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Millennials have and will continue to gravitate toward cities because of the many and varied opportunities not easily found in the same concentration anywhere else. Whether it’s jobs, schools, hobbies, shopping, public transportation, arts or culture, it is practical and desirable to live in close proximity to all of this.
That’s not to say that there aren’t negatives (think crime, pollution, high cost of living, social inequality, etc.). However, it boils down to whether the pluses outweigh the minuses according to people’s values.
There is a lot of pressure for young people to move to a city. I have a hard time believing everyone really wants to. We had a really good job market in my suburban area when I graduated though. People relocated from the city to the burbs to get jobs, there were lots of transplants coming in, and new business popping up. When I lived in a city for a while, there were plusses but minuses like crime and noise outweighed. Now the cities with the good jobs are much more expensive.
I do not believe it is a 'millennial' thing, so much as an 'in your 20s and 30s thing.' I did the exactly the same when I was in my 20s.
After college, traveled around the country--checked out CA, NM, FL, MA, Europe, but never really liked anywhere enough to stay. Then one day I met a friend in NYC and fell in love--with the city. Lived outside NYC in Westport awhile commuting. That was awful--get up at 5:30 am, drive to the train station, train into the city, walk to work from Grand Central, walk back at night. Train home. But if I wanted to stay in the city and go out or party--no trains after 11:30pm. No good.
Then there was a rail strike and the company put up all the commuters in a NYC hotel for a week. I fell even further in love with NYC being there all the time. Walking to work, stopping at the French bakery, picking up a coffee at the Greek coffee shop, and having more energy than I could remember.
In addition to the energy basically engulfing you as if it emanates from the sidewalk in NYC, I had so much more energy personally from not commuting and spending hours in a train and car! There were so many things to do, places to walk and lots of jobs and opportunity. People--lots of smart, creative and engaged people. Boredom is impossible--if you are bored in that city--it's you.
It is a young city for young people with a lot of energy--you have to carry everything you need all day with you--did not need a car at all--cars were a pain that you had to park--sold my car and it felt like a relief to be free of it.
There are so many possibilities in the city that it draws young people like a magnet. The intellectual stimulation in the city simply surpasses the suburbs. And nobody, but nobody EVER asks you "so when are you getting married?" Nobody cares or questions your decisions to make themselves feel better about their own boring lives.
I cannot understand why millennials wouldn't be attracted to a city, other than fear of failure, fear of competition, or being extremely risk-averse.
Nope. They're just falling for a romanticized notion about city life, which you did a great job of describing. As they get older they'll realize that crime, noise, poor schools, having no car is a huge inconvenience, vermin infestation, etc. are the real city and they'll move to the suburbs. It's not just Millennials. This has been going on for generations.
Young folks of all generations did and do dumb things. They don't have the life experience to know any better, but think they're smarter than older people. I was the same way as a youngster.
Actually a lot of ranchers who grow older and retire move from the frontier counties of MT into the city of Billings, Great Falls or Helena. Been happening for a long time.
I'm a Gen X'er, we live on acreage 7 miles from the city limits. I wouldn't want it any other way. I like being close to things like a grocery store, a fresh foods market, sporting goods stores, etc.. If I didn't have bird hunting dogs and a desire to be close to the lakes where I fish I would live smack dab in the town where all the breweries and restaurants are!
Some people don't get the time/money equation. You know where I can make more money in 8 hours consulting than ALL the money I'd spend on organic produce for a year at the local market.
It's largely a waste of time. But if it's a hobby- well that's another thing, lol.
Well, according to many urbanites if it's not a Whole Foods it really isn't a grocery.
Down here in Sarasota we have two of them.....and gun shops on every block...plus, this is Trump Central (he actually made up his "wall" rant right here!)......
About 3,000 churches too.....heck, we got talking to a Amish woman in Whole Foods who was bragging to her friend back in Lancaster about the food...yes, on her Cell Phone.
Some of these folks here must not get out much......
We are the ultimate Whole Foods targets yet we almost never go there. Trader Joes is better and we go to the Amish market, Publix, Farm Markets and even the 7-11 vastly more.....
Whole Foods was cool before there were any alternatives...but now you can get good food even at Costco.
Nobody is dumb for choosing what lifestyle the like.
You are only dumb if you 'judge' others based on THEIR choices.
I know many people who love the isolation, openness and solitude of being in the country, others that want nothing to do with a house in the burbs, etc.
They aren't better or worse just different.
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