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I'm going to add my .2 cents. I recently read that Howard County, MD was the most wealthiest county in MD due to the income of its residents (government jobs/agencies) and it's the best place to live compared to Montgomery County, MD. Columbia, MD (Howard County) to be exact.
I look forward to your feedback.
By the way, don't tear me up too much (lol).
I currently reside in Philly (don't judge me - lol), but I'm from Suffolk, VA
Baltimore is still a major economic engine for the state in particular central Maryland. As far as tourism statistics Baltimore get the majority of tourist in the state and more tourist come to Baltimore than ocean city and DC believe it or not.
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Originally Posted by Northernest Southernest C
Just as suspected Baltimore is a little over-hated. If this is just another bash Baltimore thread I will take no part in it. DC-centric folks get so upset when anything about the Baltimore area isn't as bad as they would like it to be.
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Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
We sure got off track here. Let's get back to what a mess Baltimore is and how this boat anchor has ruined the wealth and prestige of the entire state.
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Originally Posted by pwduvall
I am a bit concerned that the Purple Line is moving forward while the Red Line is dead. Baltimore will also get none of the extra highway spending or any other state projects for the next four years. It would be a ballsy move, but the Governor may also be able to find a way to kill the ongoing school building improvement project and reallocate the money elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if the Baltimore Metro counties are also short changed on roads and other capital money over the next four years. Elections have consequences and the Baltimore Area lost the last one - BIG TIME. To the victor go the spoils!
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Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer
To get a little more back on topic, the real question is - Why do so many American cities, including Baltimore, have such a persistent underclass of low income people? And what can be done to fix this problem in the 21st century?
Much of the political discourse in recent years has been focused on the "top 1%". But the real issue in my mind is the bottom 15%. What can be done to bring this population up to speed
There's no need to argue over whether more tourists come to DC or Baltimore, or whether Ocean City or Baltimore or Montgomery Co. have more to contribute to the economy. DC isn't a part of Maryland, and tourists there don't help Maryland in any way. But of course DC gets more tourists than Baltimore. Among my group of friends in New York, we've all been down to DC a few times for various touristy things. Probably 1/3rd of us have been to Baltimore during our time here.
In BosWash, I'd say the touristy spots are 1) New York 2) DC 3) Boston 4) Philly 5) Baltimore 6) all else combined. That's a lot of space between DC and Baltimore. But honestly, there's probably even more space between NYC and DC. Everyone is fighting for NYC's scraps, including DC.
And Baltimore, Montgomery Co., and Ocean City are all vital parts of the same state. It makes no sense to brag about any of them versus the others. They're all great in their own ways.
This being said, Baltimore and Philly are my favorite east coast cities. Mainly because they keep it 'real' and still have a lot of the grit that should go with being an old city. They're also cheap. That's great in an era when a median income person can't come close to buying a townhouse in NYC, Boston, or even DC.
The question of what to do with the 50-60% of Baltimore that is in the Harlem-esque inner city destitute category, the answer is the same thing that has happened to the 90% who used to occupy DC. You gentrify them out. When they are dispersed into the surrounding counties instead of the urban core, they have better access to services and schools once they get settled.
But for Baltimore, it doesn't matter where they go. It just matters that they do. When the new waves of the urban gays, then the urban artists, then the edgy yuppies, then the stroller moms, then the retirees come to Baltimore (and they are already coming) the city will get cleaned up.
Baltimore is the same as DC is the same as Philly is the same as Boston is the same as Brooklyn is the same as Queens (is the same as Oakland is the same as Chicago). It's just happening at different speeds in different cities, with Baltimore and Philly lagging a little bit behind the curve. But the trend is there in all the cities on the east and west coasts.
There's no need to argue over whether more tourists come to DC or Baltimore, or whether Ocean City or Baltimore or Montgomery Co. have more to contribute to the economy. DC isn't a part of Maryland, and tourists there don't help Maryland in any way. But of course DC gets more tourists than Baltimore. Among my group of friends in New York, we've all been down to DC a few times for various touristy things. Probably 1/3rd of us have been to Baltimore during our time here.
In BosWash, I'd say the touristy spots are 1) New York 2) DC 3) Boston 4) Philly 5) Baltimore 6) all else combined. That's a lot of space between DC and Baltimore. But honestly, there's probably even more space between NYC and DC. Everyone is fighting for NYC's scraps, including DC.
And Baltimore, Montgomery Co., and Ocean City are all vital parts of the same state. It makes no sense to brag about any of them versus the others. They're all great in their own ways.
This being said, Baltimore and Philly are my favorite east coast cities. Mainly because they keep it 'real' and still have a lot of the grit that should go with being an old city. They're also cheap. That's great in an era when a median income person can't come close to buying a townhouse in NYC, Boston, or even DC.
The question of what to do with the 50-60% of Baltimore that is in the Harlem-esque inner city destitute category, the answer is the same thing that has happened to the 90% who used to occupy DC. You gentrify them out. When they are dispersed into the surrounding counties instead of the urban core, they have better access to services and schools once they get settled.
But for Baltimore, it doesn't matter where they go. It just matters that they do. When the new waves of the urban gays, then the urban artists, then the edgy yuppies, then the stroller moms, then the retirees come to Baltimore (and they are already coming) the city will get cleaned up.
Baltimore is the same as DC is the same as Philly is the same as Boston is the same as Brooklyn is the same as Queens (is the same as Oakland is the same as Chicago). It's just happening at different speeds in different cities, with Baltimore and Philly lagging a little bit behind the curve. But the trend is there in all the cities on the east and west coasts.
Welcome to the MD forum. Our state is a motley collection of different jurisdictions with very little in common with each other culturally, geographically or politically.
I joke that when two MDers meet, the first question they ask each other is "which county are you from." Based on the answer, the conversation takes off, or both people start shooting sidelong glances at each other and quickly find an excuse to go do something else.
There's no need to argue over whether more tourists come to DC or Baltimore, or whether Ocean City or Baltimore or Montgomery Co. have more to contribute to the economy. DC isn't a part of Maryland, and tourists there don't help Maryland in any way. But of course DC gets more tourists than Baltimore. Among my group of friends in New York, we've all been down to DC a few times for various touristy things. Probably 1/3rd of us have been to Baltimore during our time here.
In BosWash, I'd say the touristy spots are 1) New York 2) DC 3) Boston 4) Philly 5) Baltimore 6) all else combined. That's a lot of space between DC and Baltimore. But honestly, there's probably even more space between NYC and DC. Everyone is fighting for NYC's scraps, including DC.
Yeah you're right there's no need to argue. Only mentioned it to make a point to someone's else post prior to the one I made. Also, I don't post things just for fun on here statistically Baltimore get more tourist than DC. Yes DC's city attractions are more well known than Baltimore's, the people that visit DC spend more $(its more expensive), and DC get more overseas visitors. But combined with domestic visitors none of that matters. And the touristy spots by tourism statistics for each city are as follows New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore/Boston interchangeable very close tourism numbers, DC in that order. DC might have beat Boston for fiscal year 2014 I'm not exactly sure but I do know about the other cities. DC isn't a part of MD but people that visit either Baltimore/DC take at least an extra day to spend at the city they did not visit. I know because I used to volunteer as a tour guide and a lot of people did that so although that might be true with your friends you can find online the complete opposite scenario. Sources below
Washington DC get more overseas visitor than Baltimore but these numbers below include both domestic and international.
From Destination DC annual report
2009 16.32 million
2010 17.28 million visitors
2011 17.9 million visitors
2012 18.9 million tourists
2013 19 million
2014 20.2 million Washington, DC Visitor Research | washington.org
With approximately 20.4 million visitors a year, Baltimore City is the number one attraction in Maryland.
From Visit Baltimore annual report
2009 20 million out of 29 million tourist in the state of MD that year
2010 21 million
2011 Almost 24 million visitors
2012 23 million visitors
2013 23.9 million visitors
2014 24.5 million Baltimore Tourism Reaching New Heights « CBS Baltimore
The only way I can think that it makes sense that technically Baltimore gets more "tourists" than DC is that there are far more people with money in the DC metro who may be counted as "tourists" in Baltimore than there are people with money in the Baltimore metro who may be counted as "tourists" in DC. The cities are so close together that their own residents really shouldn't be counted in each other's tourism stats, but they are.
If you mutually take out people from DC and people from Baltimore, I have no doubt that DC sees far more tourists from the rest of the Northeast and especially from other regions of the U.S. (and as you mention, from other countries).
I don't say this to disparage Baltimore, which I personally much feel has much more character as a city than DC. But that's another story.
This being said, Baltimore and Philly are my favorite east coast cities. Mainly because they keep it 'real' and still have a lot of the grit that should go with being an old city. They're also cheap. That's great in an era when a median income person can't come close to buying a townhouse in NYC, Boston, or even DC.
The question of what to do with the 50-60% of Baltimore that is in the Harlem-esque inner city destitute category, the answer is the same thing that has happened to the 90% who used to occupy DC. You gentrify them out. When they are dispersed into the surrounding counties instead of the urban core, they have better access to services and schools once they get settled.
COL is great in Bmore/Philly compared to the others, true. I think it's a little unfair to Boston or NYC though to leave out the large swaths of both cities where people keep it every bit as 'real' as they do in Bmore & Philly though. Also, Harlem isn't destitute. Sure it's rough around the edges, but it's very lively and can be a whole lot of fun to visit.
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I joke that when two MDers meet, the first question they ask each other is "which county are you from." Based on the answer, the conversation takes off, or both people start shooting sidelong glances at each other and quickly find an excuse to go do something else.
Agreed this is pretty funny. Never found another state where they do this like we do.
Largely thanks to the economic engine of Washington, DC and the affluence it has brought to Maryland. I've read that over 300,000 of Maryland's workforce are Federal government employees, you could easily add a few tens of thousand as government contractor employees. These job often have high job security and enrich the state's citizenry, especially in Montgomery, Howard, and PG counties. Besides, Washington, DC there is Fort Meade.
Largely thanks to the economic engine of Washington, DC and the affluence it has brought to Maryland. I've read that over 300,000 of Maryland's workforce are Federal government employees, you could easily add a few tens of thousand as government contractor employees. These job often have high job security and enrich the state's citizenry, especially in Montgomery, Howard, and PG counties. Besides, Washington, DC there is Fort Meade.
You can also add the lawyers and lobbyists living in Montgomery County, plus the biotech companies located in Montgomery for proximity to FDA, DOH, NIH, etc. This is not really rocket science, funds flow through Montgomery County and Howard County. Well in the case of Howard County, since it sometimes is money funding rocket science and engineering at NASA. HA!
Hate? Not really. Most of us DC-centric Marylanders generally don't care much for Baltimore unless it's the occasional trip to the Inner Harbor, visiting extended family, or coming up for some crabs/crab cakes/general seafood (which we also have in abundance in DC, over in Annapolis, or down in Southern Maryland). Other than that, for most of us, Bmore is "just there". A lot of us do agree with the notion that a prosperous and improved Baltimore is definitely a great thing for the State but in our world, it's all about DC. That's just the way it is.
Well Said!!!!!! I couldn't of said it better myself. People in the Dc area suburbs don't care for Baltimore at ALL.
The only way I can think that it makes sense that technically Baltimore gets more "tourists" than DC is that there are far more people with money in the DC metro who may be counted as "tourists" in Baltimore than there are people with money in the Baltimore metro who may be counted as "tourists" in DC. The cities are so close together that their own residents really shouldn't be counted in each other's tourism stats, but they are.
If you mutually take out people from DC and people from Baltimore, I have no doubt that DC sees far more tourists from the rest of the Northeast and especially from other regions of the U.S. (and as you mention, from other countries).
I don't say this to disparage Baltimore, which I personally much feel has much more character as a city than DC. But that's another story.
Actually, it doesn't matter who is from where when counting "visitors" since one person visiting DC can hit 6 different spots and will be counted 6 different times, and when the numbers are tallied, that one person would be counted as 6 visitors. Plus, Baltimore's biggest tourist trap is always crowded since there is actually more to do there than in DC's biggest draw.
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