as far as to change the model decal number on the back of his 10 year old Mercedes and push the car off to dates as being only 2 years old….oh how I miss such d-bags—NOT.
Meanwhile my mortgage in Pittsburgh is $380/month, yet nobody who whines they "can't afford housing" in the trendy/sexy cities will consider moving here. My fiance just had to take a leave of absence from work for two months to deal with a mental health crisis, and we survived very comfortably on just my lone income during that time. Tons of jobs here, too, but, alas, we aren't "sexy".
Just the other day, I was talking to my friends in the film industry in Philly and what cities that have consistent work. If it's not LA or New York, then it's surely Atlanta and next Chicago, then Albuquerque and New Orleans... nobody wants to relocate to Pittsburgh.
I mean I get that people don't want to live in a city like Pittsburgh (hence our continued population decline); however, it's hard for me to have any empathy for people either on here or on social media whining about housing affordability who are choosing to continue living within very expensive major metropolitan areas. I could barely afford groceries when I was living near DC, which is why I packed up and moved somewhere cheaper. No, a place like Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Toledo or St. Louis or Indianapolis or Omaha may not be "sexy", but if you can take a nominal pay cut and comfortably afford rent and/or homeownership in these cities then why not go for it and work to make these cities better? I am working hard to make Pittsburgh better, and I wish others would move to cities like mine, too, to help make them better.
It's just frustrating on social media to see someone in LA or NYC whine about gentrification or that they can't afford both rent and groceries and then get a "haha" or "LOLZ" react back at me when I suggest moving someplace cheaper like I did to have more financial breathing room. I realize this forum skews affluent, but a ton of people in this country are struggling right now.
I don't disagree but it is surprising to me to see continued population declines in Pittsburgh and the metro area despite its substantial affordability. Other Sunbelt cities in Texas and Georgia are growing rapidly because of their relative affordability. Cities in the Texas Triangle are now actually more expensive than Pittsburgh.
Since I now work in the business sector, it's mainly all the Miami boosters who moved there from NY/SoCal that are moving back. Lots of the "tech migration" never happened and they're working remotely from elsewhere. People who have been in Miami for decades are leaving since it's becoming unbearably expensive, with their rents being increased between $1-$3K a month in one shot. Of course some stay within the MSA but others are going to Orlando, Tampa or Austin.
I was in Miami for business, lots of people I'm talking to are considering leaving because of how expensive it is, salaries are low and the honeymoon phase is over. Of course, I'm trying to get their business to move up here, so far it's looking more and more likely. Of course, the covid boom was insane and much more than what I witnessed when I lived there until 2017. But like everything Miami, it's still reliant on a boom/bust cycle and at the expense of long time locals.
As for other cities, I'm not familiar since I don't work or visit there frequently, but I do know people from SF are going to L.A in increasing numbers, people from Chicago/NYC thinking of Charlotte, Nashville is a city I always hear is good or other parts of Florida (Orlando, Tampa). But these things change on the fly, so every quarter is different.
Eh, TBH Austin isn't really cheaper than Miami, but I can understand the case for Orlando and Tampa.. ..and I agree that Miami is expensive but its definitely not the most expensive city in the country.
It would take a very insecure narcissist to live somewhere for "image." I'd bet a dominant majority of people who move to expensive cities do it for job oppportunity, quality of life, adventure, or some other combo of reasons.
I mean I get that people don't want to live in a city like Pittsburgh (hence our continued population decline); however, it's hard for me to have any empathy for people either on here or on social media whining about housing affordability who are choosing to continue living within very expensive major metropolitan areas. I could barely afford groceries when I was living near DC, which is why I packed up and moved somewhere cheaper. No, a place like Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Toledo or St. Louis or Indianapolis or Omaha may not be "sexy", but if you can take a nominal pay cut and comfortably afford rent and/or homeownership in these cities then why not go for it and work to make these cities better? I am working hard to make Pittsburgh better, and I wish others would move to cities like mine, too, to help make them better.
It's just frustrating on social media to see someone in LA or NYC whine about gentrification or that they can't afford both rent and groceries and then get a "haha" or "LOLZ" react back at me when I suggest moving someplace cheaper like I did to have more financial breathing room. I realize this forum skews affluent, but a ton of people in this country are struggling right now.
Its possible that people end up in expensive areas like Los Angeles or NYC because its just how their life turned out, and no other reason.
If you stay in mid-sized metros and things aren't going great for you, oh well, you get a big "sucks to be you buddy, its not what you know, its who you know!" You have to get out to change your fortunes.
Thats why a lot of people leave for bigger cities, not because they want to appear glamorous but because they were from a St Louis or Toledo and had nothing going for them there.
Also, most people just can't wave a magic wand and be set up with a job in Pittsburgh or Cleveland. Its going to mean starting over at the bottom of whatever pecking order.
I don't disagree but it is surprising to me to see continued population declines in Pittsburgh and the metro area despite its substantial affordability. Other Sunbelt cities in Texas and Georgia are growing rapidly because of their relative affordability. Cities in the Texas Triangle are now actually more expensive than Pittsburgh.
Keep in mind the major driver of population loss (and even then, for that metric, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County is MUCH better off than its surrounding suburbs) is natural decline. Pittsburgh has actually fared much better than it gets credit for relative to migration trends.
Who knows what the continued evolution of the remote work era will bring, as well? What's clear, though, is that we're bound to see much more migration to smaller, non-coastal metros in the coming years given recent unsustainable housing costs. We've reached a tipping point as a country and there's really no other option.
Is Sacramento going to blow up? I’ve been calling it the next Austin, TX for a while now due to its incredible location
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