The latest good news squeezed out of a depressing Census: Young smart people love us.
The number of college-educated young professionals who moved into the city rose by 49 percent since 2000, according to a recent crunch of the numbers. This means we beat out such allegedly desirable locales as Boston, Chicago, Columbus, and Cincinnati.
Reasons for the increase vary depending on who you ask, but grit and funk seem to be key indicators.
“Young people want to live in a cool, hip, funky district,” says councilman Matt Zone of the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, which has seen considerable growth in funky residents.
This article appears in Apr 6-12, 2011.
I agree with this article 100%. I am a professional that has lived in Cleveland my entire life. I know about the connectivity we have here, and all the absolute fabulous things we have to offer. As people come in from out of town, I show them the best we have to offer, and the countless fabulous restaurants… OMG… I’m telling you, people that visit Cleveland can’t understand why people from here are so negative about our great city. Visitors LOVE this city. It’s a little embarrasing to know, for a fact, that the people from Cleveland are clueless about their own city. They have no idea where to go, or where to take visitors. My job is to continually educate and motivate others to enjoy what we have in our own backyard – I love Cleveland!!!!
In addition to “grit” and “funk” I think part of the appeal is the ability to make a difference in a city like Cleveland. You can come to Cleveland (or Milwaukee or Pittsburgh or Detroit) and feel like your presence and your work make a difference in that community. Places like Chicago and New York are great cities but they don’t need you the same way Cleveland does. And there is something very appealing about being needed and valued.