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I think this is all a cyclical pattern. This has been the case in the US forever. One area becomes a popular destination because it has a set number of ideal advantages for the middle class: Jobs, relative low costs, affordable housing, a healthy public infrastructure. If one or more of those items falls off and another area or region can compensate then people will migrate to those areas.
I'm not totally wild about the latest trend. I am from the South and want to move back someday. But there are so many people flooding in I worry what its going to be like when and if I do decide to move back.
I think many midwestern cities are just off the radar for people who are trying to find a place to start their career or open a business. For example, despite the fact that Ohio is seen as a state that is struggling economically, I know that there are places were someone could make a killing by opening a really good ethnic restaurant or some other highly specialized small business. However, most people assume that no one here has money to spend and so they should just go to one of the cities were tons of immigrants and entrepreneurs are already trying to start a business.
I think many midwestern cities are just off the radar for people who are trying to find a place to start their career or open a business. For example, despite the fact that Ohio is seen as a state that is struggling economically, I know that there are places were someone could make a killing by opening a really good ethnic restaurant or some other highly specialized small business. However, most people assume that no one here has money to spend and so they should just go to one of the cities were tons of immigrants and entrepreneurs are already trying to start a business.
I think there's some truth to this but it could probably apply to a lot of areas including the Southeast. Basically huge swaths of the country have few dining options. Its mostly chain restaurants with bland, predictable food. I can almost guarantee that if you were to open a good resturant that sells a wide variety of microbrews people would go nuts about it. The small Tennessee town I'm from has a newer microbrewery that opened with an attached resturaunt. The beer is awful. But the place is PACKED every single day. Out here in Cali these are commonplace. Notsomuch elsewhere.
I live in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. I'm a young professional and I'd LOVE to move to MPLS, it's just too expenisve or too crappy. It's very hard to find something that I'm looking for - Newer model, affordable homes, nice neighborhood, etc.
I've lived in big cities before and I didn't really like it - I didn't like the age of the deterriorating housing stock, didn't like the on-street parking, gridded streets, alleyways, yuck, you can keep it.
Sorry MPLS, maybe less people would flock to Maple Grove and Woodbury if you tried to actually be like Maple Grove and Woodbury. Most neighborhoods that people suggest on C-D are garbage. A poster in the Twin Cities forum always RAVES about this neighborhood, and so I drove through it this weekend and just could never live there. Sorry, but not my cup of tea.
I live in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. I'm a young professional and I'd LOVE to move to MPLS, it's just too expenisve or too crappy. It's very hard to find something that I'm looking for - Newer model, affordable homes, nice neighborhood, etc.
I've lived in big cities before and I didn't really like it - I didn't like the age of the deterriorating housing stock, didn't like the on-street parking, gridded streets, alleyways, yuck, you can keep it.
Sorry MPLS, maybe less people would flock to Maple Grove and Woodbury if you tried to actually be like Maple Grove and Woodbury. Most neighborhoods that people suggest on C-D are garbage. A poster in the Twin Cities forum always RAVES about this neighborhood, and so I drove through it this weekend and just could never live there. Sorry, but not my cup of tea.
I get that same feeling sometimes. I'd love to live in downtown, if I could afford it. At the same time, 90% of the city isn't for me. I love the activity of the city, proximity to amenities, ect., but I despise not having a place to park my car every night. It may sound short-sided, but many people have those same complaints.
I think it takes a special kind of person to live in the city. No doubt, the inner-city will become more sought after, though. Increased gas prices sometimes force people to move closer to work.
Overall, I'm happy certain Midwestern cities are holding their populations stable. Its a tough thing to accomplish.
Yeah I think people are definitely just moving to the suburbs, because almost all states, even in the Midwest, have experienced a net gain in population since 2000.
For example, Ohio, with all its troubles gained 1.6%, while Illinois gained a 3.3%. In fact, the only state to experience a loss since 2000 was Michigan, at -.6%. Lol And I guess you could count Puerto Rico, at -2.2%. I wonder why people are leaving Puerto Rico?
Also, the move to the suburbs might have something to do with aging "Baby Boomers." Maybe old folks dont want to live next in the heart of the city anymore?
Location: Cleveland bound with MPLS in the rear-view
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I wonder if this country is in a recession precisely because people are basing major life decisions like where to live because of WEATHER -- as opposed to say where you can best find a high-earning job? Maybe it's just me (I know it's a little bit of the reason), but I feel like there are so many other factors to consider when finding work or a place to live besides weather. But maybe that's because it can't really get much more extreme than the Midwest?
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