America's Fastest-Dying Cities

forbes.com ^ | 08.05.08 | Joshua Zumbrun

[Westlander]

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.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I amend my remark please:

I think “fleeing” was my word, doesn’t look like Forbes used it... sorry to interject my own bias. :)

[flowerplough]

The oldest city in our top 10, Scranton, Pa., had 45% of its population over 45; the youngest, Flint had 38% over 45.

Been to Scranton a few times, hayna. That town shouldn't be in any top ten list. Any list that includes Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania should be a bottom ten list.

[ladyjane]

It’s a shame that Springfield, MA is on that list. It was the home of Smith & Wesson and the Springfield Armory. Democrat/union controlled though.

[Iron Munro]

So far this decade, 115,000 people have left Cleveland, for other climes.

Nearly 30,000 people have left Youngstown, Ohio.

It's difficult to commute to work when your job has been "Free Traded" to Mexico, India or China

[Rev DMV]

The oldest city in our top 10, Scranton, Pa., had 45% of its population over 45; the youngest, Flint had 38% over 45.

Been to Scranton a few times, hayna. That town shouldn't be in any top ten list. Any list that includes Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania should be a bottom ten list.

Having been born there and left a long time ago, the really sad fact is that the place is actually in a bit better shape than in the 70's...

[epow]

All very liberal cities.

True, but that's not the whole story. All those crumbling cities were once major elements of the greatest, most productive, and richest industrial nation the world had ever seen, but now those industrial giants are either dead or dying.

Nations such as the US, Britain, Germany, France, etc, became rich in the Industrial Age by converting their natural resources into salable products and marketing those products to the other nations of the world. Now those "other" nations produce most of those same products at lower prices and sell them to the formerly industrialized nations whose wealth is rapidly being transferred to their former customers.

I recently read that the high tech batteries that power the guidance systems of our military's smart bombs and missiles are bought from a manufacturer in China. When a nation gets to the point where it has to buy essential elements of it's high tech weaponry from a potential enemy nation like communist China it's in big trouble IMHO.

[trumandogz]

Are these cities primarily black in population?

No. Try Again.

[GBA]

Who can blame people for getting the heck out of these cities? Seriously, why would someone want to live in a liberal run city and/or work for a unionized company? Both “liberal” and “union” are philosophies divorced from reality and do not compete well against the non-liberal and the non-union. There was a time for both, perhaps, but that time is in the distant past. Hanging on to those philosophies now and trying to force fit them into our time results in the slow death Forbes has listed.

[FateRewritten]

The US is headed towards bulkinization. The only 2 factors I could possibly see that contributes to this is race and political alignment. There could be others, but it’s highly improbable that they would have this much of an effect.

I forgot the exact state it took place in (maybe CA) that they recently allowed parents to decide which schools they sent their children too. They became racially segragated within a year or two.

What’s next? US splits apart?

[neefer]

Yes - Cuyahoga County elected officials are Democrats and they’re being investigated by the FBI. The only two things Cleveland has going for it are outstanding hospitals/medical schools and an excellent Superintendent of schools, Dr. Eugene Sanders.

[FateRewritten]

"So true and I am sick of it. Racism is often used by people who are racists themselves as an excuse for their own bad behavior. Maybe I am a racist but not against people because of their color. I am a behavior racist. We all are around people of many different colors everyday in America. Do I shy away from all of them, no I don't. Do they have to look like whitey? No they don't but everyday we make judgment calls when it comes to safety of our family. There are areas of my city where I never go anymore, if I wish to see that neighborhood again all I have to do is turn on the news at 5. " Please go move to one of these mentioned cities! Yeah... I don't like onions. But It's not becuase I don't like the onion itself... I just dont like the taste!! I like sugar in my coffee, not my words.

[FateRewritten]

"So true and I am sick of it. Racism is often used by people who are racists themselves as an excuse for their own bad behavior. Maybe I am a racist but not against people because of their color. I am a behavior racist. We all are around people of many different colors everyday in America. Do I shy away from all of them, no I don't. Do they have to look like whitey? No they don't but everyday we make judgment calls when it comes to safety of our family. There are areas of my city where I never go anymore, if I wish to see that neighborhood again all I have to do is turn on the news at 5. "

Please go move to one of these mentioned cities!

Yeah... I don't like onions. But It's not becuase I don't like the onion itself... I just dont like the taste!!

I like sugar in my coffee, not my words.

[J40000]

DYING??? Detroit and Flint have been dead for DECADES!!!

[pabianice]

All Obama voters.

[IbJensen]

Are these cities primarily black in population?

Well! With this subtle insinuation I can see you're not politically correct.

Just because the cities are corroding you assume that it's due to the fact that they're being ruled by African-Americans.

Next thing you'll be pointing out is that South Africa today is another failure.

[stuartcr]

Do you happen to have a list of the top 10 conservative cities?

[LZ_Bayonet]

"The US is headed towards bulkinization."

It's pretty well established that we eat too much. You probably meant "balkanization".

[FightThePower!]

My wife and I both grew up in Michigan. We went to University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State for medical school. We recently moved down south. Most of our friends have also moved out of Michigan as well. We didn't want to spend our lives swimming up stream. I encourage any productive, educated person to get the hell out of there.

[iopscusa]

It's especially difficult when the workforce is owned by the mob infested unions, undereducated, antagonistic and full of unearned respect that they can't compete with 3rd world workers.

[bert]

Unlike the sian places mentioned, the Ohio cities were union where the object is to do as little as possible for more than the labor is worth.

Competition runs the world. Don’t compete, become a loser.