Kiplinger magazine rates Pittsburgh 9th Smartest Place to Live

[Proud Pittsburgh]

I came across this on CNBC this morning. It gives Pittsburgh a glowing review!

This seems to be a very well rounded poll based on both reader input and imperical data. It asked readers what was important to them and then found data to rank cities.

It looks at items like cost of living,cost of housing, quality health care, low crime rate, weather, education (primary, secondary and higher), cultural amenities,transportation and proximety to family. The list also examined economic factors.

Check out what Kiplingers has to say about Pittsburgh, and the other top 10.

Kiplingers.com

[balistpgh]

I love it. Slowly but surely, the message is getting out. What great timing with all the redevelopment going on here.

BTW, on a side note, I heard IBM is packing up and leaving Silicon Valley in 2 years. The rising real estate made it impossible for them to pay workers and have them live there. I hate to prosper off others but Pittsburgh with Carnegie Mellon is a HUGE draw for IBM. Considering that Intel, Apple and Google are growing their presence maybe IBM is next. Very cool.

[TheGerbil]

Great article. I am always happy to read something positive about Pittsburgh. None of it surprises me, but I like the idea of getting the message out to the world.

As far as IBM, that would be awesome. I don't want to get too excited, but it seems entirely possible that they would choose Pittsburgh. Especially if they are seeking affordability. I just hope the local gov't or economic development agencies do something to woo them here.

[PghUSA]

Proud, GREAT find! loved it!

As far as the IBM thing, Apple is here? I remember hearing they were considering it but where are they and when did they arrive? Baum corridor with Intel and Vivisimo and Guru?

IBM used to be in Pittsburgh in the old Westinghouse Skyscraper downtown after they bought a tech start up in the 80s/90s but they closed down their unit in Pittsburgh a few years back, good to see that they have come to their senses and rediscovered Pittsburgh!

[Evergrey]

good to see that they have come to their senses and rediscovered Pittsburgh!

Wait a second... since when did anybody say that IBM "rediscovered" PGH? BalistPGH merely said IBM is leaving Silicon Valley and speculated PGH could be a potential candidate. I do think PGH would be a great relocation option for IBM if it came to that.

Also, I think this ranking is ridiculous... just like most of these city rankings (best singles, best arts, best drinking water, etc)... and is based on dubious methodology. Though I do think that Pittsburgh really is a very "smart" city to live in... all you need to do is look at some of PGH's company in the Top 10 to realize how loony this list is (Atlanta? If you like spending your life in an automobile in some exurban asteroid belt 40 miles outside of Atlanta's faux-urban core). I also find it interesting... that Kiplinger's "affordable housing options" for Pittsburgh are all 400,000 dollar McMansions located in sprawling non-communities outside the city. Kiplinger also gives PGH the usual backhanded compliment of being a good city for families and retired people... but not singles and young couples.

Pittsburgh is a smart choice... but this ranking certainly isn't smart.

http://www.kiplinger.com/personalfinance/

[PghUSA]

^^I think some of your objections are well grounded, but I justify my reaction by a few things, first any good showing on any dubious list is what Pittsburgh should strive for, like it or not life is full of meaningless and skin deep analysis, why does one restaurant or street corner or product sell, get the seed $, get the loan, get the business or get the client and one doesn't? It is all the game of money and it is nice to see that the powers that be in the economic development office are playing the game how it should be played.

As far as "rediscovering", never said it was a sure thing that we have already landed them, to merely be on the "list" of potential relocations is BIG, it puts you in the corporate jetset vernacular and sets Pittsburgh up to be a place for future consideration for shareholder meetings, product rollouts, test markets, R&D or ops relocations or even industry conventions because all of a sudden the VIPs in and around the IBM pool are talking about the Steel City. I can remember a time when Marathon left so fast the door never had a chance to hit them on the way out, when Boeing was shopping for new corporate digs and never even thought to put Pittsburgh on the LONG list, my have things changed, my have we been rediscovered.

[balistpgh]

Regardless of rankings, people do read them and right now our city government hasn't done a good job promoting the city. Overall this is just great publicity. I love it.

Apple is in the new CIC building at CMU.

The IBM thing is more of whimsy thought, giving that they are leaving SV.

[UrbaniDesDev]

Anytime Pittsburgh gets a glowing review and rates high in ranking is something to cheer about. Just proves again that many pieces of the Pittsburgh puzzle are falling into place. From my chats online, people across the country have become very curious about Pittsburgh.

[Proud Pittsburgh]

UrbanDesDev,

I think that you hit the nail on the head. The value of this list lies in it's ability to make people "curious" about Pittsburgh. The All-Star game will have a similar effect as will the movies "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" and "Pittsburgh". No earth shattering event will occur due to this publicity, but little-by-little, the curiosity can turn into something concrete.

[TheGerbil]

Yeah I tend to be dubious about any kind of ranking. Goodness knows I hate that Forbes singles list. But when we rank well it is something to be happy about, because it is good publicity. Just like ranking low is bad publicity.