Most underrated cities lists all include Milwaukee and Pittsburgh (neighborhoods, college)
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There are a few lists that have already come out with why these cities have started to turn around so well. Milwaukee, where I now reside, is bursting with potential. The east side is hip, fun, but still laid back and friendly. Commuting is the 2nd lowest in the country and streetcars were recently approved to help supplement the city bus/shuttle system which is outstanding in the Summer festival season. Jobs/employment ranks 8th and Wisconsin ingeneral moved up 17 spots in business climate. Two new buildings are planeed for downtown Milwaukee. And though some snobby Chicagoans will want to label Milwaukee a suburb of Chicago, three are far too many Milwaukee originals, things that make the city have its own tremendous city pride....summerfest, the other large ethnic fests, German architecture still in tact, distinct neighborhoods, ethic foods, incredible variety of food options in general. Plenty of scenery too for outdoor activities. The lakefront here is stunning...look for the bluffs! Milwaukee truly is a bigger city of ammenities, with the feel and function of a small town. Magical combination. Pittsburgh is also amazing in scenery and business creation. IMO these types of cities are better overall to reside and build a family. Overall a lot safer, and with Milwaukee, you literally have a global city 80 miles away to go visit. But there is always something fun to do here if you poke around. And in many ways, the people are more fun, hence all events are more fun.
I agree. Both are tops. And why shouldn't they be? They've got good bones. These old "rust belt" cities were built to last, and now that they're seeing some key revitalization, they're showing how a little new effort can shine up old gold in a way that you can't duplicate with all the strip malls and tract housing in the world.
Moving there in a month, loved my visit! Just graduated college and got a job offer for the Milwaukee market. We are doing enormous growth in that city!
You can easily throw Cincinnati on the list too. People have no idea what that city has going for it.
And I know people might throw up a
because they just don't know when you consider the WHOLE metro area, metro Detroit is up there too. There may be a lack of nice areas to live in the city, but the city has a lot to see and do, and a lot of awesome vibrant suburbs to the northwest.
The smaller midwestern metro areas between 2 and 4 million people stretching from Pittsburgh to STL and the twin cities all scream underrated.
Perhaps some cities go through a down-period and that lingers in their image even after their downtime is done. Also I don't really see much PR for Milwaukee. I'm not sure a popular, or even middle-rung, TV show has been set there since "Laverne & Shirley" and I think that was set in the past. So any changes are likely unknown to much of the country. (Although I guess it was a city where American Idol had auditions)
I like both cities, they are definitely cool and very underrated. The whole Midwest/Rust Belt, aside from popular places like Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison, and Ann Arbor, seems to have unfavorable reputations among the general population. Milwaukee and Pittsburgh seem to be gaining more recognition though, and they aren't suffering the same fate as places like Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo which have been unfairly written off as dumps by the masses.
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