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Posted (edited)
  On 7/4/2021 at 1:56 PM, Macanudo said:

I've wondered why some of the towns and cities in NW Texas (Amarillo), NE New Mexico (Raton) and E/SE Colorado (Limon, Trinidad and Pueblo) haven't blown up.   

Say what you want about places like Amarillo or Pueblo but land is cheap to some degree and for some of those places you're only a couple of hours from tons of outdoor stuff (fishing, skiing, etc.)    In those two cities cases, you either have an airport with direct flights to Houston, DFW, OKC and Vegas (Amarillo) or you're only a short drive to one (Pueblo to Colorado Springs).   Obviously places like Raton, Trinidad and Limon are problematic with regard to air travel  but if my employer told me I could move go Trinidad I might consider it one day.  

I always find it funny that places in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama aren't usually in the mix.   I know Birmingham has gotten some love lately but I guess corporate America still just can't wrap its head around employees showing up to work sporting Confederate flag t-shirts and having to allow for spit cups on their desks.

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I think a big part of why some of these places don't succeed nowadays in attaining rapid growth is that the fundamentals of our economy have changed from extracting natural resources from a particular place/region (whether that be through agriculture, mining for minerals, and even drilling for oil to a degree as those workers are much more transient before and will just leave with their trailer at the end of the "boom") to exploiting talent.

Sure, if those towns offer a location in proximity to natural amenities, they can attract retirees and maybe some work-from-homers. But, at the end of the day, cheap dirt and a two-hour-drive to the mountains ain't gonna cut it because that sort of advantage isn't really that competitive. Those places are a dime a dozen: think Roswell, Ozona, Dalhart, or Tucumcari.

The corporate relocations and startups that drive the kind of growth we're talking about are looking for the educated and skilled talent that they need to stay competitive in their respective industries, which means going to where young, college graduates want to live. To tap into that talent, companies have to go to larger urban centers with higher education institutions nearby and a scene/vibe/lifestyle that makes those young professionals want to stay after graduating.

This is why so many communities are now focusing on cultivating those types of quality of life amenities, including downtown revitalization projects, to remain competitive in the attraction and retention of talent.

 

Edited by bolverk
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Posted

And I get that, hence why I left out Roswell, Dalhart, Tucumcari,  et al.  Amarillo is 80 miles north of Lubbock (Texas Tech).  Raton is 4-5 hours from Amarillo, Lubbock and Albuquerque.   Trinidad is another 60 minutes away.  If an employer really thought about it, places like this would make a lot of sense especially those who want to sell the while "no state income tax" idea (for Amarillo

If often wondered why more companies don't set up in Vancouver, WA.   No state income tax in WA and 0% sales tax in Oregon.   Live in WA and buy your big screen TVs and appliances in Portland.  Plus the scenic beauty of the PNW/Columbia River Gorge.

Posted (edited)
  On 7/4/2021 at 7:38 PM, bolverk said:

I think a big part of why some of these places don't succeed nowadays in attaining rapid growth is that the fundamentals of our economy have changed from extracting natural resources from a particular place/region (whether that be through agriculture, mining for minerals, and even drilling for oil to a degree as those workers are much more transient before and will just leave with their trailer at the end of the "boom") to exploiting talent.

Sure, if those towns offer a location in proximity to natural amenities, they can attract retirees and maybe some work-from-homers. But, at the end of the day, cheap dirt and a two-hour-drive to the mountains ain't gonna cut it because that sort of advantage isn't really that competitive. Those places are a dime a dozen: think Roswell, Ozona, Dalhart, or Tucumcari.

The corporate relocations and startups that drive the kind of growth we're talking about are looking for the educated and skilled talent that they need to stay competitive in their respective industries, which means going to where young, college graduates want to live. To tap into that talent, companies have to go to larger urban centers with higher education institutions nearby and a scene/vibe/lifestyle that makes those young professionals want to stay after graduating.

This is why so many communities are now focusing on cultivating those types of quality of life amenities, including downtown revitalization projects, to remain competitive in the attraction and retention of talent.

 

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This, and has anyone spent any length of time in Jackson and/or Jackson Hole lately? That place is lousy with 20-30 year olds in Patagonia's working remote or long-term renting during ski season, off-season, etc. because a) it has all the outdoor requirements talked about and b) there is a vibe/scene for these folks that have been built (largely because of the "wannabe" or "me too" aspirations as young, white males bought into Jackson Hole to be like the older white males who made it a corporate retreat/thing).

Edited by DonkeyCigars
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Posted
  On 7/5/2021 at 4:48 AM, MAUFRAIS said:

Those place suck donkey. Anyone with the least bit of intention in their life would choose a different location. Jesus. Amarillo.

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Almost 4,000,000 people live in Oklahoma.  Amarillo isn't that bad.

Posted
  On 7/5/2021 at 3:01 PM, Macanudo said:

Almost 4,000,000 people live in Oklahoma.  Amarillo isn't that bad.

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Depends on where you're from and what you're used to. Having grown up in a small West Texas town and getting my undergrad at Tech, I think I could make a go if forced to. I'm accustomed to the climate, the culture, and the people out there. As a matter of fact, one of my former coworkers here in downtown Austin got tired of the commute from her home in Elgin jumped at an opportunity in Amarillo because she missed "the West" (she grew up somewhere near Cody, Wyoming). But I think it'd be much harder to convince a Silicon Valley bro (or even someone who grew up in the DFW suburbs) to leave a place like Austin and relocate to somewhere like Amarillo. 

Don't get me wrong though; even I sometimes fantasize a little about living in a place like Alpine, TX, Trinidad, CO or Las Vegas, NM just to get away from it all.

Posted
  On 7/4/2021 at 1:56 PM, Macanudo said:
I've wondered why some of the towns and cities in NW Texas (Amarillo), NE New Mexico (Raton) and E/SE Colorado (Limon, Trinidad and Pueblo) haven't blown up.   
Say what you want about places like Amarillo or Pueblo but land is cheap to some degree and for some of those places you're only a couple of hours from tons of outdoor stuff (fishing, skiing, etc.)    In those two cities cases, you either have an airport with direct flights to Houston, DFW, OKC and Vegas (Amarillo) or you're only a short drive to one (Pueblo to Colorado Springs).   Obviously places like Raton, Trinidad and Limon are problematic with regard to air travel  but if my employer told me I could move go Trinidad I might consider it one day.  
I always find it funny that places in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama aren't usually in the mix.   I know Birmingham has gotten some love lately but I guess corporate America still just can't wrap its head around employees showing up to work sporting Confederate flag t-shirts and having to allow for spit cups on their desks.

Corporate relocations tend to go where there is either A.) An educated/skilled workforce pipeline in place, and/or B.) It is easy to attract talent. Most of the places you posted check neither box. They follow trends, not set them.
Posted
  On 7/5/2021 at 3:49 AM, Macanudo said:

And I get that, hence why I left out Roswell, Dalhart, Tucumcari,  et al.  Amarillo is 80 miles north of Lubbock (Texas Tech).  Raton is 4-5 hours from Amarillo, Lubbock and Albuquerque.   Trinidad is another 60 minutes away.  If an employer really thought about it, places like this would make a lot of sense especially those who want to sell the while "no state income tax" idea (for Amarillo

If often wondered why more companies don't set up in Vancouver, WA.   No state income tax in WA and 0% sales tax in Oregon.   Live in WA and buy your big screen TVs and appliances in Portland.  Plus the scenic beauty of the PNW/Columbia River Gorge.

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Lubbock is a shithole. Amarillo is in the middle of nowhere and only 80 miles from the nearest shithole. Employers want to attract employees, not hide from them. 

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Posted

I started this thread in February and expected a little more consensus on a top few choices. Maybe there isn’t another Austin in the near future. There’s no economic law that says there has to be. It will be interesting to track the growth of some mid-sized cities over the next decade to see if anybody breaks out. 

Posted
  On 7/5/2021 at 3:49 AM, Macanudo said:

And I get that, hence why I left out Roswell, Dalhart, Tucumcari,  et al.  Amarillo is 80 miles north of Lubbock (Texas Tech).  Raton is 4-5 hours from Amarillo, Lubbock and Albuquerque.   Trinidad is another 60 minutes away.  If an employer really thought about it, places like this would make a lot of sense especially those who want to sell the while "no state income tax" idea (for Amarillo

If often wondered why more companies don't set up in Vancouver, WA.   No state income tax in WA and 0% sales tax in Oregon.   Live in WA and buy your big screen TVs and appliances in Portland.  Plus the scenic beauty of the PNW/Columbia River Gorge.

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So, hmmm, the thread is about the next Austin, and you decided to take Dalhart off the list???

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Posted
  On 7/5/2021 at 9:56 PM, Larry T. Spider said:

I started this thread in February and expected a little more consensus on a top few choices. Maybe there isn’t another Austin in the near future. There’s no economic law that says there has to be. It will be interesting to track the growth of some mid-sized cities over the next decade to see if anybody breaks out. 

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Did you forget which site you were posting on? Were you high?

Posted
  On 7/5/2021 at 9:56 PM, Larry T. Spider said:
I started this thread in February and expected a little more consensus on a top few choices. Maybe there isn’t another Austin in the near future. There’s no economic law that says there has to be. It will be interesting to track the growth of some mid-sized cities over the next decade to see if anybody breaks out. 

Austin is part of a group of cities that have benefited from the confluence of the tech sector asserting itself as the engine of the economy and the coming of age of millennials. Within that prism, you’re going to see places like Seattle, Denver, Austin, Nashville, and the Research Triangle continue to experience tremendous growth in size and general economic and cultural stature. Austin is at the forefront of that group of course but it’s the same basic story in many places.

The answer to your question depends on the timeline. Five to ten years? I don’t think this trend or the cities growing most quickly changes much. Further out the answer depends on what you think will be driving migration patterns. Economic developments are obviously hard to predict - who knows what sort of industries or technologies will arise in 30 years that we can not fathom now - but certainly climate will be a factor. Northern latitudes, mild weather, water all factors there. Legacy cities in the Great Lakes region have a big opportunity. Boise, ID (already growing like crazy and mentioned here) is one I could see being a boomtown through the middle of the century as PHX and Vegas become more untenable. Major Canadian cities too if we’re including those in the discussion.

Houston could actually be in real trouble if the large energy companies don’t make serious pivots into renewables. Energy transition is fully mainstream with institutional investors and that cat isn’t going back in the bag. If it gets left behind, it could be my generation’s Detroit. I don’t think it’ll be that extreme of an economic decline but it has as much to lose as any city in America, with the possible exception of Miami, which could have very valuable real estate literally going under.
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Posted

The stabbings and drug overdoses will probably keep people away from Pueblo. I kind of see what Mac’s saying in his examples as romanticized small towns, cheap property, laid back culture, but they are all just too far geographically and culturally from where young city (especially non-Texan) adults are.

Nashville is already huge, but it did trail Austin in the hipness and buzz if you were looking for professional or entertainment festivals, bachelor/ette parties, relocation of corporate HQs, etc. I think it can still be argued as a “next Austin” if you are speculating for job or real estate growth. 

If the criteria is looking for a small to mid sized town near a major college with an artsy cultural scene to mimic Austin’s transformation from late 20th century to now, then I’d agree with some of the suggestions of Boise, Asheville/similar NC towns, Des Moines. I’ve only been to Knoxville once but it seems like it would have similar potential. I’ve never been to Reno so I haven’t a clue if real estate is already absurd or if the town in a crap hole, but it seems geographically well positioned relative to SF and pacific NW, near main campus of Univ of Nevada, Lake Tahoe for summers and skiing, no state income tax, etc. 

Posted
  On 2/22/2021 at 2:42 PM, bluto said:


For all the FW mentions, I lived there 3.5 years recently. They’re so damn lost and poorly run, with oil on the decline generally and the tail end of great biz migration to Texas, there’s just not much cooking for them. Outside of defense manufacturing, which is more blue collar than white collar pay level, there just isn’t much to attract young college grads. I’m older than that bracket but still mobile and know of a handful of peers who gave FW a shot and inevitably made the move to Dallas.

They seem more interested attracting distribution centers around alliance and the pipe dream panther island nonsense than fixing the ISD to attract big job creators to downtown. The one thing they are doing right is the med school just west of downtown, big kudos on growing that.

If you can find one of the few golden goose jobs in FW (or more likely in FW, have family money) and already have a family, it’s a really great place to set up shop. But it’s not a very attractive setup for young college grad, and won’t be until they get a few major good job creators to roll out - so far that’s been a major fail.

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Definitely the way it was 30 years ago.  A very nice place to live for a young family, but just not very  . . .  dynamic for lack of a better term.

Posted
  On 7/6/2021 at 8:58 AM, Murfdogg21 said:

I’ve never been to Reno so I haven’t a clue if real estate is already absurd or if the town in a crap hole, but it seems geographically well positioned relative to SF and pacific NW, near main campus of Univ of Nevada, Lake Tahoe for summers and skiing, no state income tax, etc. 

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Yeah, but “Nevada”.

Posted
  On 6/28/2021 at 7:01 PM, crash_davis said:

...and it's full of dipshit okies.

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There's a nice little midtown "bubble" in Tulsa that I truly enjoy and appreciate the people who I associate with, who are very like-minded. I just avoid rural areas and the suburbs like the plague. Literally these days as they are the dipshits who won't get vaccinated or wear masks, because muh freedoms and fuck everyone but myself. There's tons of that in Texas too, as you know, and Austin is just a bubble, as Dallas and Houston surely have similar bubbles too. What I like most here as opposed to my time in Dallas is that I can live near downtown and avoid commutes. I know Dallas is still blowing up but a lot of it is driven by shit being cheap for corporations, not because the quality of life is anything to write home about, especially for the middle class who are moving to soulless cookie cutter suburbs and driving their F-250s 2 hours a day for their desk jobs.

Posted
  On 7/6/2021 at 6:11 PM, 'stache said:

I know Dallas is still blowing up but a lot of it is driven by shit being cheap for corporations, not because the quality of life is anything to write home about, especially for the middle class who are moving to soulless cookie cutter suburbs and driving their F-250s 2 hours a day for their desk jobs.

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Suburban status symbols. Brodozer for the dad, German made SUV for the mom.

I live in Austin proper. It's a bubble. Drive 20+ mins to Cedar Park, Round Rock, Kyle, Buda, Circle C or any of the Austin suburbs and they mostly look like any suburb around Houston or Dallas, just greener scenery. Brodozers everywhere.

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Posted

Ok... Then why not Santa Fe, NM?   Less than 100k in population but only an hour north of another million people (Albuquerque).   Unless both are surrounded by National Forest land that can't be built on, I'd assume land is cheap out there.

Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 1:37 PM, Macanudo said:
Ok... Then why not Santa Fe, NM?   Less than 100k in population but only an hour north of another million people (Albuquerque).   Unless both are surrounded by National Forest land that can't be built on, I'd assume land is cheap out there.

Santa Fe is in fact surrounded by a lot of public land. There is very little industry outside of tourism and state government. Land is also definitely not cheap in Santa Fe.

ABQ is less restricted geographically but is high crime and generally gets overshadowed by Denver, Phoenix, Vegas, etc. in the southwest. UNM is there but there isn’t a UT quality institution putting out a steady stream of young talent; in fact, lots of young people have to leave NM. It’s got a little going for it - Netflix is in the process of expanding its big production facility there and there are some STEM jobs with companies like Intel or the federal government/federal contractors. Housing is relatively cheap There’s some reason to think it could see some growth as Denver and Phoenix have gotten more expensive. But the lack of talent base is a problem.
Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 2:41 PM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

SIAP. Quick read from Kinder Institute (Rice) that the SA-Austin corridor is the main region set for explosive growth.

https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/2021/07/04/next-big-texas-city?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

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I've been thinking Austin is going to drag San Antonio along for the ride for awhile and recommending California SFR investors to take a look there, particularly if their price range is $350K or less. 

I'm also bullish on Lockhart but I can't think of a good analogue (maybe a Round Top within commute range of Austin or poor man's Boerne, perhaps). 

Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 4:31 PM, LCHorn said:

I've been thinking Austin is going to drag San Antonio along for the ride for awhile and recommending California SFR investors to take a look there, particularly if their price range is $350K or less. 

I'm also bullish on Lockhart but I can't think of a good analogue (maybe a Round Top within commute range of Austin or poor man's Boerne, perhaps). 

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I haven't seen any hard data on Austin's growth spilling over into San Antonio yet but have heard several anecdotes of individuals making the move as well as a few IT companies setting up second offices down there. The motivations all seem to be based off the greater affordability of the city along with its distinct culture. I know a lot of Surlsters like to rag on the city, but parts of the city have a really awesome vibe. I can't help but think those few stories we hear about people opting out of Austin's affordability crisis and picking San Antonio where home prices are about half the price just an hour or so away will start becoming more common.

Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 4:49 PM, bolverk said:

I haven't seen any hard data on Austin's growth spilling over into San Antonio yet but have heard several anecdotes of individuals making the move as well as a few IT companies setting up second offices down there. The motivations all seem to be based off the greater affordability of the city along with its distinct culture. I know a lot of Surlsters like to rag on the city, but parts of the city have a really awesome vibe. I can't help but think those few stories we hear about people opting out of Austin's affordability crisis and picking San Antonio where home prices are about half the price just an hour or so away will start becoming more common.

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Affordability is a big part and I've talked to several work from anywhere folks moving here from California on comparing Austin to San Antonio.  For $1.5 million you can get 2200 sq ft fixer upper in Eanes or 4K sq ft with a pool and a historic home in Alamo Heights. 

A good number of these buyers are of Asian or SE Asian descent and see Austin as a more multicultural place, at least in terms of their racial and economic peers.  Alamo Heights has more in common with New Orleans than Austin in terms of antipathy towards new money so I can understand how they might feel that way. 

It's kind of a shame we don't have the political will to build Japanese high speed rail between the cities because that would be HUGE for San Antonio AND allow Austin to grow a little slower. 

Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 1:37 PM, Macanudo said:

Ok... Then why not Santa Fe, NM?   Less than 100k in population but only an hour north of another million people (Albuquerque).   Unless both are surrounded by National Forest land that can't be built on, I'd assume land is cheap out there.

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Everybody stay the fuck away from New Mexico. It’s a shithole. Don’t come here…I mean don’t go there.

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Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 6:01 PM, MissingInAction said:

Temple, and I'm being super cereal. Real estate/housing prices are driving everyone who doesn't make 250k plus out of austin.

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While I don’t see temple as a future metropolis, I have been checking out potential investment properties there. Would be easy for me to manage from my current location, has a low entry point, and plenty of potential for growth.

Posted (edited)
  On 7/12/2021 at 12:49 AM, Larry T. Spider said:

While I don’t see temple as a future metropolis, I have been checking out potential investment properties there. Would be easy for me to manage from my current location, has a low entry point, and plenty of potential for growth.

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BS&W(Baylor Scott & White), military contractors, and military retirees having been driving this market for quite awhile.

Edited by ShaggyBevo RIP
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Posted
  On 7/11/2021 at 2:41 PM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

SIAP. Quick read from Kinder Institute (Rice) that the SA-Austin corridor is the main region set for explosive growth.

https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/2021/07/04/next-big-texas-city?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

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  On 7/11/2021 at 4:31 PM, LCHorn said:

I've been thinking Austin is going to drag San Antonio along for the ride for awhile and recommending California SFR investors to take a look there, particularly if their price range is $350K or less. 

I'm also bullish on Lockhart but I can't think of a good analogue (maybe a Round Top within commute range of Austin or poor man's Boerne, perhaps). 

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  On 7/11/2021 at 4:49 PM, bolverk said:

I haven't seen any hard data on Austin's growth spilling over into San Antonio yet but have heard several anecdotes of individuals making the move as well as a few IT companies setting up second offices down there. The motivations all seem to be based off the greater affordability of the city along with its distinct culture. I know a lot of Surlsters like to rag on the city, but parts of the city have a really awesome vibe. I can't help but think those few stories we hear about people opting out of Austin's affordability crisis and picking San Antonio where home prices are about half the price just an hour or so away will start becoming more common.

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http://urbanscale.com/blog/5-key-ingredients-create-mega-region/
 

This is like 7 years old, but I remembered it based on these posts…

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Posted (edited)
  Reveal hidden contents

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2016/10/13/the-next-great-american-metropolis-is-taking-shape-in-texas/?sh=2d0c85131e2f

Also 4 years old but on topic

Edited by TKthunder2
Posted

While I don't think it's going to be the next Austin any time soon, Northwest Arkansas is an area that punches way above its weight class. Given the presence of Wal-Mart, Tyson and J.B. Hunt, it has amenities not found in other areas of its size. It has great cultural amenities, including Crystal Bridges, fantastic outdoor activities, a solid airport for an area its size and the presence of a large state university. 

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Posted

Decent pick.  It is woefully underrated in terms of its geographic beauty.  Nobody's gonna move near Tyson for collaborative opportunities and University of Arkansas is just a state school in name only, it offers very little in terms of intellectual talent pool.  But Wal-Mart, Hunt, et. al., an affordable cost of living, with natural beauty is nothing to shake a stick at.  They need to work on that airport and Little Rock needs to shut up and stop poaching shit and making trouble for that region.  But yeah, it's certainly only going to get bigger and better.  I've never been to Crystal Bridges but we're finally going to the day before the football game and I'm really looking forward to it.  

Plus you're just a short drive from the Yakov Smirnoff Theater in beautiful downtown Branson. 

But they really do have pretty women and good fishing up that way as well.  

Posted
  On 7/12/2021 at 9:45 PM, TKthunder2 said:
  Reveal hidden contents

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2016/10/13/the-next-great-american-metropolis-is-taking-shape-in-texas/?sh=2d0c85131e2f

Also 4 years old but on topic

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RIP San Marcos. It gets busier every time I visit. Well on it's way to urban sprawl territory. 

Posted
  On 7/13/2021 at 7:58 PM, royiv said:

While I don't think it's going to be the next Austin any time soon, Northwest Arkansas is an area that punches way above its weight class. Given the presence of Wal-Mart, Tyson and J.B. Hunt, it has amenities not found in other areas of its size. It has great cultural amenities, including Crystal Bridges, fantastic outdoor activities, a solid airport for an area its size and the presence of a large state university. 

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What's interesting is the amount of 2nd home buyers that are pickup up real estate in part due to the world class mountain biking scene that has developed in, and around, Bentonville.  Some friends just closed on a house there and mountain biking was the tipping point for them picking that location.  

Posted
  On 7/14/2021 at 3:06 PM, CooterBrown said:

What's interesting is the amount of 2nd home buyers that are pickup up real estate in part due to the world class mountain biking scene that has developed in, and around, Bentonville.  Some friends just closed on a house there and mountain biking was the tipping point for them picking that location.  

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Correct.  I’m not kidding when I say this but on a per square foot basis, Central Bentonville is the most expensive area between Chicago and the Park Cities in Dallas.  It’s just a tier below Central Austin, Park Cities, River Oaks, etc. to compare to other expensive non coastal markets.

It’s bizarre to say that but there’s a huge gold rush going on there right now.

Posted

I'll add one more thing about Bentonville/Northwest Arkansas.  The cities with growth prospects offer up quality of life options and that area is one of the top mountain biking areas in the country and what separates it from the others is it's not a rural outpost.  You can actually have a job there.  Even if you're not into biking/cycling, plenty of outdoorsy stuff there if that's your thing.  Other mid sized cities that are kinda outdoorsy where you can get a job are prolly Boise and maybe Greenville, SC.  I hesitate to say Asheville because the economy there is just olds and artists.  

Bentonville/Northwest Arkansas always makes the best places to live list for most of those reasons.  Granted, Austin makes the same lists but we're talking about the "next" Austin.  

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Posted
  On 7/4/2021 at 1:56 PM, Macanudo said:

I've wondered why some of the towns and cities in NW Texas (Amarillo), NE New Mexico (Raton) and E/SE Colorado (Limon, Trinidad and Pueblo) haven't blown up.   

Say what you want about places like Amarillo or Pueblo but land is cheap to some degree and for some of those places you're only a couple of hours from tons of outdoor stuff (fishing, skiing, etc.)    In those two cities cases, you either have an airport with direct flights to Houston, DFW, OKC and Vegas (Amarillo) or you're only a short drive to one (Pueblo to Colorado Springs).   Obviously places like Raton, Trinidad and Limon are problematic with regard to air travel  but if my employer told me I could move go Trinidad I might consider it one day.  

I always find it funny that places in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama aren't usually in the mix.   I know Birmingham has gotten some love lately but I guess corporate America still just can't wrap its head around employees showing up to work sporting Confederate flag t-shirts and having to allow for spit cups on their desks.

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Trinidad did turn around, and probably as much as it ever will. It's the legal weed border town for Texas....It hasn't stopped the slide in population but it has slowed it down some. When / if Texas ever legalizes, it will fall apart again....When the mines were going, Las Animas County had 32,000 people, and today it's 14,000.

Posted
  On 7/14/2021 at 10:53 PM, Aqua Buddha said:
I'll add one more thing about Bentonville/Northwest Arkansas.  The cities with growth prospects offer up quality of life options and that area is one of the top mountain biking areas in the country and what separates it from the others is it's not a rural outpost.  You can actually have a job there.  Even if you're not into biking/cycling, plenty of outdoorsy stuff there if that's your thing.  Other mid sized cities that are kinda outdoorsy where you can get a job are prolly Boise and maybe Greenville, SC.  I hesitate to say Asheville because the economy there is just olds and artists.  
Bentonville/Northwest Arkansas always makes the best places to live list for most of those reasons.  Granted, Austin makes the same lists but we're talking about the "next" Austin.  

If I had to relocate to anywhere in the country it would be NWA, but I’m a mountain biking junkie who also loves to hike and kayak. Even though a place like Austin has more cultural amenities, the superior outdoor options would win for me.
Posted
  On 7/16/2021 at 11:28 AM, Al_4_ISU said:


If I had to relocate to anywhere in the country it would be NWA, but I’m a mountain biking junkie who also loves to hike and kayak. Even though a place like Austin has more cultural amenities, the superior outdoor options would win for me.

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I'd have to have a serious mountain biking fetish for me to move to the state of Arkansas, and even then, I'm sure I can find another promising area in the United States where the mountain biking is good.  But I am talking to a guy who lives in Iowa or thereabouts. 

Posted (edited)
  On 7/16/2021 at 2:02 PM, South Austin said:

I'd have to have a serious mountain biking fetish for me to move to the state of Arkansas, and even then, I'm sure I can find another promising area in the United States where the mountain biking is good.  But I am talking to a guy who lives in Iowa or thereabouts. 

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Those places are all more expensive and more than a day's drive from home.  NWA is (for now) reasonably priced and about an 8 hour drive from where I live, and only 5-6 from Des Moines/Ames.

I actually live in a very under-the-radar but surprisingly nice part of the country that has high quality mountain biking considering you're in the Midwest.  The Driftless Area (intersection of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota) has similar terrain to the Ozarks with less rural poverty and has multiple world class breweries (New Glarus and Toppling Goliath the most well known) as well as excellent kayaking (Upper Iowa, Root, and Kickapoo Rivers) and really good mountain biking and paved trails for road bikes.  So I'm not actually looking to relocate, I'm just pointing out that NWA has a ton to offer people with certain hobbies and it's not really Arkansas in the sense of how anyone would view the rest of the state.

Edited by Al_4_ISU
Posted
  On 7/16/2021 at 2:28 PM, Al_4_ISU said:

Those places are all more expensive and more than a day's drive from home.  NWA is (for now) reasonably priced and about an 8 hour drive from where I live, and only 5-6 from Des Moines/Ames.

I actually live in a very under-the-radar but surprisingly nice part of the country that has high quality mountain biking considering you're in the Midwest.  The Driftless Area (intersection of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota) has similar terrain to the Ozarks with less rural poverty and has multiple world class breweries (New Glarus and Toppling Goliath the most well known) as well as excellent kayaking (Upper Iowa, Root, and Kickapoo Rivers) and really good mountain biking and paved trails for road bikes.  So I'm not actually looking to relocate, I'm just pointing out that NWA has a ton to offer people with certain hobbies and it's not really Arkansas in the sense of how anyone would view the rest of the state.

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Counterpoint:  It's Arkansas.

Posted

Northwest Arkansas regularly makes almost every Best Places to Live list.  A lot of those other cities are significantly more expensive.

However, it should be noted that you get 30 miles in either direction and you're in the rural South that backs up every stereotype that entails.

Posted

Yeah, its geographic isolation and uniqueness is both its biggest strength and biggest weakness.  You could definitely attract mid-career talent who would appreciate raising their family in an area like that.  But I don't see how you attract young talent who are looking for other amenities besides the outdoors.  Because as y'all said above, once you leave that area...it's the deep, backwards South in every direction.  Or worse, Oklahoma.  A 25 year old tech guru can only visit Branson ironically so many times before they opt for a hipper area.  And calling University of Arkansas an intellectual talent pool is ridiculous and we're not just saying that as Texas fans.  Baton Rouge isn't gonna be the next Austin because LSU and the Capital are there.  There's more to it than that, including brainpower (or lack thereof).  

But I do see NW Arkansas only growing more, and in a good way.  And I for one hope we get a non-stop flight to that are from ABIA for recreation purposes.  

People also overlook, Austin has had many growth periods.  But the current one, where Austin becomes tech, intellection, cultural, cool place to visit, great place to relocate, this "destination hub" that it is right now, this has been going on for about 20-25 years.  This current incarnation, it's taken 25 years of pivotal growth to get here.  So while I can't see some cities/areas becoming an Austin-like destination in the next few years, there are lesser-known places that could become Austin-esque in the next quarter century for sure.  I also think there are some dying American cities that could revitalize once and for all, and come roaring back as an Austin alternative in 20 years.  

 

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