Comments on: Twentysomething: Forget the big city, try middle America http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:34:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Twentysomething Forget the big city try middle America | low cost car insurance http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-187521 Twentysomething Forget the big city try middle America | low cost car insurance Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:55:21 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-187521 [...] Twentysomething Forget the big city try middle America Posted by root 45 minutes ago (http://blog.penelopetrunk.com) But a big influx of creative young people is exactly what this place needs it would not nearly as cheap as pittsburgh or cincinnati at least if you 39 re looking to buy a plus you have to have a car and you have to drive every where penelope trunk brazen Discuss  |  Bury |  News | Twentysomething Forget the big city try middle America [...] [...] Twentysomething Forget the big city try middle America Posted by root 45 minutes ago (http://blog.penelopetrunk.com) But a big influx of creative young people is exactly what this place needs it would not nearly as cheap as pittsburgh or cincinnati at least if you 39 re looking to buy a plus you have to have a car and you have to drive every where penelope trunk brazen Discuss  |  Bury |  News | Twentysomething Forget the big city try middle America [...]

]]> By: The Coolness of a City? « Paul Richardson http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-181489 The Coolness of a City? « Paul Richardson Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:10:49 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-181489 [...] This article makes the same point… I sold out. I moved to the big city with the enormous rent payments. I took the decent paying job to support my living and partying expenses. Most people I know did the same. Some are content, some are looking for a way out, some are happy. [...] [...] [...] This article makes the same point… I sold out. I moved to the big city with the enormous rent payments. I took the decent paying job to support my living and partying expenses. Most people I know did the same. Some are content, some are looking for a way out, some are happy. [...] [...]

]]> By: Mike http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-165345 Mike Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:23:39 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-165345 Great post! I am formerly from NY - moved to Raleigh, NC 3 yrs ago. We (my wife and I) absolutely love it. Great place for entrepreneurship too. Check out any "best places to live" polls/ratings and Raleigh, NC will be on many of them. If you want more info let me know. Just a thought for you! Great post! I am formerly from NY – moved to Raleigh, NC 3 yrs ago. We (my wife and I) absolutely love it. Great place for entrepreneurship too. Check out any "best places to live" polls/ratings and Raleigh, NC will be on many of them. If you want more info let me know. Just a thought for you!

]]> By: Linda http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-139402 Linda Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:27:32 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-139402 One idea is that you miss the intellectual and creative stimulation of the big city by living in small middle American towns. I am from Ohio (Akron) and have been here all my life except for when I went to college in Oakland, CA and New York. I must say that you experience more culture and diversity in those big, expensive places. And for some of us that's really important. Maybe I have grass is greener syndrome, but it sure did suck coming back to Akron after living in bustling places like those. Life is cheaper here, but it's a tradeoff. There is a price. One idea is that you miss the intellectual and creative stimulation of the big city by living in small middle American towns. I am from Ohio (Akron) and have been here all my life except for when I went to college in Oakland, CA and New York. I must say that you experience more culture and diversity in those big, expensive places. And for some of us that's really important. Maybe I have grass is greener syndrome, but it sure did suck coming back to Akron after living in bustling places like those. Life is cheaper here, but it's a tradeoff. There is a price.

]]> By: AFY http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-138510 AFY Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:17:08 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-138510 I read a lot of finance magazines, and they all give the same advice. The only problem is that it ignores the fact that for minority groups (be it race or sexual orientation or etc), it's not always as comfortable to move to middle America. This isn't to say that middle America is racist, bigoted, or unaccepting. But there can be a big level of difference to live a big city, where people don't blink (or ask questions... or point at a person and say "people like that") at different types of food, or certain customs, or even know what particular holidays are important to a given group. Just those little things can make a huge impact on quality of life. I read a lot of finance magazines, and they all give the same advice. The only problem is that it ignores the fact that for minority groups (be it race or sexual orientation or etc), it's not always as comfortable to move to middle America. This isn't to say that middle America is racist, bigoted, or unaccepting. But there can be a big level of difference to live a big city, where people don't blink (or ask questions… or point at a person and say "people like that") at different types of food, or certain customs, or even know what particular holidays are important to a given group. Just those little things can make a huge impact on quality of life.

]]> By: Kris http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-109533 Kris Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:07:30 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-109533 This pretty much embodies exactly how I felt before I left New York after five years of living there. I had to sell out and keep my job as an executive assistant to pay for my apartment (which wasn't extragagant, but in Brooklyn) to live in a city I loved, but frankly couldn't afford. It took a lot to get over the snobbery of "Why would you want to live anywhere other than New York" but I'm so much happier now, working a job I enjoy in smaller city Atlanta. I've also found that people here are well connected and willing to help, it's not as hard to get ahead, and the city is very livable. It has the art, culture, diversity and forward thinking mentality I enjoy about a bigger city, but I don't have to live in a shoe box, commute a hour to NJ or most importanly, work a job I don't like. For me, leaving New York was like breaking up with your high school sweetheart. While you can't imagine life without it, you're better for it. From a person on the other side, I can tell you now that there is life outside of New York- and it might even be better. This pretty much embodies exactly how I felt before I left New York after five years of living there. I had to sell out and keep my job as an executive assistant to pay for my apartment (which wasn't extragagant, but in Brooklyn) to live in a city I loved, but frankly couldn't afford. It took a lot to get over the snobbery of "Why would you want to live anywhere other than New York" but I'm so much happier now, working a job I enjoy in smaller city Atlanta. I've also found that people here are well connected and willing to help, it's not as hard to get ahead, and the city is very livable. It has the art, culture, diversity and forward thinking mentality I enjoy about a bigger city, but I don't have to live in a shoe box, commute a hour to NJ or most importanly, work a job I don't like. For me, leaving New York was like breaking up with your high school sweetheart. While you can't imagine life without it, you're better for it. From a person on the other side, I can tell you now that there is life outside of New York- and it might even be better.

]]> By: annie http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-109035 annie Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:25:03 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-109035 This is a really interesting topic. I am from Madison and am planning on moving back to the Midwest some day but definitely not in my 20s! I have friends and family who live in Madison and it is a great city but the employment and dating opportunities are very limited. The job market is incredibly tight and many people marry early. For the industry I work in, there are approximately 300 employers in NYC, in Madison there are 5--I like having career options. If I were ready to be an entreprenuer, if I were married, or if I wanted to scope for dates on campus/State Street, I know I would feel differently but I do not dream of starting a sandwich shop or marrying a Philosophy PHD student so I'm going to stick it out in NYC for a while longer...see you in a few years Penelope & Ryan. This is a really interesting topic. I am from Madison and am planning on moving back to the Midwest some day but definitely not in my 20s! I have friends and family who live in Madison and it is a great city but the employment and dating opportunities are very limited. The job market is incredibly tight and many people marry early. For the industry I work in, there are approximately 300 employers in NYC, in Madison there are 5–I like having career options. If I were ready to be an entreprenuer, if I were married, or if I wanted to scope for dates on campus/State Street, I know I would feel differently but I do not dream of starting a sandwich shop or marrying a Philosophy PHD student so I'm going to stick it out in NYC for a while longer…see you in a few years Penelope & Ryan.

]]> By: Startup Signal - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Entrepreneurship - Powered by SocialRank http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-109016 Startup Signal - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Entrepreneurship - Powered by SocialRank Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:33:50 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-109016 [...] Twentysomething: Forget the big city, try middle America [...] [...] Twentysomething: Forget the big city, try middle America [...]

]]> By: Rebecca http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-107602 Rebecca Sun, 09 Sep 2007 23:19:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-107602 I think both sides of this issue have valid points, but your post didn't really dwell on one important thing: while the cost of living *is* cheaper in places like Indiana and Ohio and Oklahoma, you are also going to be paid substantially less. I think it's great that you are thinking of giving Middle America a try. I gave it two years and was not happy there -- I found the people to be far too conservative, the cultural opportunities lacking (and I was in a college town!), and the dating life difficult (most people seemed to get married at a really young age). I wish you the best and hope you have a very different experience than I did. I guess it really depends on the specific community you are moving to. I think both sides of this issue have valid points, but your post didn't really dwell on one important thing: while the cost of living *is* cheaper in places like Indiana and Ohio and Oklahoma, you are also going to be paid substantially less.

I think it's great that you are thinking of giving Middle America a try. I gave it two years and was not happy there — I found the people to be far too conservative, the cultural opportunities lacking (and I was in a college town!), and the dating life difficult (most people seemed to get married at a really young age).

I wish you the best and hope you have a very different experience than I did. I guess it really depends on the specific community you are moving to.

]]> By: alexa harrington http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/comment-page-2/#comment-106649 alexa harrington Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:51:37 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/14/twentysomething-forget-the-big-city-try-middle-america/#comment-106649 My husband and I live in Seattle with our two young children. Seattle's expensive real estate-wise, and we're stoked that we have a cute Craftsman-style bungalow. And then my husband went to Atlanta for his high school reunion a few months ago. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, puke or pack up the fam and move when he told me that in Atlanta you can buy 3 times the house for half of what our house is worth in Seattle. Atlanta's a city; I can't imagine there's anything Seattle has that I wouldn't be able to get in Atlanta. Excepting the rain, of course. My husband and I live in Seattle with our two young children. Seattle's expensive real estate-wise, and we're stoked that we have a cute Craftsman-style bungalow. And then my husband went to Atlanta for his high school reunion a few months ago. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, puke or pack up the fam and move when he told me that in Atlanta you can buy 3 times the house for half of what our house is worth in Seattle. Atlanta's a city; I can't imagine there's anything Seattle has that I wouldn't be able to get in Atlanta. Excepting the rain, of course.

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