Ethnic/cultural diversity--more in Pittsburgh or Columbus, OH? (Denver, Liberty: rental, houses)

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by cooks50

Pittsburgh has a declining population and when I went to school there last year many of the students would leave after graduating because the lack of jobs. I am now in COlumbus and about 90% of the people I met here are transplants from other areas of the country due to jobs through the government, or privately owned companies

It's irrelevant to debate this issue since the OP isn't even looking for a job.

He's looking for cultural arts and diverse neighborhoods. Pittsburgh wins hands down for cultural arts and the diversity can be found in the East End neighborhoods.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ctoocheck

NINETY percent!? Really!? What happened to all the natives?

They were all gobbled up!

Good catch, ctoocheck! Funny!

[Copanut]

I believe she said 90% of people she MET.

As to cultural diversity, there are over 18K Hispanics and 30K Somalians located in the area. I think Columbus wins on that count.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I believe she said 90% of people she MET.

Of course! It's still funny! Why is she only meeting transplants 90% of the time?

Originally Posted by Copanut

As to cultural diversity, there are over 18K Hispanics and 30K Somalians located in the area. I think Columbus wins on that count.

Columbus does win on the diversity count.

That seems to be the only thing that Columbus has that the OP wants.

Interestingly, Cooks is the only poster in the Columbus forum who thinks the OP shoud go with Columbus.

Even people who live in Columbus think Pittsburgh is a better match. Go figure.

[robrobrob]

I lived in Columbus for three years about a decade ago. I thought it was a great "town" back then. The thing that you have to undestand is that Pittburgh has a pretty impressive downtown because it is dense and has quite a few tall buildings. In short Pittsburgh looks like a city. On the other hand Columbus doesn't look like a city but it has just about everything that Pittsburgh has but a bit smaller. Columbus has two nice neighborhoods within walking distance to downtown ... the Short North and German Village. There might even be a new neighborhood that has sprung up around Nationwide Arena. In comparison Pittsburgh doesn't have any. The South Side is frankly too far. The War Streets aren't as nice. I would think that Columbus is a younger city.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by cooks50

Pittsburgh has a declining population . . .

The Pittsburgh urbanized area was growing again as of the 2000 Census. I suspect (based on American Community Survey data) that the central core of the urbanized area (including the City of Pittsburgh itself) is also growing now.

. . . and when I went to school there last year many of the students would leave after graduating because the lack of jobs.

All university towns (and Pittsburgh is in some respects an overgrown university town) see a lot of graduates leave--I doubt, for example, that anywhere close to a majority of Ohio State graduates stay in Columbus. So in my view the more important question is how Pittsburgh is doing on a net basis, and again given recent data I think the central core of Pittsburgh is likely gaining young university graduates.

I am now in COlumbus and about 90% of the people I met here are transplants from other areas of the country due to jobs through the government, or privately owned companies

If you live in the right parts of Pittsburgh you will meet a lot of such transplants--and one more time, the data seems to suggest this is a growing trend.

By the way, it is entirely possible that in relative terms Columbus retains more of its local graduates, has more in-migration, has more population growth in general, and so on. I'm not hazarding a comparison, just suggesting what the most recent data on Pittsburgh seems to be reflecting.

[CortlandGirl79]

My personal opinion is that Columbus has the racial diversity, but is no where close to meeting your other needs.

I hated downtown Columbus, very bland and not a whole lot going on. I like to refer to Columbus as Boardman, Ohio on steriods..........i understand most people won't get that, so lets just call it what it is, suburban sprawl hell with stripmalls, home depots and other big box chains on just about every corner.

I live in the Youngstown area, an hour from both Cleveland and Pittsburgh and about 3 hours from Cbus. If i were you i would go with either Pittsburgh or Cleveland, Columbus wouldn't even be in the equation for me. Sure everything is Cbus is new and shiney, but to me that equals no personality. Cleveland has the racial diversity and offers the same great cultural activities that Pittsburgh does. If you want to get a real good idea on Cleveland or living downtown there i would go to UrbanOhio.com - Index You can get some good opinions on Columbus there too. Many of the posters on that site live in downtown Cleveland and they have great advice.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Interestingly, Cooks is the only poster in the Columbus forum who thinks the OP shoud go with Columbus.

Even people who live in Columbus think Pittsburgh is a better match. Go figure.

That's interesting. I haven't looked at that thread yet. I'm surprised there isn't more debate about it. Maybe it's a grass is greener thing, but when I've wandered through the Short North I think "Man, this is cool". But I suppose it really isn't significantly different than some areas of the East End (Pgh). Just surprised that people who live there don't come up with more compelling reasons to choose Columbus.

EDIT: Maybe give the thread over there a little more time. Only a few replies so far.

[Tiger Beer]

I think on the diversity element, neither has it.

Columbus has 3.44% Asian..and 2.46% Latino. That isn't diverse. It's mostly just black and white just like Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh has 2.75% Asian and 1.32% Latino.

So, yeah, Columbus statistically more, but both are pretty much irrelevant.

As a person who also 'likes diversity', moreso in the Asian element - seems more 'diverse' with more Asian ethnicites around...personally there is no way I'd choose Columbus over Pittsburgh based on that criteria, as the numbers are so miniscule in both cities.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by greg42

EDIT: Maybe give the thread over there a little more time. Only a few replies so far.

The OP started both threads at the same time. Lack of participation is a clue.

Hey, I wonder if they call themselves Columbians.....