Growth in Toledo? (*gasp*) (Columbus, Cleveland: condos, how much, houses)

[high mileage]

I was just 'snooping' through the pages of various Ohio cities since I saw that some of the demographics had been updated. I noticed that Toledo is showing a growth of 0.8% (which is fairly good by Ohio standards); Cincinnati is at 0.5%. I was actually pleasantly surprised, but I find it somewhat hard to believe that after Toledo has been struggling with a 'massive' exoudus for so long, it has managed to curb the population loss that quick. Are there projects and jobs in the works that are attracting people to the area, or is the growth primarily at the expense of Michigan losing so many of their residents?

BTW: I have heard some news about Toledo having some solar 'things' going on, although I am not sure how much of an impact it is having on the city yet.

[FleeTheRustBelt]

I think the "growth" is partially due to natural increase (not to stereotype, but it seems to me like people in Toledo have a LOT of kids at a fairly early age) and due to people being unable to afford to move because houses aren't selling, so some have chosen to tough it out in Toledo.

There really aren't jobs or projects attracting people. Unemployment in Lucas County, and particularly in Toledo, is much higher than the Ohio average, which is higher than the national average. Things aren't really any better than in Michigan. There is a solar manufacturing plant in Perrysburg (suburban Wood County) that is doing well (at least until the Chinese get their claws fully into that industry), but that's not going to revive Toledo all by itself.

Having said all that, IF you have a decent job, metro Toledo, even parts of the city, provides a decent quality of life at a low cost.

[vroomster]

Some of the numbers are misleading. While Toledo's population dropped each decade from 1970-2000, a lot of the "loss" was offset by people moving into other communities within the metro. Historically, the city has gotten a little smaller while the metro population hasn't changed that much.

Also, you can't expect the city's population to go down forever. It has a lot going for it, and things are at least finally stabilizing. We'll gladly take our 0.8% for now.

[PhillytoCincy]

Very true. Lucas County is still growing. Toledo is really beefing up urban renewal projects, and downtown and the Warehouse District have done some pretty great things in the 2000s. Downtown Toledo is growing. Lucas County is growing; give it a few years, Toledo will grow too. Population decline in the city has slowed drastically.

[ryansmith]

There is some truth to that... there are quite likely people that would like to move but are locked in to their homes after the housing bubble (, that is true everywhere), but that isn't to minimize the growth that has occurred, especially in some places, like the warehouse district.

First Solar is a large company... all their numbers contribute to Perrysburg though, not to Toledo proper. There are also other solar start-ups in Toledo... these are not a huge employer at this time, but I would not want to downplay the great potential there.

The larger cities in the state all have higher unemployment: Dayton 13.0, Toledo 12.8, Cleveland 11.6, Cincinnati 10.6, Columbus 9.1 ...so, although it is a little higher than average for the larger cities, I wouldn't be too hard on Toledo over it.

[jrm2811]

That 'growth' surprised me too. I do hope that once the economy turns around here - it will - it just may take a LONG time, that the city leaders have the foresight to drive development in the central core. I would like to see attractive condos in the warehouse district and uptown to try to get college grads and empty nesters in there. If not, I am afraid they will leave.

[PhillytoCincy]

I am not a big fan of the leaders in the Toledo area. They need to get rid of all of them just like they did in that one town in California. Toledo's leaders are all corrupt!

[UKUKUK]

Toledo is a nice city, I hope for the best for it. Much love from Michigan/Kentucky!

[PhillytoCincy]

UK, you should just buy a house in Athens or Cincinnati. You will be between both KY and MI. A little closer to KY, but hey, they are both pretty great lol.

[canudigit]

Actually, I think UK's heart is in Detroit. You should see all of the wonderful, positive things that he posts over there. He should run for mayor someday.