8th Annual Best Places to Live and Work in America.



Click here to visit HBCUSportsShop
My parents have been planning to relocate to Richmond VA...I'll have to give them the thumbs up!!

Thanks for sharing this info!
:)
 
Surprised to see yall put some weight in a nondescript survey.


ROTFLMAO and then some that Athens, GA is on ANY list of best cities to live.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
 
Yeah me too, MH. And don't forget Billings, MT....:lmao: :lmao: But hey, at least Chicago is there! Woooooo!!!!
 
Originally posted by mighty hornet
Surprised to see yall put some weight in a nondescript survey.


ROTFLMAO and then some that Athens, GA is on ANY list of best cities to live.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
Click to expand...

I had the same reaction. Most of the people I know that went to UGA left Athens on the first thing smoking after they graduated. The few times that I went to Athens I was not impressed at all.
 
Then again, lists like that aren't gearing towards "us" anyway. That's how cities like Billings end up being ranked.
 
But wait!

MH, et al,,, huh??! :confused:

It was not even ten years ago that Atlanta DOMINATED all these little
nondescript survey
Click to expand...
s! :nod2: It was only 40 years ago when Atlanta set out to prove to the world that it could make all these "best of" lists,,, and IT DID,, and everybody in Atlanta, the public officials, politicians i'm saying,, WHERE ALL GIDDY!! :jump:

now yall done turned spoil sports and sour pusses on me?! :confused: WHAT'S UP WIT DAT?! :what:

Time was when Atlanta, or should I say the AJC, seized every little "best of" list that Atlanta was on and trumpeted it to the four corners of the universe,, esp via CNN,,, but now all of a sudden,, the ATL is like "bah, humbug"??!! :smh:

C'mon NOW!!! ,,, the least yall could do is clap it up foe some of the new kids on the block in the south,, DAYUM!! :confused:
 
Well Atlanta is overrated to me, and I've been here since 1998. I am happy to see other cities come up, but I am curious at to the criteria for some of these lists. Where the hell would someone even work in some of those cities? Of course you wouldn't have too many problems with suitable employment and/or housing in Chicago, Houston, Raleigh-Durham, etc., but I don't see nor anticipate a mass exodus of people,Black or White, coming to some of the other cities on the list.
 
Well BILBREW

Being from Alabama where we either never make all these type lists, OR we are usual at the top of the "worst of" list,,, phylosophically I couldn't agree with you more on the "where do they get these lists/what's the criteria take".

I haven't taken a detailed look at the list(I'll have to do that), but I have gotten the Places Rated Almanac for several years and they rank metro areas from best to worst in about 9-12 different areas like cost of living, jobs, transportation, education, healthcare, sports and recreation, crime, on and on. They describe in detail how they come up with their rankings and all their data is from the census dept. There you see the large metro areas dominate some categories and the small metro areas dominate others, it just depends on the category.

These "best of" lists are always fun though. If you are not on them, they suck, their stupid, they have no credibility,, etc, but if you are on them cities fall all overthemselves letting it be known. Just the American way.

As for Atlanta, I would say you must remember Atlanta is a relatively new city with very little identity because of the massive influx of people not from Atlanta, so it is a city still in flux. going from 1M to 4M almost (metro pop) in 40 years is much like the rise of Los Angeles after WWII.

Blacks by and large don't relate to these rankings, tis true. All we look for is a big city with slammin' radio stations and lots of clubs and concerts. So yeah, we definitely don't relate to MT being at the top of a list. I tell you what though, if you got to have a job and MT is the only place you have an offer, you'll be suprised that places aren't as bad as they appear.
 
I have seen Huntsville grow for the last 20 years. As for Atlanta I have seen the changes for over 20+ years. But in my opinion the area has grown too fast. I think in some cases traffic in Atlanta is worse than it is in Houston, where it can get very bad.

mh, I am not moving to Athens, GA anytime soon. :lmao:
 
People say Atlanta grow too fast but,,

people still keeping going there for jobs. The developers in Atlanta from all walks of life ain't complaining and it don't seem all the corporate and regional HQs are concerned.

Being from Alabama, I get into debates about this subject, too much growth vs not enough growth vs slow steady growth (i.e. Birmingham) all the time. An associate of mine pointed out an interesting reality as relates to Birmingham where people are quick to blast Atlanta for being the ultimate in growth/sprawl out of control. Birmingham has smaller capacity interstates and so the traffic, for example, is effectively just as bad if not worse than Atlanta.

Sitting in traffic for an hour or so is sitting in traffic no matter if it is Atlanta or Birmingham. Also, Birmingham is 2nd or 3rd in the nation in longest commute times behind Atlanta and somebody. Also Birmingham ranks with and/or higher than many of the larger more prosperous metro areas in crime, so in my opinion (as my associate said so eliquently), if you gone have all the problems of the big fast growing cities, you may as well at least be growing faster so that you can have some of the perks of the big cities like pro sports, hub airports, telecommunication/distribution/media hubs, massive skylines and huge convention venues! :lecture:
 
Originally posted by Bartram

Blacks by and large don't relate to these rankings, tis true. All we look for is a big city with slammin' radio stations and lots of clubs and concerts. So yeah, we definitely don't relate to MT being at the top of a list. I tell you what though, if you got to have a job and MT is the only place you have an offer, you'll be suprised that places aren't as bad as they appear.
Click to expand...

I hear what you are saying because one of my good friends from SU is now in Wichita, Kansas thanks to a job offer(Boeing). Hell, I'd probably even move to Nut Bush, Tennessee if the price is right. Nevertheless,while it is true that some Blacks only look for certain qualities in cities(clubs, concerts, etc.), people have to remember that you still have to have some sort of life outside of the 40+ hours a week that you are at work. That is especially true if one is still single. I'm married so I couldn't care less about what club is popping in whatever city, but I am sure that someone who is single and looking wouldn't have much fun in certain places. One of the only reasons my friend survives up there is because he is engaged. It's not like there is a nice crop in Wichita from what I hear.

Actually, a lot of cities wouldn't be bad to live in if there were suitable employment. For example, Baton Rouge isn't a bad city to live in in my opinion, but there aren't many jobs in certain fields. Sure, you could get A job, but the chances of being in your field or being paid your worth are slim. Things like that can make a difference between staying in a city or leaving. Rent in BR is cheap and you would have no problem finding at least a decent apartment, but none of that matters if your job sucks.
 

Click here to visit HBCUSportsShop
Over-looked cities.

That is especially true if one is still single.
Click to expand...

Yes,, being single in smaller metro areas/towns can be challenging to say the least.

but I am sure that someone who is single and looking wouldn't have much fun in certain places. One of the only reasons my friend survives up there is because he is engaged.
Click to expand...

Mixed bag there. Coming from a southern environment/HBCU, I can see that being the case, but if you are not particular, you can adapt in those places. One good thing about being in small metro areas in the south though is that you at least have a strong black social/cultural base even if it is not as diverse as in the larger metro areas. Even though Montgomery is a small metro area, it's 45-50% black and you see that riding around(especially in the fall and spring,,, heh, heh,,, :ebrow: ) ,,, so there are social outlets, you just have to find them.

Actually, a lot of cities wouldn't be bad to live in if there were suitable employment. For example, Baton Rouge isn't a bad city to live in in my opinion, but there aren't many jobs in certain fields. Sure, you could get A job, but the chances of being in your field or being paid your worth are slim. Things like that can make a difference between staying in a city or leaving. Rent in BR is cheap and you would have no problem finding at least a decent apartment, but none of that matters if your job sucks.
Click to expand...

What you have described here is Montgomery TO A TEE. Montgomery isn't a bad city to live in either, but for engineers it is pretty worthless. Wages are lower in Montgomery than national averages (in engineering), but if you are lucky enough to get one of them engineering jobs (like the Auburn and Alabama grads) you can live good in Montgomery. Yes you are right about staying or leaving; das why I would venture to guess that many/most young grads from schools in Montgomery go elsewhere, esp Atlanta, for jobs. Rent in Montgomery is relatively cheap likewise.
 
Athens rules, Atlanta $ucks?

*looks in and sees Athens over Atlanta* Ok I've seen enough

*walks out*
Click to expand...


It's the Atlanta sprawl and all the tarzan movie extras breh. :D Athens is in the perfect position of being able to leech off of the amenities of metro Atlanta, while at the same time being far enough away to regulate/maintain its "small town/college town" charm and low crime rates (and minimal unchecked influx of black folk.).

Being facetious,, but I think Athens is now a "suburb" of Atlanta and benefits basically from being a college town of UGA and having easy access to and the benefits of being near Atlanta which is why it's high in this particular poll. :lecture:
 
Re: But wait!

Originally posted by Bartram

now yall done turned spoil sports and sour pusses on me?! :
C'mon NOW!!! ,,, the least yall could do is clap it up foe some of the new kids on the block in the south,, DAYUM!! :confused: [/B]
Click to expand...
LMAO!!!
Spoil sport? Sour puss?
bhahahahahahahahahaha

I don't get my rocks off on these polls bruh. And if you've ever been to Athens, you would know why we are discounting this poll, based on that travesty.

Athens, GA, one of the best cities to live in America????? People are just flocking to the great metropolis Athens!!:lmao::lmao:
Man, get real!!!!!!!!!!! That's the craziest thing I've heard in a long time.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

btw, you're realllly stretching it to say Athens is a suburb of Atlanta. Just say that Athens is close to Atlanta, but it aint no suburb.
 
MH, you may just guess right!

So don't laugh too hard breh. Auburn is Alabama's newest official metro area, came in 2nd for the Nissan plant in Canton, MS, is a very "family friendly" town and still growing.

I guess the next poll will have Auburn, Alabama as one of the best cities to live in America.
Click to expand...

Just remember my man,,, these polls are not from the perspective of mainstream black folk/HBCU grads,,, but do appeal to some in our group once your arse is out of school, looking for a job, got a family and kids, want a nice safe wholesum environment, good public and private schools,,, blah, blah, blah,,,, plus too, officials in places like Auburn and Athens thrive on these polls and strive to make them. Just part of the challenge to excell as a city. Look at all these towns that win, "All-American City" awards wit de lil signs posted at their city limits. Again,, stuff like dat don't mean jack-$hit to the average black person, but for much of "middle America" it does,,,,, so I would not make fun of Auburn, Alabama too quickly there chief. :lecture:
 
ummmmm I lived in Auburn, Alabama for 2 years so it's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that a poll can tell me about that place.
The day that Auburn ranks as a best city is the day that its time to stop doing polls forever.
Putting Auburn on a damn poll of best "cities" to live is even worser than putting Athens on one.

ROTFLMAO@the mere thought of Auburn even being considered a city.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

I guess next you'll tell me that Tuskegee is on somebody's list of best "cities" too.
:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
 
That seems like a good list. The closest cities to me would be Sacramento and Tempe Az. I have heard that Tempe has race relations problems. Sacramento is the state Capitol of Cali so its real nice.
 
Like I said MH,,

YOU ain't da poll's demographic basically, so your take on the place isn't a good gauge of the place in general, at least not to "the mainstream"! If so,, then how and why do people keep moving there? I mean,, I hear ya on the black, black,,, booty shaking club tip,, or black folk/business thing,,, but still,, just because you think the place sucks is an insignificant outlying data point as far as many mag polls go, and you know it! :whatever:

Yeah, yeah,,, Auburn-Opelika, Athens, MT,, suck for the vast majority of "us",,, but so do many of the "best of" cities in "our" magazines. People hate large metros because they're too big, there's too much traffic and too much crime and too many of "us". Das why so many of them have moved further out just as in most major metros.

As for Tuskegee,,, no, no, no,,, I'm not going to defend Tuskegee the town JUST BECAUSE I WENT TO THE SCHOOL,,,,, give me a freaking break man. :rolleyes: When it comes to economic development, I just call em like I seez em. :lecture:
 
Re: Like I said MH,,

Originally posted by Bartram
YOU ain't da poll's demographic basically, so your take on the place isn't a good gauge of the place in general, at least not to "the mainstream"! If so,, then how and why do people keep moving there? I mean,, I hear ya on the black, black,,, booty shaking club tip,, or black folk/business thing
Click to expand...

What a sad commentary.

If you say we're not this polls demographic, why do you seem to get defensive when we blast those crazy rankings?
Hmmmmm.....


still LMAO@Athens being considered one of the best cities in the country to live

and still ROTFLMAO@Auburn, Alabama

But since I'm not from the mainstream, my opinion doesn't matter.
:(

Oh well, time for me to head out to the "black booty shaking club"
:cool:
 
I thought somebody already said that?

MH you were addressing me, I was simply responding. :confused: Why do you see that as being "defensive"??? :confused: caint i respond juss like you???

All I did originally was post some info. I didn't go down this, "weeeellll it don't be taylored towards us" path. Go back and check the thread. You came in with the takes on "non-descript", Auburn and your experiences,, and I simply pointed out that your takes probably would not fall within the results of such polls that you, yourself, say are "non-descript". I mean,, give me a break breh. You said it, I just re-iterated. :confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top