The Next Big Boom Towns In The U.S.

Forbes ^ | 07/07/2011 | Joel Kotkin

[BfloGuy]

Austin is a very bad place to live, so don’t come here.

Nice try (appears to have worked for at least one commenter).

[No Truce With Kings]

“Actually, Austin is a very bad place to live, so don’t come here.”

A friend of mine once told me that everyone that lives in Austin believes it was just the perfect size six months after they moved there. That was thirty years ago. It is still true today.

[Grumplestiltskin]

“I’m with you. Screw the boomtowns and give me a view I can enjoy with my morning coffee”

I’m with both of you.

I want to be far, FAR, F-A-R from wherever “the boom is”.

Nowheresville for me!

- Grumpy

[Grumplestiltskin]

“All this boom and immigration from various points north, just might keep Texas from losing the demographic battle.”

You’re dreamin’, my FRiend.

The “demographic battle” is what it is.

The numbers in Texas are changing, as is the “color” of the population from gringo to brown.

The so-called “boom” may slow it down slightly, but it’s like holding one’s hand out in front of the coming tides...

Just sayin’...

[Free_in_Alabama]

Depending where in Alabama you go, there may be a good economy to go with it. We welcome you brother.

[BubbaBobTX]

I love living in Austin in spite of the large number of liberals. I am having more fun now than ever engaging my liberal friends in conversations about what a great job Barry is doing.

[Milton Miteybad]

A friend of mine once told me that everyone that lives in Austin believes it was just the perfect size six months after they moved there. That was thirty years ago. It is still true today.

A corollary to that sentiment is: "Austin used to be a great place to live before everybody found out that it was a great place to live."

[mamelukesabre]

tennesee, texas, and north carolina have had strong showings for ten years. Fifteen years ago california and wisconsin would’ve probably had one city each on the list. Possibly colorado springs. Other than that, not much different.

[stefanbatory]

don’t forget Muck-wun-ah-go

[bagman]

High taxes, powerful unions, complacent population, aging population, Luke Ravenstahl...

[Logic n' Reason]

Indeed! Should have added it to my list.

Also forgot to put in Vinnie Ha Ha and Koshkonong!!

[SaraJohnson]

RE: Actually, Austin is a very bad place to live, so don’t come here.

LOL, so what’s stopping you from moving outa there?

---

I have a feeling basil is fibbing... :)

Should a bunch of limo liberals move to Austin after having crashed their own cities with liberalism, they will do the same to Austin.

[Arrowhead1952]

RE: Actually, Austin is a very bad place to live, so don’t come here.

LOL, so what’s stopping you from moving outa there?

The liberals live in Austin, and the Conservatives live 30 or 40 miles outside the city. Problem solved. Now, if only our area could become part of Williamson or Burnet counties, we would have even less problems.

[Arrowhead1952]

then city councils and before you know it they all turn out to be environmentalists, gay activists, socialists, and all manner of big government parasites.

You must know the members of the Austin Silly council. Austin is the largest city in the country that elects all members at large, but may go to single member districts. The EVs, gays and UT students are the largest block of voter turnout. I'm glad we live outside the city.

[Major Matt Mason]

A rare St. Vincent College mention, my alma mater. Good school, and another like Grove City that normally ranks highly when schools are rated. I know the National Review gave SVC a good review in their rating of conservative colleges. Nice campus and, unlike when I attended, it is now co-ed. The Steelers train there, but I won't hold that against them ;)

[SVTCobra03]

“It is what it is, it’s just not “in your face” as in other metro areas.”

Methinks thou doth protest too much.

[Vigilanteman]

What did you major in at St. Vincent? I think it is their awesome econ department which earns them kudos from conservatives. I heard it was one of the founders of the local Kennametal who ponied up the money to get it started.

I will have to say that the kids are generally a pretty decent lot over there. We've been to events and do not see much of the usual hippie trash and leftwing sloganeering common at most college campuses.

Someone here told me that the nearby town of Latrobe passed on an opportunity to host the Football Hall of Fame before it went to Canton, Ohio. So the Steeler's camp was sort of a consolation prize, although another plus is that it usually is a few degrees cooler here than in Pittsburgh.

Usually, the whole Pittsburgh area centers their attention here when the camp opens later in July. But not this year between the NFL lock-out and the Pirates actually in contention this late in the season.

[Major Matt Mason]

Business management was my major. Gary Quinlivan, the head of the economics dept., first started teaching at SVC when I was there. He has indeed burnished the reputation of the school's econ dept. over the past couple of decades, but the business teaching has always been pretty well regarded at SVC.

Back in the 70's, SVC had a reputation as a party school, even being ranked in the Playboy rankings of party colleges. But that changed around the time I started school there, probably for the better (although I didn't think so at the time). Hadn't heard that about the HOF and Latrobe, but Western PA has certainly produced a good number of players over the years.

[americanophile]

Not all Californians are as you describe. Jim Robinson mentioned he was moving from California to Texas a while back, and we once had a governor named Reagan that most of Texas liked...the kind that are likely to flee to Texas are fed up conservatives.