Thoughts about Youngstown

[AllanY2525]

You might want to add that for people who do not want to
own a home, rents are extremely low in Youngstown as
compared to other cities.

You can rent a single family home in Youngstown for as
little as $350 per month plus utilities.

[markw]

I have been watching this website & researching Youngstown for about 1-1/2 years.I am the perfect candidate for Jay's proposal to encourage people to retire to Youngstown. Here are some observations.  Bear in mind that I've never actually set foot in your town.

Pros:
1. Amazing housing stock at very low prices.
2. Wonderful parks, and park system (Mill Creek) running through town.
3. Established cultural institutions that newer cities of a comparable size can't match, (Butler Art Institute, Youngstown State, Stambaugh Auditorium, etc.).
4. Higher $ expenditure per pupil and lower student/teacher ratio in the schools than in many comparable cities. I haven't seen any test data for Youngstown schools.
5. The national press keeps talking about how the boomer generation doesn't have enough money saved for retirement.  Everything is tied up in the equity in their homes.  Jay's example recently of the woman from Mass. who left a $300,000 home there to buy a $100,000 one in Youngstown does illustrate a market. That extra money can be invested for income.
6. Studies show that many retirees don't want to be more than a few hours from their families.  Not everyone wants to go to Florida.  Retirees within a 5 hour drive of Youngstown are probably the most likely candidates for relocation.
7. Retirees aren't your only market. The kinds of homes that Youngstown has to offer are not being built any more.They have a lot to offer to young couples in the area ( great housing at a great price, quality construction, established neighborhoods, maybe even a lot of retirees to babysit & watch the house when you're away), provided that the schools are good enough to send their children to. Private schools are an option if  their is a  favorable differential for the homeowner between the housing cost in the suburbs and the cost of housing plus tuition in Youngstown.

As I said, I haven't been to Youngstown yet. From a distance I see a city of intensely loyal residents who are struggling to hold the community together. I haven't mentioned jobs.  That is something that individuals have limited power to influence.  However, often a committed citizenry can do a lot to encourage an employer to locate in a community, through the efforts that they undertake to spruce up a community, and by dint of their enthusiasm for the place where they live.

I do plan on visiting Youngstown in the near future.