Pittsburgh ranked tops in U.S. by The Economist (Most Liveable City)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | June 10, 2009 | Mackenzie Carpenter

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato was calling -- no, crowing -- from his cell phone, in full, gleeful, salesman-for-the-region mode, ticking off the number of recent surveys declaring Pittsburgh the nation's most livable city (four or five); the number of front-page New York Times stories about Pittsburgh in the past three months (two) and the value of such publicity to the Pittsburgh area (priceless).

Given that abundance of good publicity, the news that Pittsburgh once again is the most livable city in the United States -- and 29th worldwide -- in a 2009 survey by British magazine The Economist was "great news, but not a surprise," Mr. Onorato said.

"This is now the fourth or fifth independent survey from outside the region talking up the Pittsburgh metro region. You have the stories in The New York Times, the president picks us to host the G-20 summit, now you have this magazine, plus others over the years. It's amazing."

The Economist Intelligence Unit -- which publishes numerous surveys and studies for paying clients -- has ranked Pittsburgh first in U.S. livability ratings since it started measuring them in 2005, said Jon Copestake, editor of the survey.

[bdeaner]

I LOVE PITTSBURGH!

[steelyourfaith]

Beautiful town. From the airport the drive enters a tunnel under a mountain emerging on a bridge with a view down on the town and the three rivers.

Friendly people.

[Right Wing Assault]

These awards are so stupid. They depend upon what the authors think is important. The suburb I live in was always highly rated. They built a very upscale shopping mall, which draws car thieves. The ratings went way down for the whole suburb due to auto theft in this parking lot.

The other day there was an international ranking. I think the highest us city came in 35th. Guess who? DC!

[bdeaner]

Pittsburgh’s downtown area is being revitalized in a big way. Penthouse apartments are moving in. The Cultural District is something to behold. And Point Park University has bought up a big chunk of the south end of the downtown area, and will be developing the whole area into a showcase. They’re even getting a new fountain. Pittsburgh is definitely on the rise, once again. Don’t sell it short.

[Right Wing Assault]

I guess this is the same rating. I must have missed Pittsburgh.

[xsmommy]

i am originally from Pittsburgh but have lived in NoVA since law school. i wouldn’t live in Boston on a dare. i may be surrounded by libs, but: gay marriage is illegal, VA is a right to work state, there is open carry, and we have some of the top public schools in the nation [though mine are all in private, Catholic schools] including universities; our winters are better and i am only 4 hours from Pittsburgh, to be able to go up to visit.

[bdeaner]

Wow. I’m dying to move to Pittsburg. A cool ocean breeze in the summer. Skiing close by in the winter. World class symphony. Excellent schools. Oh wait, that’s Boston.

Boston is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!! Pittsburgh has just about everything Boston can provide, culturally, but without the cost of living. Pittsburgh is very affordable. Just about anyone can afford a house, if you have good credit and some savings.

[martin_fierro]

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[Petronski]

Pittsburgh? Overpopulated?

ROFLMAO

[GeronL]

satire?

what a useless ‘study’

[bdeaner]

[pburgh01]

Titletown baby! Boston, please....still even though 0-6 six this year still a Yankee b*tch.

[RS_Rider]

Downtown Pittsburgh is a liberal utopia. It is almost entirely composed of lawyers, government and non profits. They have chased out almost all manufacturing and most all of the corporate headquarters that deemed it the “Golden Triangle” have left. We have lost 50% of our population in the past 40 years. It’s a taxpayer funded failure, what’s not to like for a Marxist.

[mak5]

World class colleges, world class hospitals, world class symphony, skiing close by in the winter, inexpensive living, low taxes (except in the city). That’s what makes Pittsburgh more livable than...well, the archrival city that I live in now.

On the other hand, the city schools are not good, but there are some good school systems in the suburbs and transportation is awful (the bus system never was any good, and the roads are horrible).

[Big Horn]

My daughter just moved out of Pittsburgh, with their high taxes because they are run by the Democrats. You see block after block of empty homes because of high taxes and lack of good jobs because the labor unions and Democrats have run many businesses out.
It is a beautiful city with some very nice people all destroyed by the liberals.
She had a good job, but her life is much improved with her move.

[bdeaner]

Because it is cheap.

Yes. But it also has great sports teams, tons of culture, many excellent colleges and universities (Pitt, CMU, etc), a beautiful cityscape, and lots of beautiful rolling hills and country surrounding it. It has some of the most top-notch medical care in the country, thanks to UPMC.

The biggest downside is the weather. A lot of clouds and rain. But if you are not a sun worshipper, it's not a big deal.

[Carley]

LOLOL.....it’s not all bad. Living in NJ I can assure you there are far far far worse cities.

[Stentor]

Friendly people.

A little tetched.

[bdeaner]

My daughter just moved out of Pittsburgh, with their high taxes because they are run by the Democrats. You see block after block of empty homes because of high taxes and lack of good jobs because the labor unions and Democrats have run many businesses out.

You can say that about almost every major city.

[Oldpuppymax]

Boston? Leave your rights behind and move to Boston, huh? Yeah boy, what a town. The British disarmed the citizens of Boston in 1775 and the left disarmed then a couple hundred years later.