Why is Pittsburgh one of the few cities with population continuously declining every year despite its good reputation? (Wilkinsburg: to live in, restaurant)

[Westmorelandkid]

Originally Posted by PGH423

No one said the metro population was exploding. I'm fine with it stabilizing at around 2.4 mil.


A lot of those states have tiny populations (relative to Pennsylvania) and just became slightly less tiny in the one year studied. (We're looking at state-level data now?) Pennsylvania has 12.8 million and is gradually growing. Do we really need or want a population explosion?

There is no such thing as stabilization. If you aren’t growing you are declining. The population numbers show that. Pittsburgh would have to have an in migration of roughly 10,000 folks a year for the next 20 years to reach 2.4 million or exceed it. The region will be fortunate to stay over 2.3 million in the 2020 census. The current population trajectory will put Pittsburgh between the 2.0 and 2.1 million mark in 20 years.

10,000 a year for a region this size is not gangbuster growth. There are so many municipalities and neighborhoods needing help. If we could attain a 10,000 in migration a year for 20 years you are probably looking at a 70 percent neighborhood rejuvenation in Allegheny county and 40 to 50 percent in surrounding counties. The little outlier towns wouldn’t have vacant storefronts anymore. Monumental if that could happen.

You aren’t getting growth from the old residents here. Growth will only come from the outside in. 470 new folks a year is college students taking dorm space at Pitt or Duquesne. It isn’t families moving here for jobs.

[Joe_P]

The economy in those areas is thriving. People are also moving their for employment. People aren’t waking up at any time of great rate wanting to move to Pittsburgh, and the numbers prove that.

Of course there are thriving areas in the sunbelt and as I noted, weather is a factor for some people.

And of course, there are sunbelt cities that are not thriving in the deep south.

[Joe_P]

There is no such thing as stabilization. If you aren’t growing you are declining. The population numbers show that.

It's more complicated than that.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by Joe_P

It's more complicated than that.

Yes, and I don't get the analogy to dorms either. I haven't seen any evidence the net migration growth is due to more college students. The poster wants 3700 as the annual net migration but wouldn't that just be the same as a many dorms? Or maybe a dorm a month? And the metro population changed by barely 1% this decade. And now that the age structure is improving, that poster is saying that it's in danger of declining by 15 or 20% over the next 20 years? It doesn't make sense. Maybe we're going to lose a bunch of dorms.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by Joe_P

Of course there are thriving areas in the sunbelt and as I noted, weather is a factor for some people.

And of course, there are sunbelt cities that are not thriving in the deep south.

That’s obvious, and nobody said every sunbelt city is thriving.

[Joe_P]

Simply clarifying since it didn't seem obvious to some.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by Joe_P

Simply clarifying since it didn't seem obvious to some.

Who said every sunbelt city was thriving?

[216facts]

I think several people on this thread need to move to Dallas for a year or so - and deal with a 40 minute commute in bumper to bumper traffic on I-635, and congestion at: the airport, the main thoroughfares, on restaurant row, at the grocery, even in your own neighborhood. I used to live in Richardson, TX and there were certain hours of every working day - you just didn't go out because the traffic was so bad. Oh, and when you're sitting in your car with the AC cranked and its 90+ out (and humid) you start thinking about 4 seasons again.

Now granted, there's about 150k increase in DFW population EVERY YEAR and there are good reasons for that. Doesn't mean its a good thing. Now go out enjoy the lush green hills, the temperate climate, the trails, and don't complain about the traffic.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by 216facts

I think several people on this thread need to move to Dallas for a year or so - and deal with a 40 minute commute in bumper to bumper traffic on I-635, and congestion at: the airport, the main thoroughfares, on restaurant row, at the grocery, even in your own neighborhood. I used to live in Richardson, TX and there were certain hours of every working day - you just didn't go out because the traffic was so bad. Oh, and when you're sitting in your car with the AC cranked and its 90+ out (and humid) you start thinking about 4 seasons again.

Now granted, there's about 150k increase in DFW population EVERY YEAR and there are good reasons for that. Doesn't mean its a good thing. Now go out enjoy the lush green hills, the temperate climate, the trails, and don't complain about the traffic.

Please post here more!

[Joe_P]

Who said every sunbelt city was thriving?

I said it didn't seem obvious to some.