Underrated Cities in States That Matter in 2024

It's 2024. Ever think about moving to a state where your vote might actually make a difference? It's what I did in 2022 and I highly recommend it -- if you can "swing" it. Today we're looking at this year's likely swing states and affordable neighborhoods in each with great urban qualities.
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Previous CityNerd Videos Referenced:
- CityVisit St. Petersburg FL: • Building an Urban Gem ...
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[@CityNerd]

Guess what? This video's already been up on Nebula for two days -- where all my videos appear ad-free, sponsor read-free, and, best of all...WITH NO COMMENT SECTION! Next week's video is gonna be on there even sooner. Use my custom link for 40% off an annual subscription, and you'll REALLY be helping the channel, seriously. go.nebula.tv/citynerd OR, the lifetime offer is still active: go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=citynerd

[@CityNerd]

Also, I post and pin this comment literally as soon as my video goes live and there are already like 10 comments. Who leaves comments on videos they haven't watched?? Definitely not reading them haha

[@AaronFlora1]

I did! I’ll admit it. It felt criminal how early I got to the comments, and apparently it was lol

[@ai_product_manager]

lol we watch them on nebula! but there's no commenting on nebula. Anyways, I'm glad you mentioned York, maybe you should do a video on most urbanest towns with good schools

[@bisonfan715]

@@AaronFlora1 did you pickup your trophy? 🏆

[@Comedy-Goat]

Two more days of beard growth??? Let's goooo!!!

[@angellacanfora]

Initially read the title as "Live Your Best Life in These 18 Swinger Cities" and thought, "oh my! Plot twist!

[@DiesIrae3434]

Please do this list next. Preferably with the same dry delivery.

[@angellacanfora]

@@DiesIrae3434 I LOL'd at your comment! I think we all know which city would be number one. It rhymes with Boss Degas.

[@alfredogarbanzo2276]

That would've been mad funny lolll

[@donalny]

That's the content I am here for

[@stickynorth]

As if there isn't overlap in some cases! Bridget Ziegler in Florida certainly set the curve for Florida GOP there! ;-)

[@murdo4243]

I need a glass of water. That delivery is so dry. And I love it. Never change.

[@danielgarepis-holland3214]

The PNW accent!

[@alexlishinski9241]

At least he seems to have sped up, this used to be the only channel i would watch sped up

[@geodavras]

@@alexlishinski9241 I always watch his video at double speed lmao

[@anymoose6685]

Nah, his PNW accent got a little cali-valley mixed in somehow, Brah.

[@DRL1320]

Even my 13 year old commented on the deadpan delivery as she passed through the room.

[@jessebruner398]

Detroit is doing so much right: 1) literally a bike/pedestrian highway through the city that connects Dearborn, highland Park, hamtramck, all the way to various neighborhoods, downtown, Mexican town, bell Isle, etc 2) removing a freeway 3) strong emphasis on urban infill 4) road diets/remakes all over the city aimed at busses, bikes, and people 5) there are plans/studies to expand the people mover, the qline, to start adding brt, and potentially a train line they will connect directly to Canada

[@Amir-jn5mo]

What has prompted so much change in Detroit? Don't know much about its recently history, just surprised that the OG car culture city that went in to big decline is making such a big comeback.

[@charlienyc1]

@@Amir-jn5mo I admit I know little about Detroit, but it seems the car industry is what built it up AND the cause of its demise. Now it is in a rebuilding phase, all of which seems very positive to this outsider.

[@LoveStallion]

Visited Detroit for the first time last year. What a GREAT city rising from the ashes. I loved exploring it.

[@hallamshire]

My DREAM is that they would convert Woodward from 4 lanes each way to 2 lanes, one light rail line, and one protected bike lane in each direction - and make that span from Downtown to Pontiac. I absolutely love this area, but the car-dependency of the area kills me.

[@dogbert32]

@@Amir-jn5mo The TLDR is that the city of Detroit raised taxes and took a bunch of loans/bonds out to build infrastructure for the booming city. Then the Automanufacturers started offshoring, shutting down factors, and moving their headquarters. The tax base collapsed and Detroit couldn't afford to pay it's debt nor to maintain a lot of the new infrastructure. Lots of good documentaries on KZbin about it.

[@DataLaur]

DETROIT MENTIONED!!!! I moved to the metro area from socal and Detroit (and Michigan as a whole) is this country’s best-kept secret. We need better transit but there is interest. The best part of Detroit is the PEOPLE. Midwest niceness plus big city open-mindedness.

[@stickynorth]

Detroit has the best bones of any major city in America! If I left Canada it would be for one of two places... Seattle or Detroit... Aka Little Canada!

[@poopsmith316]

Please keep this a secret.

[@mikeydude750]

"midwest niceness" is just passive-aggressive coldness

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Sounds like you’re describing a colder and more car-centric StL… 😜

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

@@stickynorthcorrection; St. Louis has the most potential for good urbanism of any city in the Western Hemisphere! 💚

[@Mopey024]

Awesome Detroit shout out. The future is so promising for the city. There's so much open space to build and every year it just keeps getting better. Still a lot of work to do, transit and walkability wise, but the city is doing what it can with its limited resources to make it happen

[@EricTylerWallace]

We just need to add rail and mass transit here and it’ll flourish! Love this city!

[@iamchaunceman]

Needs more people for a tax base that can support a city built for 2 million. It’s happening. Detroit deserves it.

[@thedapperdolphin1590]

As a Pittsburgher, I hope for the revitalization of all our rust belt cities. They’re definitely great options if you want an affordable urban environment to live in, but people fixate so much on coastal cities. People talk a lot about making it easier to build more housing in cities in general, especially those with high housing costs. But we already have a bunch of great cities that were built for twice the population they have now.

[@seantroy3172]

I was just browsing it on google maps last week from so other channel (can't remember who mentioned it, maybe Radio Free Urbanism) and yea looks like lots of great potential there! So many parking lots ;)

[@MaskedMammal]

How safe is it there? Like, any areas to avoid? I feel like Detroit has a bad reputation, but that could be outdated or some unspoken "we don't go to THAT part of town" thing. I don't think big cities are for me, but am definitely eyeing Michigan and want to check out Detroit while looking around for places to move. Would be a shame to not give it a try, but I have zero (negative?) street smarts, so a city like Detroit does scare me a bit.

[@mikemcgrew8163]

Missing the good ol' days of 2008 when living in Missouri meant you lived in a swing state.

[@tonywalters7298]

Ohioan here--same

[@rt_goblin_hours]

Such a wild idea nowadays

[@todddammit4628]

That's Kansas now. But it really does shock me that Missouri is so red when you have KC and Saint Louis in that state. Like, wtf?

[@Dogod2]

​@@todddammit4628 it's because those two metro areas are both split across two states. If they were both only in Missouri, it would be much more competitive.

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

@@todddammit4628unfortunately 2 of the most sprawling metro areas in the country… suburbanites (& therefore Jeff City) don’t care bout urbanism :/

[@positivevoltage9366]

I’m genuinely really curious about Philadelphia right now. It seems a lot like a slightly smaller Chicago but with less harsh winters and is still affordable. Might visit sometime soon

[@jameshughes6078]

Pretty much. Chicago's music scene is already amazing relative to other us cities but IMHO Philly is still a step above. It's sincerely an amazing city, would recommend. Lots of people moving between the two too, and no beef between the cities. Also a shared rivalry with New York (Philly was bigger for a hot minute, and originally more influential)

[@phillygrunt2154]

Chicago is a mid west Philly. Philly came first.

[@ambientguitarexplorations]

i've lived in many cities and I'm in philly now and I hate it. There's a lack of pleasant green spaces in the city, the people are miserable and rude, the 'bad' areas are usually a few blocks away from wherever you may be, and unless you like getting drunk there's not a whole lot to do once you see the tourist stuff once time. The sports fandom is really obnoxious and omnipresent too. And while it may be a technically 'walkable' city, the drivers are the worst in the country and you will have to contend with almost being run over on a weekly basis.

[@tonylarose4842]

Chicagos transit is much better!!!

[@daveassanowicz186]

​@@ambientguitarexplorations Check out Bristol Borough in Bucks County PA. It's northeast of you and has a Regional Rail station.

[@sebastienhardinger4149]

Just move to PA at this point lol, it is your destiny You really should do an extended PA city tour. You can do PGH, Harrisburg, Lancaster and Philly all on Amtrak, maybe some smaller stops too like Altoona. And while it's less great, cities like Reading, Scranton, York, Allentown/Bethlehem are accessible by intercity bus from the cities on the Keystone line

[@motorizedvehiclehegemony4107]

Pennsylvania is the most critical Swing State. Generally, those in the Great Lakes are very flippable and/or securable. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan r/MoveToSwingStates

[@WaterMan416]

It'd be too late for me, but if york county wasn't so maga I might not have left. But yeah, Pennsylvania has a lot of decent places to live if we could make it a little more politically tolerable and have less car dependency. A lot of the small towns around the small cities used to have trolleys up until the 60s.

[@rustyshackleford6637]

Yeah and that's a very historic line the original Pennsylvania RR

[@beback_]

Every time Florida is no longer mentioned as a swing state, I die a bit inside.

[@CityNerd]

Would like to think it will be again but the people running stuff there are dead set on making it impossible

[@JimmySand9]

You could say the same thing about Georgia. Ask anyone there who’s tried giving people water while they wait to vote.

[@itsyaboydanno7143]

Why ism't it?

[@xhaanfilms2479]

@@JimmySand9man you are so misinformed lmao its terrible. Wouldnt expect any less from people watching this kind of video though

[@alexanderryan1176]

@@CityNerd yeah, try flooding it with more illegal immigrants. Maybe it will flip so we can California it.

[@bisonfan715]

I think I can competently make the case that downballot races are more important to the average person's life than the presidential race. It's amazing how people get so incised about the White House when their own city, county, or heck, even HOA and/or school board are run amok. Those are things where you can have an outsized impact on the results.

[@Evan-mg9zz]

Yep generally agree

[@SilkCrown]

Being the only "orange-pilled" or YIMBY person attending local government meetings is less efficacious than you think. At a national level, people are divided pretty evenly. But at a local level things are usually settled firmly one way or the other and one person isn't going to dramatically transform local politics.

[@bjf10]

Yeah, a fascist or a 1% better fascist isn't really a choice. Sometimes there's a decent person running locally, and usually there's an important ballot measure or something up for a vote.

[@critiqueofthegothgf]

yup pretty much. especially with multiple towns/cities having their school boards taken over by bigoted zealots in recent time

[@HYDRAdude]

True, I mean Biden is a literal invalid and yet for the average person he has had little impact on their daily life. It's the administrative state that actually influences our daily life and you aren't allowed to vote for them. The presidential cabinet is just there to put on a (not so) pretty face for the administrative state.

[@houstonharker2547]

For Georgia - Athens is a great choice for a small towns. Athens has a great Bus network, is cycling friendly, has a rapidly urbanizing downtown, the new firefly bike trail, and a good town/gown mix. Marietta is an absolute dumpster fire choice. You will need to drive everywhere. It will take you ~30 mins to travel ~5 miles during most of the day. It is not friendly to cycling, alternative transportation, or reasonable urban development. I would avoid at all costs.

[@sundontshinedesigns782]

Yeah Athens is sick. Decent rent prices too (median of $1600). I wonder if Ray didn’t include it because, understandably, he regularly talks it up as one of the best urbanist college towns.

[@chazdomingo475]

@@sundontshinedesigns782 Bro I remember 10 years ago living in Athens when median was like $700. feelsbadman

[@saratemp790]

Athens has got it all. For the US, it's pretty good. We need it to grow in population a bit though. 200k would be good.

[@CreepyBlackDude]

​​@luke5100The music scene in Athens is absolutely insane for a town its size. REM, B-52s, Of Montreal, Widespread Panic, Neutral Milk Hotel, Drive-By Truckers...how did this one small city become a spawn point for such a wide variety of notable bamds?

[@collinsutherland311]

@@CreepyBlackDudebasically having a large flagship state college

[@BlazingAzureTheta]

Hey, I live in Marietta. I'll tell you right now, unless you live in the apartments in the Battery, all of our apartment complexes basically require cars since they're far away and disconnected from everything. Cobb parkway is one huge stroad that basically has all the businesses, and the bus stops are in the middle of nowhere most of the time. You can't even go grocery shopping without a car. It is definitely /not/ walkable.

[@charlienyc1]

I had that thought, my wife having lived in ATL during grad school. Isn't Marietta OTP?

[@DiamondKingStudios]

Cobb not allowing MARTA rail: one of the two big thorns in my grandfather’s side from working as a project manager for them; the other being Gwinnett.

[@monkusgamer3460]

Yeah I live in East Cobb and my neighborhood has a walk and bike score not even hitting double digits :(

[@draetone5602]

@BlazingAzureTheta Do you actually live in Marietta?.......... because "the Battery" is in Smyrna.............. Cobb is a 345 sq mi County. living in Cobb doesn't equate to living in Marietta. In fact nor does a Marietta Mail address, Most of metro Atlanta is unincorporated areas and these places have the nearest city Mail address but they not actually a part of the city. but he's talking about specific neighborhoods and zip codes he mentions specifically Marietta Square. He even put out a disclaimer saying just don't adventure to far out of it. .............. It's oblivious 90% of Metro Atlanta is not walkable but the Metro does have a lot of walkable pockets even in the suburbs. Like Downtowns of Decatur, Duluth, Norcross, Suwanee, lawrenceville, Woodstock, alpharetta, etc even mix use development popping up in the suburbs.

[@BlazingAzureTheta]

@@draetone5602 yes I do, and that just makes my point even better. And even if we limit it to just the Marietta square, my point about grocery shopping still stands. You cannot live in this fucking city without a car.

[@stephen_dmg2003]

i love how dry you are talking about politics 😭 never ever change dude you are funny as fuck and truly such a great channel

[@StuartJuggernaut]

Concord NH is NOT the pick, speaking from personal experience living without a car there. There is a bus network (of like 3 lines) but it doesn't run on the weekend or after 6pm. Dover has the superior COAST bus network (funded by Maine) which is at least something and they have an Amtrak station. Living in Concord it is basically impossible to go anywhere else in the state without a car (except Manchester and Laconia which has been recently added to the CAT network).

[@Madaboutmada]

Yep, I was looking at planner jobs there but went no further as I don't own a car, but get around by bike instead.

[@thadsoule7129]

And the pronunciation… no native of the Granite State, especially of Concord, would hit that R so woefully wrong. But we love our City Nehd.

[@StuartJuggernaut]

@@thadsoule7129 hurt almost as much as calling it a boston suburb (still love u citynerd)

[@eCitaroFan]

Portsmouth would be my pick but I have no idea how affordable it is to live there. I'm guessing Concord is cheaper

[@Mitchell-me7bp]

Yeah I winced at that one @@thadsoule7129

[@JoeyGulotta]

Never thought I’d see my Milwaukee apartment building on a street view of a City Nerd video. But here we are!

[@bennyg2688]

YORK!? MY HOMETOWN MENTIONED!!!???? Im gonna faint

[@jonathanfrank1812]

York, just where it belongs on a list after Lancaster.

[@Timthecommenter]

I was kinda shocked, but every time I go back to visit my parents we go out in downtown York to something kinda cool. Still a couple years behind Lancaster, and there’s basically no chance I’d move back there from Philly, but downtown York seems to be getting better.

[@RacksonRacksonRibss]

@@jonathanfrank1812Lmao so true

[@WaterMan416]

717 represent or something

[@RacksonRacksonRibss]

@@WaterMan416 😂

[@samd3497]

La Crosse is such an underrated gem. Having lived there, Madison, and the Twin Cities, I think La Crosse is actually better for biking, despite having fewer protected bike lanes. There's a good grid of quiet residential streets and the transit is better than average especially with the SMRT regional buses (but much room for improvement). Being on the Mississippi and in the heart of the Driftless Area makes for great scenery and recreational opportunities too. The city is slowly making progress removing commercial parking mins 2 years ago and just this month allowing ADUs.

[@codyhornyak4176]

Dude I agree with the biking. Madison is the least safe place I’ve lived in for biking actually. There are plenty of stroads here that don’t have viable side streets to bike on like you have in a more grid like city

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

we almost had complete crop failure last summer. This summer will be worse. Famine already in Ethiopia right now. Alaska had 70 degree F. sea surface temp in January. There's 1200 gigatons of pressurized methane in the world's largest ocean shelf in East Siberian Arctic Shelf - gonna get real interesting real fast.

[@douglasmoen2658]

I love the La Crosse area. One of the least known beautiful regions in the whole country. Nearby Winona, Minnesota is also a gem of a city in the same Driftless region and all the way down to Dubuque, Iowa is super gorgeous. The problem is that people hear Wisconsin and Iowa and they immediately brush them off, unfortunately.

[@Accounting4Cycling]

As a resident of Milwaukee for the last 8 years, Downtown (East/Juneau Town, West/Kilbourn Town, and Third Ward, sort of Walker's Point, too, depending on area) is a great place to live! There's a lot of new development happening, a huge influx of events since the Fiserv Forum (Bucks Arena) opened, and the summers here are amazing! Lake Michigan truly offers an incredible backdrop to any concert or other summer event! The Oak Leaf Trail that encircles Milwaukee County and the Hank Aaron State Trail (cuts west-east from the Oak Leaf Trail in west Wauwatosa to Lakeshore State Park in Downtown Milwaukee) are both excellent commuting and recreation routes by bike, board, wheel, and foot that also link many different neighborhoods together, to downtown, and the lakefront! Also, when the wind is just right, you get an excellent smell of sausages from the Usinger's facility on Dr. MLK Jr Drive (aka Olde World Third St before the name was correctly changed to honor Dr. King the entire way down the road). When the wind blows wrong, you get the smell of the Milorganite fertilizer produced at the Jones Island (not an island anymore) Water Reclamation Facility across the river/harbor entrance from Summerfest & Third Ward (smells of wet dog and money).

[@cardsfan2013]

I lived in MKE area for about a year for work. Unfortunately it snowed on the day I moved in (Halloween day, 2019), and then COVID hit in early 2020. So I didn't really get to experience the city due to winter and then the pandemic. I would love to go back, I've heard nothing but good things. Only downside in my opinion is the sports teams, having grown up in MO. Go Cards!

[@Accounting4Cycling]

@@cardsfan2013 username checks out 🤣 At least you're not a Cubs fan! Brewers games are a ton of fun, and a lot of the bars have shuttles to and from games with a drink or food purchase. Same for Bucks games and most festivals. That era was just a bad time to visit anywhere, sucks that you didn't get the chance to really see the area shine.

[@kinseymilkbone]

Also, for the younger folks, Milwaukee will have water in 30 years, unlike Phoenix or Las Vegas.

[@user-wm9sy9qd4h]

The Oak Leaf Trail through the east side is fantastic. It's like a bicycle highway that connects all of the major destinations.

[@Maznhaden1]

I love Milwaukee and think it's hugely underrated. I live in downtown Richmond, VA, and Milwaukee is one of the few other cities I'd strongly consider living in in the US. I've been tracking developments like the Courture, new Third Ward Tower, and Ascent on Skyscrapercity. It's super cool seeing all the new development and investment. Just need to tear down I-794 and expand the streetcar, and the potential of that city will go off the charts.

[@bisonfan715]

You probably pissed off the entire city of Lancaster with that pronunciation

[@Snowshowslow]

Why, what's it supposed to be?

[@bisonfan715]

@@Snowshowslow "lenk-ester" not "LAN-caster"

[@Snowshowslow]

@@bisonfan715 Ah okay, thanks :)

[@charlienyc1]

​@@bisonfan715Same with Concord, NH. It's 'kahn-kid.' There must be some ancient New England law that no R's may be pronounced east of Vermont.

[@thefareplayer2254]

I was looking for this comment! Waited 2 days since the Nebula release to see this comment.

[@tigersonthetown]

I would really enjoy hearing your thoughts covering all of Arizona. Especially Tucson! This city is untapped content potential for Urbanist video creators. Our transit system is completely free for riders!

[@NotUp2Much]

Arizona is also mostly affordable to live, assuming you survive 100 degree temps.

[@trevormarlar1653]

Tucson is a urban diamond in the tough. Downtown redevelopment. Street car. Developing a BRT. 4th Ave. Congress. Main gate square. The mercado district.

[@critiqueofthegothgf]

but on the other hand, you have to live in Arizona and deal with the current and increasingly worsening climate crisis which exacerbates the already extreme heat. 579 people died in AZ, due to the summer heat waves just last year

[@garcjr]

If Tucson could get some younger voters to make the city actually progressive would be a big improvement. They claim they are but cling onto NIMBYism and don't actually vote in favor most of the time on mass transit.

[@GeorgeOneEleven]

​@@NotUp2MuchEh... 5-10 years ago I would've agreed with you, but man, covid + the West Coast exodus really did a number on our cost of living. Sure, it's still on the cheaper end of major American cities, but not by enough to justify the downgrade IMO.

[@Roundbrow]

Love the focus on Detroit. I'm over in Grand Rapids (which is also a fantastic place to live, would recommend), but even I can't help visiting the big D from time to time. Hope more people get to see our lovely state in the future.

[@charlienyc1]

I think "Big D" does not mean what you think it means.

[@ReidEvers]

Dawg I am 100% sure OP understands the implications of that phrase...

[@charlienyc1]

@@ReidEvers Maybe... Dawg. Is this Randy from American Idol, btw?

[@dewilson55]

I completely agree! I also live in Grand Rapids but lived in the Detroit area (Ann Arbor) for a couple years when I was younger and have a lot of family over there. Both metro areas and cities have grown and improved so much over the years.

[@patrickmelo3398]

Honestly, as a fairly conservative Christian American, I hate conservative Christian American politics 😅. I wish we could be more loving and consistent in our pursuit of serving others and establishing places to serve others. When we push policies that prioritize sprawl, separation, and individuality over those that strengthen community and freedom of choice... I think we're missing some key points of the Faith. Like, if you want to live the American suburban experience, that's totally cool, to each his own. But why fight against an urban lifestyle? It's not immoral, in many measures it's more affordable, and you're not even the one living it out.

[@familykaplan1341]

My man

[@SeanMatheson-n3x]

Thank you for choosing reason and empathy over ideology and fear. I have no problem with people being either Conservative or Christian, my beef is when those groups use government legislation to force those values on to other people.

[@RandJBarnett]

@@SeanMatheson-n3x When have any groups used government legislation to force Christian values on other people? And if a city, area, or state is primarily populated with conservatives, then why shouldn't that state promote those values? If you are a conservative and want to live in a conservative state, you know not to more to certain states if you can avoid it. Equally, if you are liberal, don't move to a conservative state and then complain.

[@SeanMatheson-n3x]

@@RandJBarnett How about the the laws passed in Alabama to prevent people from getting in vitro fertilization, that's just one of many examples of a state government infringing on individual rights in the name of Conservative Christian values. Also, some people are Left-leaning but born in Conservative states and vice versa. I'm from a Conservative state, does that mean I should have to move in order to be prevented from having a state legislature force Conservative Christian values on me? Should a Conservative have to move if they were born in a Liberal state? Should we pass a law preventing people from moving to states whose political ideology conflict with their own? Sorry, but our bill of rights states that governments in the US aren't supposed to cater to any particular religion. If someone is a Conservative Christian, that's fine, live that life and live those values as you please, but no-one has the right to use the law to force other people to have the same religious values. Should a Jewish or Muslim city official be allowed to prevent a BBQ restaurant from getting a building permit because it violates their religious beliefs about eating pork? Absolutely not, they have the right to abstain from eating pork and they even have the right to be disgusted with people who are consuming pork, but they have no right to the use the legal process to prevent others from eating pork.

[@RandJBarnett]

@@SeanMatheson-n3x No, I'm not saying the law should be used to force any religious beliefs on others. That's why we have the First Amendment. Personally I don't think the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that you are referring to was based on "Conservative Christian" values. It was meant to allow those who had frozen embryos that were lost due to an accident in a facility to sue. IVF is a costly process so I can understand the desire to sue in that situation. However, the decision to allow them to sue had unexpected fallout/consequences... So then another law was passed to provide needed protections for IVF providers and patients. (I totally support IVF patients, BTW.) It is a complicated issue tho that probably needs more thorough thinking and analysis to avoid situations like that. I also think in general we need more discussion about when an embryo or unborn child should have rights. Rarely is that issue brought up, but isn't it really the crux of the issue? Clearly some think it should be at conception and some think it should be at (or even after) birth. My thoughts on the issue have nothing to do with religion, but more a humanity thing. I think most Americans feel something in between is the right answer, and we are going to need to have discussions and debates about this--starting at the state level--but it will be hard to find a balance or compromise when we are so polarized. I hope we can get there.

[@jag-e4d]

Really appreciate you not shying away from some political commentary, and found your approach to be witty and intelligible. We need more bravery like this from those with any kind of platform. Yay CityNerd :)

[@topolojack]

i never thought after growing up in york pennsylvania and desperately wanting to leave that there would later be an urbanist influencer selling other urbanists on york's... urbanism. i'm in shock. the numbers don't lie though.

[@taxirob2248]

York and Lancaster don't give me the impression of walkablity when driving through them. There have been a couple times when Google has sent me through their respective urban cores for whatever reason, and I could not believe how bad the traffic was.

[@camtyto0777]

@@taxirob2248 lancaster is pretty walkable ime; i often just walk to downtown rather than wait for a bus. tho i'm not denying the traffic being less than stellar. one thing i'll note are the numerous 5-way intersections, which are not enjoyable in a vehicle OR as a pedestrian. the price of the cute compass-rose layout ig?

[@johns.8220]

I just moved to one of your honorable mentions, Grand Rapids MI. I grew up in the south and this is the first place I've lived that isn't a southern hellscape entirely made up of stroads. Grand Rapids ain't Amsterdam, but it sure feels like it to me after where I came from. I am actually able to do quite a lot on foot and/or bike, and the city proper is well connected and situated relatively far from the sprawling/stroady nightmares on the outskirts. Plus, it has a halfway decent bus system. Although, carbrain is real here, and the bus system has been cutting back service due to running out of money. For now however I am loving it. I am less car dependent than I've ever been and it has done wonders for both my physical and mental well being.

[@Pistolita221]

Grand Rapids wants to overtake Detroit as the economic engine of the state, with the De Voss family (from Amway and Blackwaters PMC), the Meijer family (the first box store), and furniture companies (Haworth, Herman Miller-Knoll, Steelcase, DeskHaus, and Bissel). I don't think they'll overtake the Big 3 families, though. And Ann Arbor is trying to become a tech hub, and they're pretty successful given the size of the town.

[@Roundbrow]

I absolutely love living in GR. We definitely have a way to go, but there is a hunger and drive here to make it happen.

[@thomasmcroy1756]

Michigan ex-pat in Oregon reporting in. Grand Rapids is very nice. Its Michigan's best comprehensive, urban option. SE Michigan has the most cultural amenities but its footprint is atrocious.

[@jhonshephard921]

If you want a bus system, visit Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti. Due to University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan, they both have a rather good system.

[@dewilson55]

I love hearing this! I live in Grand Rapids as well and dream of a future where my family can go down to one car. We're on the edge of the city currently but would love to move downtown in a few years.

[@michaelmichael8754]

It's good to hear someone on KZbin who realizes Detroit is coming back! Too many people ignore the dollar amount and importance of investments being made in Detroit. They range from Canada's $5 plus billion dollars being made in the Gordie Howe Bridge and supporting infrastructure, to the much smaller (but perhaps more significant) investments being made in small businesses. Keep up the good work.

[@chrisholt3260]

Yes, you absolutely NEED to get to Detroit! I'm 1/2 mile south of Detroit in Canada and regularly surprise all my visitors for taking them across to the coolest city in the US. Everyone feels Detroit is an empty shell but that's based on ignorance. Get there soon!

[@siyacer]

are you trying to get them killed

[@burtlewand5915]

​@@siyacerYeah it is a problem if you're buying drugs or looking for sex workers. I guess that's why so many people from the South don't like Detroit...

[@therealadaa9]

Hey! Conservative fan of the channel here. Felt like I owe an explanation. Although I may not agree with many of the policy prescriptions of democrats, one area I feel conservatives are missing the boat is urban fabric and community building. If we want to have a more patriotic, America first movement I believe it starts with making places we can come together to be Americans, not siloing away and spending our time away from 3rd places. Tempe is great btw, lived there for college can't wait for valley of the sun video.

[@stevengordon3271]

Nothing wrong with classical, principled conservatism. What passes for "conservatism" today is a pathological threat to constitutional democracy and just cannot be supported even if you disagree with Democratic policies. We need a new conservative party to balance the scales.

[@thedapperdolphin1590]

That’s interesting to hear. The most conservative areas tend to be the most disconnected, mainly outer ring suburbs, precisely because many conservatives don’t want to be around other people. That’s usually out of some mix of a desire for privacy and/or general distrust of other people, not to mention potential bigotry among many, but not all, conservatives. There aren’t any sidewalks because they don’t want people walking in front of their property, they like big lots because it keeps them further away from neighbors, and they don’t like public transit because they don’t want to be stuck with other people or perceive it as unsafe. These are the main points brought up in opposition to urbanism. And, if we’re being honest, some just don’t want to be around other racial groups. It really goes back to how suburbs were designed to begin with. They were made to be exclusionary. They boomed in large part due to white flight, as a result of further integration in the 50s and 60s, so residents wanted a place that was designed to be exclusionary both in design and policies like racial covenants in places like Levittowns. I think it’s fair to say that legacy still persists in some form. Not to say that everyone in an exurb is exclusionary or even conservative, but it definitely appeals to those who are.

[@jhonshephard921]

@@DiamondKingStudios you sound very uninformed politically. Do you think liberals and leftists are the same thing? Look up Sam Seder or TYT just one time. There are a lot of people like you, and previously myself, who got conned by the duopoly of Fox and CNN. Truth is both are heavily conservative, just one is socially liberal while economically being on the same side so you don't see their real political goals.

[@een_schildpad]

@therealadaa9 totally agree with you! I'm probably closest to being a democratic socialist, but I have a friend that's very conservative and also very active in pushing for better urban spaces. I really enjoy advocating for these things because unlike another topics this one is truly bipartisan and a win for everyone involved ❤

[@savannah4439]

Back in early 2020 when it came down to choosing which grad school I’d attend , a big part of why I chose the school that I did was so I could live (and by extension vote) in AZ haha…the other schools I considered were in TX and TN. I now live in the Phoenix area and my vote is super important now! I regret nothing

[@seth_deegan]

I think you should stop using bike/walk score. It doesn't seem like a very good indicator how good the infrastructure there **actually** is. Percent modality by walk or bike for that city would be better because then it would actually reflect how much people bike and walk given the infrastructure.

[@JasonWood100]

I want to get an Urban Planning BS from Arizona State University in Tempe. It's so comforting to learn from a college in a location that's making so much progress so fast!

[@1fareast14]

ASU alum here. Check the map of the light rail. Make sure the stuff you want is on there. Otherwise, waiting 30 minutes because the bus was late/early in 120 degree heat is going to suck. You will have a tough time without a car.

[@JasonWood100]

@@1fareast14 thanks for the response! how is the biking?

[@Ben-ok4gx]

@@JasonWood100biking is good in Tempe but stay away from Rural rd. Also if you bike into the heart of campus you may be asked to walk instead although at the busiest times it doesn’t even matter because the foot traffic is so heavy you have to walk anyway.

[@1fareast14]

@@JasonWood100 The biking also gets weaker away from the Tempe, with bike lanes that come and go. It's also very spread out, so I suggest mixing with the bus to make it work.

[@bacamero]

Hey, I'm currently a junior majoring in Urban Planning at ASU! Tempe still has a lot of progress to make in developing the city, and right now the area that I would describe as urbanist is fairly small. That being said, I still think it's one of the best places to live in the state and there's a lot to love about it! The program itself has some great instructors (I recommend any class with Dr. Kelley) and Tempe is truly one of the few cities in Arizona that's making great progress in densifying, public transit, and improving walkability and bikeabilty!

[@cowboyxboombap]

Glad to see Michigan so well represented here! GR and Detroit are both fantastic cities. Michigan as a whole is super slept on. Traverse City and Marquette are two beautiful towns as well.

[@JEK_VaNNNNN]

I've lived in this state my whole life and have never been to the U.P. I need to change that because I've heard universally great things about Marquette.

[@jeremydings2884]

I live in 54601 (downtown La Crosse, WI) so I obviously love seeing that it made the “small city” cut. La Crosse is a great place to live! I only pay $500 a month for a really unique and good-sized studio apartment. Sadly, Wisconsin (Gerrymander-affected) laws prevent me from being able to vote due to a criminal offense from 24 years ago.

[@FacesOfScience]

We were 2 votes away from federally overriding that. The voting rights package (John Lewis Voting Rights Act and For the People Act) will give all returning citizens voting rights. Hopefully the WI Supreme Court will act or the new non-gerrymandered legislature (Minnesota just enacted reinfranchisement and Michigan just implemented automatic voter registration for returning citizens). 50 non-Sinemanchin US Senators, a Democratic House, and a Democratic president will do that and give DC statehood. It's the top priority.

[@RichardGreen422]

This one hit me where I live(d) twice! I grew up in La Crosse, where there are 16 blocks to a mile, leading to a wonderful urban fabric. While in middle and high school, I rode my bike all over the town, and I never felt unsafe doing so (or perhaps that reflects the fact that I was a teenager at the time). The downtown is charming and lively, although a couple of my favorite buildings were torn down many years ago. And a former student of mine, Ann Pieper, was the first person to redevelop an industrial building into a residential building in the 3rd Ward. She was and is a visionary, and started the process of turning a rusty hulk of a neighborhood into a fabulous place to visit and, I imagine, live.

[@ethank5059]

And as an added bonus La Crosse is not just in a presidential/senate swing state but it's also in a competitive US House district and state senate district. A voter in La Crosse may genuinely be one of the most powerful voters in the country.

[@prod.pink3]

La Crosse is super underrated

[@kaijagahm4466]

I spent a summer in La Crosse and, while it was a bit too small for my taste long term, I also found it surprisingly good! The river is awesome, there's good nature and parks, cute little co-op grocery downtown, decent buses... definitely a gem.

[@RichardGreen422]

@@kaijagahm4466 I’m with you on it being too small. I do now live in and love Los Angeles. But among small places, La Crosse is nice!

[@posaune3380]

I'm a native Wisconsinite who once lived 20 miles from LaCrosse, over the MN border. There are some great 50-100k population cities in Wisconsin, often college towns, and they all have great things about them. Ray gets it right by picking this one. La Crosse is a gem on the Mississippi River. I LOVE that he picked Pearl Street for the street view.

[@dj_blandy]

So awesome to see you opening with shots of my neighborhood NoDa in Charlotte- we're really proud of the progress we've made in the last 10 years in walkability and transit! Uptown is improving massively as well as we transition from a strictly commercial hub to an entertainment-based hub. We've still got a long way to go, but I think a lot of the people moving here are bringing a lot of the right ideas and making things happen.

[@joshuaspencer-z1y]

Milwaukee!! I’ve been living in Milwaukee for about 10 years now and it is a seriously underrated city. I currently live in the 53211 zip code. I walk to work at UWM. I can walk to the shops on Downer, including Sendiks where I do most of my shopping. There are nearby coffee shops and parks and a great movie theater (the oriental) all of which are just a short walk from my house. And the summers here are amazing. I basically spend the whole summer biking around town to a variety of beautiful parks and good coffee shops.

[@liamlee4817]

Proud Wisconsin voter! We flipped the Supreme Court last April

[@CityNerd]

Don't I know it

[@taxirob2248]

Don't spend too long celebrating, comrade. The enemies of democracy never rest, and neither can we.

[@Galactico42]

Honest question: should I consider moving to Wisconsin if I don't really drink? I'm under the impression alcohol is a BIG part of the culture.

[@taxirob2248]

don't be ridiculous, of course you can smoke weed instead @@Galactico42.

[@umwhat2024]

@@Galactico42 Hi, I'm from Madison. It definitely is a part of our culture but you can totally have fun without drinking, just make the right friends! I really love my city, Milwaukee is alright but I'm not that attached to the rest of the state. Definitely recommend Madison or Milwaukee/Whitefish Bay though!

[@jacobbwalters8133]

If you were looking to be in a swing district within a swing state, Grand Rapids or Midland, Michigan (competitive for state and US reps seats) and Traverse City Michigan (competitive for state seats only) are great places to live.

[@TheGrades90]

Love this. Apathy is such a seductive thing, and saying, "Both candidates are the same, so it doesn't matter if I vote" at once makes you come across as informed and rebellious. When really, you'd rather not care.

[@ind3lble300]

For real. Anyone saying this in 2024 is willfully ignorant or malicious. Nevermind that if you don’t vote, you’re also ignoring equally important down-ballot races in your district, which for urbanists or YIMBYs is where you can actually make a difference.

[@jackmerrill8424]

This is SO weird. I was JUST thinking about how I wanted a video from you like this. I’m looking to move and want to make an impact but still be in a livable environment. Thank you so much

[@AndrewBehm]

Detroit is truly an amazing city, and on the up!

[@todddammit4628]

Wish I would've bought a house there 10 years ago when they were literally like 20K.

[@AaronBlair]

48201 current resident here. Love it here.

[@Pistolita221]

@@todddammit4628 You can still buy a house for 20k. The east side has tens of thousands of big 1,800sq ft brick houses that have been empty for 20-50 years, with good rooves, usually. Off Gratiot, 1 block the houses are 200k, the block over (literally, or sometimes on the same block) there's an empty unrenovated version for 10-40k depending on the condition. They do need to be rewired and replumbed, but for what you sell them for...

[@masonp5]

I'm moving to Detroit soon. Can't wait!

[@teddysometimes]

Never thought I would see LaCrosse, Wisconsin on this list but I respect it! Btw it also has a top tier Oktoberfest (in the US) and an Amtrak stop on the Empire Builder

[@markvogel5872]

That town is famous because of their police body cam footage! 😂

[@een_schildpad]

I used to fly for an airline and would frequently have an overnight in LaCrosse. It was really enjoyable to walk around the downtown and river area! I looked forward to that overnight :⁠-⁠)

[@senecaflint6853]

Milwaukeean here. More people need to lay the stakes out for this election as bluntly as Ray does. For those of us who care about America’s urban areas and their inhabitants, there’s no alternative to Joe Biden in this election

[@charlienyc1]

And remember, if he dies in office, we'll have an excellent president in Kamala!

[@tranquil14738]

@@charlienyc1is that sarcasm? I don’t know anyone who wants her in office lol right or left

[@charlienyc1]

@@tranquil14738Looks like my comment was deleted. Kamala would be an excellent president.

[@tranquil14738]

@@charlienyc1 why do you think that? I’m not kidding when I say you are the first person I’ve ever met who wants Kamala and didn’t just vote for Biden so there would be no trump

[@charlienyc1]

@@tranquil14738 Everyone I know agrees. Clearly we run in different circles. She has done a good job in California with all its challenges for starters. She has demonstrated over & over she actually cares about people. Besides, the trend of white male presidents cannot continue for another hundred years.

[@uhhhmm1]

You got integrity, CityNerd. I like it 😺

[@kittycat3312]

Thanks for discussing the smaller cities for us strong towns type people. I do like those.

[@coreyglenn6068]

As someone who has lived in NC, I approve. Other recommendations: Hickory/Morgantown - bigger than you think, with nice downtowns and right near the mountains, without Asheville prices Winston-Salem - amazing small city, formerly the state’s second largest, with tons of great early-mid 20th century urban fabric Burlington - not bad for a smaller town vibe Durham - better than the R city Asheville is nice, but expensive as hell. Hendersonville is okay. Overall, North Carolina has tons of great small cities that sprang up in the mid 20th century and mostly survived the great freeway growth. It’s almost a southern version of Pennsylvania. Just stay away from Raleigh.

[@liskaliska9148]

Raleigh is such a sprawled out city... it makes Charlotte look like NYC...

[@mentalrectangle]

@@liskaliska9148 Raleigh has a higher average density than Charlotte actually. I also think the presence of NCSU near downtown does a lot for the city's urban character compared to Charlotte--whose flagship university is on the edge of town. It is my favorite city in the state but unfortunately the price...is not good at the moment. I live in Durham fwiw. For affordability I'd say the Triad cities. Greensboro has Amtrak access so for this channel I think that puts it over Winston-Salem. For towns I'd go with Carrboro. Actually reasonable rents still there, and the bus/bike culture is on point. I lived without driving to work for several years there.

[@liskaliska9148]

@@mentalrectangle the City of Charlotte in land mass, is more than double the City of Raleigh, explaining the density difference. I think its fairer to compare it as Mecklenburg vs Wake Counties, which Mecklenburg is denser. Also you could say the same with Uptown connecting into South End, Elizabeth, Dilworth, and Plaza, so its kinda equal except from going there, the Triangle felt more spread out than Charlotte did.

[@mentalrectangle]

@@liskaliska9148 Wake County is more than double the land mass of Mecklenburg. The city boundary reflects the policies of the city of Charlotte while the suburbs of Raleigh do not. The Triangle is not more spread out by any measure. Charlotte's suburbs outside Meck are insane. Charlotte has a better skyline and light rail. South End has a bright future and I'm excited for the city. Not knocking it, I could live there. The walkable environment of DTR is to me, very good though. It's unmarred by freeways and contains multiple college-adjacent neighborhoods.

[@liskaliska9148]

@@mentalrectangle this is a fair point! I didn't realize how much larger Wake County is. Also fair point about charlotte's suburbs, but idk it felt personally a lot more spread out in the triangle to me, but I don't live there just in the CLT so yeah

[@SidwellAdventures]

Currently living Car-Free in Grand Rapids, MI! Definitely cold, but it's very nice and actually do-able. Biking and running around, exploring the city is a great time, and there's lots of things to do. Can't wait for Summer when the city really thrives!

[@gogreen7794]

As a native of GR, I'm concerned that the snowy, brisk winters of my childhood will just turn into wet, sloggy, gray days without the benefit of being a winter wonderland.

[@SidwellAdventures]

@@gogreen7794It's very sad yeah, no skiing or sledding anymore, just grey ugh

[@scoreforgonzo]

Your viewers demand a deep dive on La Crosse! Well, this one viewer does. Great vid as always!

[@collin4215]

I find it interesting your mention of the typical political preferences of your viewers. Just want to say that though I may be in the political minority of your viewers, I still find your videos interesting and informative. Keep up the good work.

[@stevecooper7883]

He acts as if civil engineers never vote conservatively 😅

[@SeanMatheson-n3x]

@@stevecooper7883 I think his point was that he tends to use liberal talking points, so he assumes that a lot of his subscribers and followers lean-left. I don't think he was trying to say that all urbanists are left leaning.

[@AbstractEntityJ]

Yeah, I'm definitely far outside those typical political preferences, but I find his channel quite engaging and I agree with a lot of what he says.

[@liskaliska9148]

I will say that I massively agree with Charlotte, as no other city in NC really has as much of a urban core like Charlotte. Uptown is surprisingly very easy to bike through, and the Rail Trail, and LSCG really make it connected well to the rest of Charlotte's core area. Wilmington, and Chapel Hill are my two smaller town choices tho!

[@BR-ci4ud]

As a NC resident I’ll agree with everything except Wilmington. That’s not a small town - it’s stroad city

[@mannegreen]

@@BR-ci4ud yes! My jaw dropped when he mentioned Wilmington. I lived in downtown Wilmington for the past 3 years... it's the most walkable area of the city but thats a ridiculously low bar. Public transit sucks (good luck getting to the beach without a car) and it's literally a food dessert. There are some convince stores downtown but that's it. You need a car if you want to go grocery shopping. Which means driving on the two stroads in a trench coat that they call the rest of the city. It's ridiculous how often I heard about a pedestrian fatality on Market Street. As for swing state... not a single (local) person or measure I voted for there ever won. Wilmington is getting redder every year. Proud boys show up to school board meetings. Obviously no place is past saving, but you need to know what you're getting into if you're considering moving there. I suppose an optimist could look at the town and see the "progress" made in the area in the century since the only successful coup in America (look up the 1898 Wilmington Massacre) because they now have a "BLACK LIVES DO MATTER" sign up at the park. They added the "Do" because the city council considers BLM a Marxist org... And I haven't even mentioned that the city's water supply is contaminated with GenX from decades of pollution from the Chemcours plant up the river. On the positive side, the riverwalk is lovely, and its fun to see gators at the local parks. And of course, like anywhere, you can find good people trying to make a difference. But that's it lol. I know he said to do your own research, but it's almost malpractice to include it on this list.

[@berlin1926]

Raleigh is very dense and walkable and infiniteky more biker friendly. B

[@BR-ci4ud]

@@berlin1926 Raleigh is basically a sweltering conglomeration of suburbs with the nickname of "Sprawleigh." Is the downtown walkable? Sure, that's about it. The greenway network is big because sharing the road with inhospitable drivers is at many times a death wish. I am not sure you have spent much time in Raleigh.

[@SeanMatheson-n3x]

@@BR-ci4ud Most of the city is, yes, but the downtown area is both very large and very walkable for a North Carolina city of it's size. Though I have to admit, NC has a pretty low bar for walkability. That's why we should encourage urbanists to move there, it needs those sort of people more than say, Chicago or D.C. does.

[@memunns]

I'm still not discounting the idea of 60,000 or so of us dropping into Cheyenne Wyoming and starting our own urbanist utopia

[@charlienyc1]

Wouldn't 600 be enough? 😆

[@siyacer]

let's be honest, urbanists really don't have the skill set to build their own city

[@memunns]

@@siyacer yeah I think urban planners are probably not well suited for the job

[@jonathanbowers8964]

Cheyenne isn't even that far from Denver so "settling" Cheyenne and making Wyoming a swing state or a new blue state is something that can be done. As the Front Range expands North, a day will come when Cheyenne will be transformed into a real city.

[@Mitchell-me7bp]

If there were HSR that could deliver you from Cheyenne to Denver in an hour, Cheyenne would absolutely pop off. But I suspect that folks in Wyoming might not be so stoked about that...@@jonathanbowers8964

[@stevelaydon]

I don't know how Grand Rapids gets a walk or bike score over 30. Outside of a few music venues and generic brewpubs, you're spending 20 minutes on a stroad for any actual amenities.

[@jasonbills5038]

Outside of the schools and universities, the multiple markets, Devos, Van Andel, the restaurants, bars, music venues, medical facilities, free downtown bus and growing downtown you're absolutely right 😂 28th street, 44th street, Beltline, and most of Alpine and Lake Michigan Ave are NOT Grand Rapids. It's almost like you're choosing not to believe the data that proves your preconceptions are wrong.

[@Pistolita221]

@@jasonbills5038 If you live in an unwalkable part of a town, it's not surprising you'd have a different perspective. Not everyone can afford to live in the dense DT areas, and often times people need more space than DT offers. Ann Arbor is supposed to be walkable, but not my corner of the city.

[@SmellyMelly92]

49503 is the zip code shown in this video and it is generally very walkable and decently bikeable. There are definitely accessible amenities in that area beyond bars, restaurants and music venues (groceries, pharmacies, hardware stores, etc).

[@dewilson55]

Downtown Grand Rapids is very walkable. I think it'd be tough to live without a car but you can definitely walk to restaurants, grocery stores, bars, schools, and medical facilities. And with public transit improving in the city, the ability to reduce car use will only increase.

[@taxirob2248]

Not everyone can afford to eat at restaurants all the time either @@Pistolita221. "Entertainment districts" as neighborhood anchors are generally crap, as they take a dive whenever there is an economic downturn and rarely supply anything beyond minimum wage jobs to begin with. All of the topics on this channel are based off median wages and rents, which are highly skewed by the few top earners in a community, who are literally 1% or less of the actual population (although arguably less skewed than averages.) It's up to us to figure out what percentile of the median each of is really a part of, and from there look for indicators of real economic stability like large long term employers... which there are fewer of everywhere at once.

[@kevley26]

In before Alan Fisher comments "why is Philly not listed as number 1 in the country?" :)

[@WaterMan416]

Every time Pittsburgh is mentioned I get the self satisfaction that I made the right choice. Then he goes and mentions where I grew up and moved from with York lol.

[@georgeh6856]

Other considerations: Crime may be worse than in blue states, and as we saw today at the KC Super Bowl Celebration (in a red state), every place is unsafe in the USA. Laws may be bad in some of these states if you are a woman of childbearing age; a member of the LGBT community, especially transgender; or a person of color. Laws seem to be getting worse in many states all the time. The weather in many of these states looks nothing at this time of year like the Google Street Views. I feel better in my blue state. I am trying to get back to Europe. The USA is f*ed.

[@Eric-rh1of]

Every place isn't unsafe. Homogeneous red states are still quite nice. Urbanist hellholes are toilets however. Violent crime is a cancer that's been spreading.

[@JohnDoe-my5ip]

Choosing Concord over Nashua or Manchester in NH is wild. Concord is a glorified small town with one walkable touristy street around that circus they call a state legislature. 2 miles away, it’s exurban sprawl and farms. All of 3 local bus routes. It’s about as “urban” as Conway. Manchester and Nashua are still way too car addicted, mainly because the state government is as reactionary as you’ll find anywhere in America, but at least they have largely intact urban cores from the Industrial Revolution, like Lowell and Lawrence. If not for the extremely toxic politics, we’d have trains to Boston and this wouldn’t even be a contest. The tracks are already there. Commuter trains ran regularly 30 years ago.

[@alexmichaels9281]

The second I saw him talk about Concord. I knew he didn’t know anything about New Hampshire.

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Nashua has a reputation for being where the poorer Boston employees live.

[@StuartJuggernaut]

Concord has more people than it seems because the township is so large half the people that "live in Concord" actually live in the woods by Penacook or something. Cities with half the population like Dover and Portsmouth have larger walkable downtown cores.

[@dwarftoad]

Only southeastern New Hampshire is really a Boston exurb. Concord is , relatively speaking, very small, I'd point people towards Portsmouth first then the southern counties (Cheshire, Hillsborough) if you still want to be kind of close to Boston. Lots of nice small towns but car travel will be frequent for most people. This state is extremely rail resistant, blocking any attempt to extend any Boston commuter rail lines into the state, even to the airport. Very little bus service anywhere. Amtrak mostly bypasses it except for some small towns near Portsmouth, but not Portsmouth itself, or if you're in the far western slice, there are a few Amtrak stops in VT and one NH town, if you want to go to New York (But not Boston unfortunately or even Burlington VT or Montreal!!)

[@charlienyc1]

Are you gonna mention how Portsmouth is pronounced? I already commented above about Concord.

[@charliesullivan4304]

The Amtrak line along the western edge of NH is the Vermonter and it doesn't literally go to Burlington, but it goes to Essex Junction which is a nearby stop serving the Burlington area.

[@thadsoule7129]

Ayuh, The pronunciation was a daggah to my native NH haht…

[@dianatortolini7842]

Yeah, was going to comment similarly. If people want to live car free their best bet is around the NH seacoast. UNH campus in Durham has a great bus line that will get you to Dover and Portsmouth, and the Amtrak Downeaster will get you into Boston. Exeter is also really nice. The whole area is very safe, LGBTQ-friendly and has a solid economy. Concord is far enough North that you're no longer in New Massachusetts. That's mostly the towns along rte 93 south of Manchester, and rte 3 around Nashua. Reminder that recreational weed is not yet legal in NH. There are no sales or income taxes but property taxes are high. Great schools and fantastic outdoor activities but this just isn't a state designed for car-adverse people. You will often see single family homes with more cars than people. The weather stays cold and snow stays accumulated into mid Spring. Lastly, the Libertarians (the Free State Project) are trying to resettle here. So please come and help us stop them from trying to collapse public education, irrespective of the 2024 election. Thank you!

[@Norfirio]

The fact that median rent in so many places with less than ideal job markets is >$1000/mo still surprises me. Median rent where I live is just over $2k, but median income is also one of the highest in the country.

[@chazdomingo475]

We are in a national housing crisis and rents keep going up. It's to be expected. People like me, I could move to a place with higher median income, but I wouldn't make anymore because of my profession and that's just not how the job market works. Those places with high median incomes usually have specialized workforces that are raising that up. So I'm kinda relegated to whatever shithole I can afford.

[@AssBlasster]

Come to San Diego, where they pay you in "sunshine dollars". Just as expensive as LA without the higher median salaries and plentiful job opportunities

[@vinestreet2717]

Recently moved from safe-blue Illinois to hopefully less-purple Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 😎

[@jordan6302]

Wisconsinite here- The main issue you'll run in to with all the Wisconsin areas is that there is sub-par transit at a local level, and if you are outside Milwaukee, nearly no transit on a regional level... so if you come here and don't have a car, downtown MKE by the Fiserv Forum or Third Ward is pretty much your only option lol and from there, you are a 20min bus ride (2x an hour at most) to the intermodal station to get on the hiawatha train, or an hour long bus ride to the airport with transfers... Car-less, you're better off in downtown Madison tbh. No trains or light rail there (nearest amtrak is 40min car ride northeast of the city)... but the bus system is manageable, downtown is very walkable and you can live car free like most of the college students at UW ( I was one myself for 4 years). Madison's airport is only a regional one (compared to MKE's international bigger one), but it is a direct 25min bus ride from downtown. And many of the important bus routes in Madison are being converted to a quasi-BRT system, which has been cool to watch being built over the last year as I've been to Madison every couple months. The only parts of the smaller Wisconsin cities (La Crosse, Eau Claire, Oshkosh) are friendly toward this channel are directly around their college campuses, and maybe their small downtowns which are often disconnected from most of the rest of the city. Appleton is an interesting divergence from the above though because it is a much more left-leaning city than people would expect, and it is definitely moving in the right direction. Not doable without a car due to a lack of almost any transit options, but it is a quite cheap & younger slanted area. Wausau in the center of the state fits into this same bucket, but is much smaller than Appleton. Very pretty year-round there! Stay away from Green Bay, any Milwaukee suburb, all of northern Wisconsin... not friendly places to the people of this channel lol Can't speak much on Kenosha or Racine, as I haven't been to either of them very much at all

[@dafothrill]

A lot of the Milwaukee inner ring suburbs are making big improvements! You still probably need a car but West Allis and Wauwatosa have some very walkable parts and are definitely friendly to viewers of this channel.

[@senecaflint6853]

Former Racine resident here. Racine has one of the best commercial downtowns in the state and they’re building tons of new housing units along the lakefront/around the city. Definitely worth at least a visit if you’re around. I certainly enjoyed my time living there

[@PolkCountyWIProgressive]

Woah woah woah…I am friendly to people of this channel…

[@MichaelClausing]

I don't necessarily agree with the level of transit in Milwaukee. Most buses in the more populated areas come at least every 15 minutes for most of the day. Not great, but very doable especially since they overlap so much as you get downtown. The green line is also pretty fast to the airport and I suggest you give it a shot sometime.

[@mkl_dvd]

Can confirm that downtown Madison is a great option for car-free living. Badger Bus runs 4-6 times a day to the Milwaukee Amtrak station and airport, so there are options for easy regional travel. My one correction to the video is that State/Langdon is primarily student housing, with most fraternities/sororities being located on Langdon. East of the Capitol is the preferred area for adults who still want to live downtown.

[@andrewroberts7428]

thank you for speaking up for democracy and for liberal democratic values, which are the proper and decent values on which human society ought to be founded. i hope more people follow the example set by good people of conscience such as yourself speaking up and speaking out. i'm also a detroiter, i hope you pay the city a visit sometime soon, it would be a treat to take you on a bicycle tour.

[@ajlynch91]

Thanks for single handedly moving the senate in the right direction in 2022. Please do the same in ‘24. Please.

[@JAXONcreed]

Ayo! Philly 19107 represent!

[@manmasher]

I lived in the Packard Motor Car Bldg across from the Inky… loved that location, Philadelphia is a great city.

[@AB-wf8ek]

Yea Philly! It's a great biking city, and there are actually a lot more green spaces than most people who have never been here might guess. I've been here 20 years and never needed to own a car. To be fair, you need to have a thick skin and humility if you want to stick around for the long term. No matter what, you'll walk away with some stories :)

[@AMPProf]

Six senses zipcode?

[@ulogy]

I'd say do this for Canada, but we don't have quite as messed up an electoral system.

[@doctormatthattan]

I love Detroit. The airport is one of the best in the country and they have great bars and restaurants. Their sports stadiums are awesome.. Also the dispensaries are the cheapest I’ve seen in the country and are very competitive. I’d move there if it wasn’t so cold.

[@gogreen7794]

Yeah, move there for the cheap pot.

[@alexullrich5694]

So where can my Jill Stein vote have the most impact haha

[@boringstuff1542]

Jill stein and other third party candidates is a good vote anywhere that is not a swing state.

[@dlg569]

Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It’s the county seat of Bucks County so you get a bonus competitive congressional district.

[@ryanmiller6605]

Prescott mentioned! Btw locals pronounce it like “presskit” like a triscuit. Haha

[@roadtherun]

Love your videos! As a Tempe resident can't wait for that Culdesac video

[@claytonj9060]

Love seeing La Crosse represented!

[@sethland]

It would be nice to look up gerrymandered congressional districts that are competitive within swing states. If you’re living in the heart of a blue city, likely your districts (state reps and US House) are already deeply blue. Gerrymandered districts have to carve out some blue areas to disenfranchise the vote. This is where a relatively few new voters could tip the seat as well as the state.

[@sethland]

But likely if you move to the small town recommendation, it will include rural areas as well. So it is probably more competitive.

[@patrickhundley1203]

I appreciate that you’re willing to mention the politics behind the way our country is built and upkept, there’s a fair amount of channels that would not have said a word about the upcoming election.

[@TransitTangents]

NH does have quite a few cute small towns. Portsmouth, Dover, Plymouth, Littleton. All are definitely to small to pop up on this list, but all have walkable downtowns, etc...

[@StuartJuggernaut]

yeah I really disagree with Concord being the pick here I think it should have been Dover.

[@troy02627]

agree it def shouldve been dover

[@thadsoule7129]

And why only one city in NH? Most other swing states had two zip codes selected… First in the Nation Primary and we’re getting sidestepped for the Carolina’s…again?!?!

[@TransitTangents]

@@thadsoule7129 Lol. Rough year for New Hampshire!

[@coasterjaz89]

Agree!! Portsmouth is a really cute big town! I spent 4yrs living in Portland, used to go down to Portsmouth often!

[@spybloom]

Happy to see La Crosse get a spot on the list; it's such a hidden gem in WI. Its population is small because it's bound by the Mississippi to the west and the bluffs to the east, but that plus the university helps keep the area reasonably dense. Not to mention the entire Driftless area is beautiful. The only thing keeping it down, personally, is that it's not really near any big cities. The biggest thing nearby is Rochester an hour drive away, and Madison and Minneapolis are both over 2 hours

[@sm13_]

This is absurd. Politically engaged has never meant active voter, in this race or any other. Organize in the workplace, organize civil disobedience, boycotts, focus on local issues, etc. Building a network in this way is much more effective than voting will ever be, especially voting in the general election. There's a reason voting is so accessible. Real change is hard, but whatever narrow changes you can gain in the electoral process will be nothing. Besides, big political changes in this nation's history often occur from strong pressure by organized labor or national demonstrations- what changes are you hoping to get passed by a nation without unions or grassroots movements?

[@Derek.Mitchell]

La Crosse mentioned! Hell yeah, one of the coolest little cities I’ve been to. Not saying much but it gets better Amtrak service than San Antonio and Austin.

[@bonne_vie]

It's sad we even have to think about this. We need to move to poplar vote.

[@articcircleado]

City Nerd is my middle aged urbanist hero!

[@ab8817]

lol atlanta median rent is not $1600, try $2200. and its all newly built crappy shoebox apartments. but omg you get to walk on a crowded sidewalk that goes to an expensive smoothie place

[@Ryan-093]

they get expensive we are so starved for good urban places. the supply is nowhere near demand making them more expensive

[@ab8817]

@@Ryan-093 you can build up supply in ATL until you are blue in the face - they still are going to charge $2200/mo for a 600sq ft 1br apartment. developers don't care about urbanism, or affordability, or you. stop trusting capital investors and developers.

[@Ryan-093]

@ab8817 which is why the government should be owning and operating the developments. if private developers are the problem then circumvent them. americans love to complain while pretending there is nothing they can do.

[@ab8817]

@@Ryan-093 the government is in the developers' pocket and vice versa. don't tell me you don't know that already.

[@orangepeelz3579]

A video request I have: Could you do something like the top 10 accessible walkable communities? I often find that a lot of walkable and transit oriented areas, such as NYC, have a lot of wheelchair inaccessibility- no elevators to subways, old buildings that are exempt from ADA requirements, old sidewalks/pavement that are cracked and difficult to wheel over, walkable paths rely on stairs or steep hills. I'm really curious about what places in north america, if any, are walkable and accessible.

[@AssBlasster]

Probably cities with modern light rail networks are your best bet since they were built with ADA accommodations from the start. Like I would say most light rail stations in San Diego County are wheelchair accessible from what I've seen

[@donalny]

My friend moved from the Bronx to Savannah and loved it except for the fact that everything closes at 8pm. He found a nice hosue to rent for well under the median listed here. He also said they are building out the colleges with lots of student housing, so walkability and mass transit should keep improving.

[@chazdomingo475]

Walking is just a huge part of Savannah's culture. Every time I've been to the city I've walked. Only other cities in the state with that kind of culture is Athens and Midtown Atlanta.

[@1080ike]

Thanks for doing this! It's a personal mission of mine to get out the vote this year in Pennsylvania, so I appreciate the shoutout to my hometown. Some other more walkable/urbanist cities that weren't mentioned which I can recommend to anyone reading this are Allentown, Harrisburg, Erie, Bethlehem, and Scranton and Reading (which both just won Amtrak grants for passenger rail at the end of last year). If you prefer a smaller town or more rural area, State College was mentioned, but other options would be cities like Johnstown, Hazleton, Washington, Easton, Williamsport, and Carlisle. Public transit access won't be as good for this latter group (as with most rural areas), but they still retain their walkable urban settings (especially relative to the rest of the country).

[@samuelkane8146]

Nice to see La Crosse mentioned. Great beer, a lovely old town. I was always there by car, but still a solid, affordable town.

[@smileyeagle1021]

For your Reno suggestion, I'd say that your best bet is to be just outside 89501. It is a great epicenter, but your best bet for living is going to be in 89502, 89503, and 89512 in the neighborhoods adjacent to 89501. A lot more housing options, a lot better housing options, and both the east side of 89503 and north side of 89502 are seeing massive revitalization (with 89502 being the organic and incremental development that Strong Towns advocates for).

[@thatoneotherotherguy]

Have to say, "packing the court" is not nominating odious people to it when seats open up. Packing the court is when you increase the number of justices on it, just because you currently control who those additional people would be. I don't recall R's trying to increase the court's size, but Trump's luck in nominating so many justices in one term was absurd (partial thanks to RBG refusing to retire earlier, bad play)

[@andrewdiamond2697]

Not holding hearings when a nomination happens nearly a year before the end of a Presidential term, but then rushing to seat a new Justice in the 11th hour of the next term pretty well constitutes packing the court.

[@thatoneotherotherguy]

@@andrewdiamond2697 as unfair as that stunt was, it's not "packing the court". This is a simple definition thing. Expanding the size is packing. BS'ing your way to stealing one of the nominees for a vacant seat is political shenanigans, but it's not packing. This is something where some people are trying to say an incorrect thing often enough that it turns into fact, but it's not the case.

[@nicholasriehle3348]

@citynerd Can you address the limitations of walk score and bike score (like it is controlled by a real estate comapny whose motivation is to increase housing prices). I know it can have some gentrification implications that people are worried about.

[@alexmichaels9281]

I feel like you really passed over New Hampshire because there are two massive cities that you ignored over Concord. Manchester and Nashua are so much better examples of cities in a much smaller population region like yes they are small but if we put them in Massachusetts they would still be in the top 10 biggest cities in the state and have a good economy of their own

[@PvtPuplovski]

Much like everyone else with their own home state, I tend to rag on Wisconsin a lot for its shortcomings, but there is quite a bit to see and do here, especially now when the rents aren't totally out of control and a major metro like Chicago is at most a couple hours ride from anywhere you'd probably find yourself. Thanks for the shoutouts!

[@jameshughes6078]

Grew up in PA. I'd highly recommend checkinf out Bethlehem and/or allentown. Bus lines to nyc and philly (boo ripping out the rail drom philly to scranton). Having lived in Elizabethtown, id definitely recommend Harrisburg over york/lancaster for vibes imo. Either way both lancaster and harrisburg have amtrak to philly (and from there, the rest of boswash). Also, wilkes barre is a great college town, reading is a bit 'blight-y' but omg cheapest ever, but at the end of the day, why bother with anything else when you have philly?

[@kingmacbeth9704]

Recommended: 1600 rental lmao

[@theprotector1234567]

Detroit has been "coming back" for 50+ years

[@kettlemoraine1]

YAY for SHOREWOOD showing up at the 3-minute mark! It's listed as "Whitefish Bay," but I'm *from* Shorewood! And EVERYONE in Shorewood recognizes this corridor of Oakland Avenue - literally the commercial heart of Shorewood! Yeah, a few feet of it are in Whitefish Bay, but 98% of it is in Shorewood. :) And I could not agree MORE about Pennsylvania!! Practically EVERY town is gorgeous!! This true Pacific Northwesterner is living in PA now, and I am in total awe of all the stunning historic towns, with all the attached housing and beautiful backdrops of unpopulated hillsides! And my vote will COUNT in PA--yay!! :) And your top choice of small city in Pennsylvania is my top choice: Lancaster! Nicely done, Ray!! :) Lancaster is *unquestionably* America's unicorn!! I could go on for *pages* about Lancaster! And yay for Milwaukee and La Crosse! Superb choices!! :) Loved this video!! :)

[@todddammit4628]

I often fantasize about being so rich that I could just build a new city in like Wyoming and flip the states politics. Come on Power Ball!

[@scpatl4now]

It wouldn't take many people to do it either

[@friedzombie4]

@@scpatl4nowa little over a mil would really seal the deal, but 200k would be enough to be a serious voting block.

[@mitchellaustin2137]

Total voter turn out in Wyoming in 2020 was 278,503 or 62.6% of all registered voters. Over 250,000 of all registered voters are registered by political parties not starting with a D. So, around 200,000 high propensity voters with average City Nerd subscriber demographics would likely flip the whole state like a light switch.

[@jonathanbowers8964]

It wouldn't even be that difficult. Cheyenne and Laramie are less than an hour from Fort Collins and are a natural extension of the Front Range Metroplex. Just build a high speed rail to Denver and get 200,000 blue state folks to move to Cheyenne and bam, you have a new Blue State.

[@scpatl4now]

@@jonathanbowers8964 That explains why Republicans hate HSR...lol

[@evanobrien2429]

Always love these videos. Thanks for doing the footwork and sharing!

[@hilupianoservice]

Lacrosse has another benefit. If things go south, you can cross the river and be in Minnesota! :)

[@MenacingWithVideos]

You will be required to change your religion from Packers to Vikings.

[@taxirob2248]

I was in Green Bay on the day of a sportsball match between the two of them, and fans of both clubs seemed to be hanging out together and having a good time afterward @@MenacingWithVideos. I didn't see any Raiders fan-like behavior, and I thought that was splendid.

[@hilupianoservice]

@@MenacingWithVideos I live in the Twin Cities, and the Packers have plenty of fans here. After all, the Packers date back to the origin of the NFL. The Vikings are the newcomers. I've lived in too many football cities to have any diehard loyalty.

[@MenacingWithVideos]

@@hilupianoservice SKOL!

[@mdp581]

Good to see Reno here. Similar weather as in Abq, but a much cleaner and a less crime riddled downtown, better walkability and entertainment and nicer residential neighborhoods, and not out in the middle of bumfouck nowhere.

[@heathrunyon4036]

I agree. Reno is awesome

[@andrewdiamond2697]

I never thought about this, but I've lived over 95% of my adult life in swing states. Locations include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh (PA), Atlanta, Marietta (GA), and now Charlotte (NC) including some of the named zip codes or zip codes adjacent to the named ones. Interesting.

[@davidbarts6144]

If forced to move to one of those states, Pennsylvania would probably be it, because it has mountains and both Pittsburgh and Philly have struck me as being remarkably affordable for older cities that have great bones.

[@kevilharris4379]

Thanks for this! I love swinging!

[@tonylarose4842]

So does your partner!

[@kevilharris4379]

@@tonylarose4842 for sure! It's such a rush for us to swap between parties.

[@andresm1704]

Lets make sure we vote smart guys!! Turn off cnn and read some non biased news