'Youth Magnet' Cities Hit Midlife Crisis (Portland: unemployment, universities, salaries)

[westcoastbabe]

'Youth Magnet' Cities Hit Midlife Crisis - WSJ.com

Just wondering how to true to life this article is....Was thinking about relocating from Charlotte? From this looks of this article..maybe I should pick elsewhere....Feel free to "weigh in"

[PDX_LAX]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

'Youth Magnet' Cities Hit Midlife Crisis - WSJ.com

Just wondering how to true to life this article is....Was thinking about relocating from Charlotte? From this looks of this article..maybe I should pick elsewhere....Feel free to "weigh in"

It's very true. People flock here because it's a fabulous place to live, but don't even think about it unless you already have a job lined up.

[h8n]

Great Read & very true.

I work in IT & have a good amount of experience under my belt. I moved to Austin, TX 4 yrs ago from Portland. Last year I decided I really prefer Portland & began looking for a job in the area. I got plenty of calls due to my experience, but they are all wanting to pay me 1/2 of what I can make in Austin. The industry in the area knows they can pay significantly less because of the number of unemployed.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by h8n

Great Read & very true.

I work in IT & have a good amount of experience under my belt. I moved to Austin, TX 4 yrs ago from Portland. Last year I decided I really prefer Portland & began looking for a job in the area. I got plenty of calls due to my experience, but they are all wanting to pay me 1/2 of what I can make in Austin. The industry in the area knows they can pay significantly less because of the number of unemployed.

This is true of many industries in Portland. I think it always has been. But the cost of living is not in line with the low salaries.

[brubaker]

From the WSJ's article:

Yet, cities like Portland, along with Austin, Texas, Seattle and others, continue to be draws for the young, educated workers that communities and employers covet. What these cities share is a hard-to-quantify blend of climate, natural beauty, universities and -- more than anything else -- a reputation as a cool place to live. For now, an excess of young workers is adding to the ranks of the unemployed. But holding on to these people through the downturn will help cities turn around once the economy recovers.

There will always be young people more interested in ideals than finances.

Thank God.

[backdrifter]

This article has been posted before in this forum. It's completely true.

[brubaker]

The article's a bit misleading in that it lists the cities by annual net migration of these young professionals as opposed to what % of the current population they make up. That would be a more accurate list I think as some cites just draw a lot of people (period) and 1,000 young people wouldn't be anything significant.

EDIT:
I mean c'mon, San Antonio is a Youth Magnet??


As far as I can tell, the main point of the article is that young people move to Portland disproportionately and that Portland has high unemployment.

Is that news to anyone? Or am I missing something?