America's Fastest-Dying Cities

[jtk1519]

A very interesting list...

Canton, OH
Youngstown, OH
Flint, MI
Scranton, PA
Dayton, OH
Cleveland, OH
Buffalo, NY
Detroit, MI
Charleston, WV

Another rough decade for the Rust Belt.

The turmoil of the mortgage market granted a temporary reprieve from hearing about the woes of America's Rust Belt. That doesn't mean things are better. Despite a decade of national prosperity, the former manufacturing backbone of the U.S. is in rougher shape than ever, still searching for some way to replace its long-stilled smokestacks.

Where's it worst? Ohio, according to our analysis, which racked up four of the 10 cities on our list: Youngstown, Canton, Dayton and Cleveland. The runner-up is Michigan, with two cities--Detroit and Flint--making the ranking.

These, and four other metropolitan statistical areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, face fleeing populations, painful waves of unemployment and barely growing economies. By our measure, they've struggled the worst of any areas in the nation in the 21st century. And they face even bleaker futures.

http://promo.realestate.yahoo.com/americas-fastest-dying-cities.html

[HebronHawk]

All manufacturing cities that were part of the Industrial expansion at the turn of the 20th century around the Great Lakes.

You are seeing a part of the American economy pass into our history as our politicians attend the Olympics in China and enjoy their status as World Leaders.

[slorch]

It would be interesting to see the top10 Moral decay cities...:rolleyes:

[twcpfan1]

It would be interesting to see the top10 Moral decay cities...:rolleyes:

You would have to look outside the United States for that. Even San Francisco is nothing compared to most other cities in the Western world outside the United States.

[drgnbkr]

All manufacturing cities that were part of the Industrial expansion at the turn of the 20th century around the Great Lakes.

You are seeing a part of the American economy pass into our history as our politicians attend the Olympics in China and enjoy their status as World Leaders.

So should they be in those cities congratulating the unions that have devastated the areas? Have you ever been in those areas? The companies would be on life support and the unions would stage a walk out...

[dada]

Dang....sucks to be Ohio

[SV61]

It would be interesting to see the top10 Moral decay cities...:rolleyes:

1) Austin
2) ????

:D

[SV61]

A very interesting list...

Canton, OH
Youngstown, OH
Flint, MI
Scranton, PA
Dayton, OH
Cleveland, OH
Buffalo, NY
Detroit, MI
Charleston, WV



http://promo.realestate.yahoo.com/americas-fastest-dying-cities.html

Have worked up there now and again. Youngstown was by FAR, the roughest neck of the woods out of these burgs.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton. That has to have SOME value, doesn't it??

[grayowl60]

Been some towns go away in Texas too. Usually some smaller, oil dependent burgs. Phillips, Texas once won a state football championship I believe. Check out whats going on in Phillips today:eek:

[SV61]

Been some towns go away in Texas too. Usually some smaller, oil dependent burgs. Phillips, Texas once won a state football championship I believe. Check out whats going on in Phillips today:eek:

Or railroads stop Stopping in the towns.

IE Marathon, or Sanderson.

[slorch]

Been some towns go away in Texas too. Usually some smaller, oil dependent burgs. Phillips, Texas once won a state football championship I believe. Check out whats going on in Phillips today:eek:

West Texas High is in Stinnett( combined Phillips and Stinnett) now.

true enough, though, west Texas towns are drying up both literally and figuratively. The rebound in the oil business has helped, but that is a very specialized part of the economy.

[jtk1519]

The thing about those cities on the list that stands out to me is that they are all heavily unionized cities.

BTW, nothing we are or have seen in Texas even remotely compares to that list. At one point, Cleveland, Buffalo and Detroit were among the largest and wealthiest cities in this country on par with Houston, Dallas and Phoenix now days. These weren't small oil or railroad towns of a few thousand that dried up when the interstate didn't come through town. These are cities whose populations once roamed in the millions and now they are counting their losses in the hundreds of thousands.

There was an article a while back about Youngstown, OH where city leaders are now spending money, not to bring in new businesses or invest in infrastructure. Quite the opposite. They are spending money to buy up vast, abandoned or close to abandoned parts of the city, including in the downtown area, so they can tear everything down (buildings, homes, roads, power lines, etc.) and leave empty field so they don't have to pay for the upkeep on infrastructure nobody uses. Instead of leaving block after block of abandoned city to ruin, they are paying to return the city to nature. Sadly, city leaders from Akron, Dayton, Toledo, etc. have been studying Youngstown in case they have to follow their lead.

[drgnbkr]

The thing about those cities on the list that stands out to me is that they are all heavily unionized cities.

BTW, nothing we are or have seen in Texas even remotely compares to that list. At one point, Cleveland, Buffalo and Detroit were among the largest and wealthiest cities in this country on par with Houston, Dallas and Phoenix now days. These weren't small oil or railroad towns of a few thousand that dried up when the interstate didn't come through town. These are cities whose populations once roamed in the millions and now they are counting their losses in the hundreds of thousands.

There was an article a while back about Youngstown, OH where city leaders are now spending money, not to bring in new businesses or invest in infrastructure. Quite the opposite. They are spending money to buy up vast, abandoned or close to abandoned parts of the city, including in the downtown area, so they can tear everything down (buildings, homes, roads, power lines, etc.) and leave empty field so they don't have to pay for the upkeep on infrastructure nobody uses. Instead of leaving block after block of abandoned city to ruin, they are paying to return the city to nature. Sadly, city leaders from Akron, Dayton, Toledo, etc. have been studying Youngstown in case they have to follow their lead.

Unions have killed large swaths of the rustbelt..And then they ***** about no jobs.

[jtk1519]

Unions have killed large swaths of the rustbelt..And then they ***** about no jobs.

Exactly. Look at the shape GM and Ford are in up there and then look at where VW, Toyota, etc. are building their new plants... Tennssee, Alabama, Texas, etc. All are right to work states.

This map says what 1000 words could never say...

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1482/69226876aw4.jpg

A HUGE chunk of this country's economic and population growth can be found in the blue states while a vast majority of the country's decay and unemployment can be found in the white. That is not a coincidence.

[WestPlano006]

My parents grew up in Buffalo, I remember going there to visit my grandparents a few times a year from about 1990 until they were no longer alive in about 2004, it was so much different than before. Since our grandparents have died, we haven't really had a reason to go back. Seems like a dead place to me now, a place that I used to relate for family and fun.

[slorch]

Exactly. Look at the shape GM and Ford are in up there and then look at where VW, Toyota, etc. are building their new plants... Tennssee, Alabama, Texas, etc. All are right to work states.

This map says what 1000 words could never say...

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/1482/69226876aw4.jpg

A HUGE chunk of this country's economic and population growth can be found in the blue states while a vast majority of the country's decay and unemployment can be found in the white. That is not a coincidence.

I never realized this, but the whole former Confederate States of America along with some Midwest and Rocky Mountain states are all Right to Work states. I have always been adamently right -to- work, but is there any reason why the philosophy also shadows the former CSA?

[drgnbkr]

I never realized this, but the whole former Confederate States of America along with some Midwest and Rocky Mountain states are all Right to Work states. I have always been adamently right -to- work, but is there any reason why the philosophy also shadows the former CSA?

More manufacturers started up in the upper midwest and northeast in the early days of the country. Management was such that workers organized and formed unions way back when. The union support for libs and vice versa, is one of the reasons liberalism got its start, IMO. The Southern states have always been more conservative, thus anti-union. The high dues union members pay has always made them more tolerant of the libs higher taxes for some reason.

[jtk1519]

I never realized this, but the whole former Confederate States of America along with some Midwest and Rocky Mountain states are all Right to Work states. I have always been adamently right -to- work, but is there any reason why the philosophy also shadows the former CSA?

I would guess that it has to do with the fact that the Northeast and Great Lakes area was until the 20th century the industry and population center of the nation and the unions built up where the heavy industry was. As the old heavy industries started to become obsolete or modernized, industry began to spread into right to work states and the lack of union interference allowed those industries to thrive thus increasing the exodus from union states to right to work states.

While there is a correlation between the confederate states and right to work states, I would be willing to bet that if you looked at a population density and industry density map from the time unions really started to grow, you would see the same correlation.

[TheBigPeach]

Well, Im from the Canton area and I figure I can give a little bit of input. In the Akron/Canton area, there is alot of manufacturing. One company which I have had alot of family members work for is Timpkin (spell check?), its a steel company and they have been laying off alot of people lately. Also, in Canton the Hoover Corp was a huge plant, but they decided to shut it down also. Not much going on in that area anymore....

[slorch]

is the Calahan Brake pad plant still in Sandusky?

[KT2000]

is the Calahan Brake pad plant still in Sandusky?

"I could get a good look at a t-bone steak if I stick my head up a bull's ***, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."

[drgnbkr]

"I could get a good look at a t-bone steak if I stick my head up a bull's ***, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."


:D:p:notworthy

[jtk1519]

I think another problem with the smaller cities like Flint, Youngstown, etc. is that the entire cities were built around one large company. When that company craps out, so goes the city. You saw that in Flint when GM left and if you read that piece about those small towns, you will see it reference the decline to when one plant shut down. The lack of diversification in their economies has cost them, it's killing Detroit right now as they can't bring in any other substantial industrial base and are being pulled down by the auto industry. If you look at the Rust Belt cities that are surviving or even flourishing a bit, they are cities like Pittsburgh who have managed to diversify their economies and get off their reliance on heavy industry.

[slorch]

I think another problem with the smaller cities like Flint, Youngstown, etc. is that the entire cities were built around one large company. When that company craps out, so goes the city. You saw that in Flint when GM left and if you read that piece about those small towns, you will see it reference the decline to when one plant shut down. The lack of diversification in their economies has cost them, it's killing Detroit right now as they can't bring in any other substantial industrial base and are being pulled down by the auto industry. If you look at the Rust Belt cities that are surviving or even flourishing a bit, they are cities like Pittsburgh who have managed to diversify their economies and get off their reliance on heavy industry.

so when Oprah leaves the windy city, it's death to Chicago...

[ktCarl]

"I could get a good look at a t-bone steak if I stick my head up a bull's ***, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."

O.K. 2000, where did my magnificent post disappear to?

[ktCarl]

Nevermind....I found it. I was in the wrong thread. Boy am I getting old.

[jtk1519]

so when Oprah leaves the windy city, it's death to Chicago...

I think Chicago is and will always be one of the exceptions, in large part, because it is a transportation and import/export hub. So long as there are railroads and airplanes, Chicago will have few problems.

[slorch]

I think Chicago is and will always be one of the exceptions, in large part, because it is a transportation and import/export hub. So long as there are railroads and airplanes, Chicago will have few problems.

Why so serious?( gun to head...)

[drgnbkr]

I think another problem with the smaller cities like Flint, Youngstown, etc. is that the entire cities were built around one large company. When that company craps out, so goes the city. You saw that in Flint when GM left and if you read that piece about those small towns, you will see it reference the decline to when one plant shut down. The lack of diversification in their economies has cost them, it's killing Detroit right now as they can't bring in any other substantial industrial base and are being pulled down by the auto industry. If you look at the Rust Belt cities that are surviving or even flourishing a bit, they are cities like Pittsburgh who have managed to diversify their economies and get off their reliance on heavy industry.

In another Union related disaster, besides the big auto companies, there use to be many auto related industries in the rust belt, producing everything for batteries to seat covers, but the unions ran them out of town and those industries are now in Mexico called Miquiladoras. Same with the air conditioning and appliance industries up there. And you will hear Obama ranting about outsourced jobs thoughout the election...damn skippy they got outsourced...the unions priced themselves right out of a job.

[mad_fan]

In another Union related disaster, besides the big auto companies, there use to be many auto related industries in the rust belt, producing everything for batteries to seat covers, but the unions ran them out of town and those industries are now in Mexico called Miquiladoras. Same with the air conditioning and appliance industries up there. And you will hear Obama ranting about outsourced jobs thoughout the election...damn skippy they got outsourced...the unions priced themselves right out of a job.

If you completely ignore the AMERICAN CONSUMER you might be on to something....
God Bless the American car consumer...:notworthy

[slorch]

If you completely ignore the AMERICAN CONSUMER you might be on to something....
God Bless the American car consumer...:notworthy

I've owned one foreign car- A Hyundai Excel.

I totalled it in the only accident I've ever had.

Coincidence? I think not...;)

[jtk1519]

I've owned one foreign car- A Hyundai Excel.

I totalled it in the only accident I've ever had.

Coincidence? I think not...;)

That's because you drive like a woman.

[mad_fan]

I've owned one foreign car- A Hyundai Excel.

I totalled it in the only accident I've ever had.

Coincidence? I think not...;)

I have NEVER owned an auto with a Jap name on it...
Blaming American workers for the death of American auto manufacturing is beyond ignorant...
It was American management that killed the business...
I'll never blame American workers (or their reps) for taking everything their bosses GAVE them...
And YES...if I had been the boss years back...I'd have let GM shut down ALL US production...

[slorch]

That's because you drive like a woman.

a very sleepy one...

[HebronHawk]

The biggest inroads made by unions in the right-to-work states have been among public employees. This should be a concern for any taxpayer.