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re: Is Tuscaloosa the worst SEC college town?
Posted on 11/3/17 at 12:54 pm to Pettifogger
Posted on 11/3/17 at 12:54 pm to Pettifogger
quote:
-Notable city. MSA/area probably 150-300, but more importantly, the city has considerable significance outside of the school. Athens, probably Tuscaloosa
Yes and no for Tuscaloosa. It is the largest city in West Alabama and a primary economic hub for the Blackbelt, but it really doesn't have a draw outside of University.
MSA for Tuscaloosa is 240,000.
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Posted on 11/3/17 at 12:56 pm to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
It is the largest city in West Alabama and a primary economic hub for the Blackbelt
Barely edging out the metropolis that is Demopolis
Posted on 11/3/17 at 12:58 pm to Jebadeb
Best College CITIES in the SEC:
1. Nashville
2. Knoxville
3. Baton Rouge
4. Columbia, SC
Best College TOWNS in the SEC:
1. Athens, GA
2. Fayetteville, AR
3. Oxford, MS
4. Auburn, AL
5. Columbia, MO
6. Lexington, KY
7. College Station, TX
8. Tuscaloosa, AL
9. Gainesville, FL
10. Starkville, MS
1. Nashville
2. Knoxville
3. Baton Rouge
4. Columbia, SC
Best College TOWNS in the SEC:
1. Athens, GA
2. Fayetteville, AR
3. Oxford, MS
4. Auburn, AL
5. Columbia, MO
6. Lexington, KY
7. College Station, TX
8. Tuscaloosa, AL
9. Gainesville, FL
10. Starkville, MS
Posted on 11/3/17 at 12:59 pm to bbvdd
quote:
Lower murder rate than Baton Rouge
It's also not in a toxic waste dump like a few others in the SEC.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:02 pm to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
Yes and no for Tuscaloosa. It is the largest city in West Alabama and a primary economic hub for the Blackbelt, but it really doesn't have a draw outside of University.
MSA for Tuscaloosa is 240,000.
It's a little vague, but I think of Tuscaloosa and Athens of having some economic significance to their region that exceeds what Auburn used to be and what I think Starkville is.
A lot of it certainly is in flux, as Auburn, for example, is increasingly a destination for non-Auburn people due to decent public schools and the like.
Seems like college towns started getting a lot of publicity in the 90s and 00s as good places to relocate, retire, etc., so I think you have fewer and fewer that aren't transitioning into something bigger than a town built around the school.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:05 pm to BHMKyle
Lexington is larger than Knoxville, Baton Rouge, and Columbia. By a long shot.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:09 pm to CrabInMyShoeMouth
I don't think that's true.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:10 pm to Jebadeb
One bad thing about T-Town is the ghetto in west side and southside. Statistically speaking, Tuscaloosa is considered one of the more dangerous areas in the state because of it. Other than that, it's a good town. They've done a great job of revitalizing the downtown area and rebuilding what the tornado destroyed.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:12 pm to Pettifogger
quote:
Seems like college towns started getting a lot of publicity in the 90s and 00s as good places to relocate, retire, etc., so I think you have fewer and fewer that aren't transitioning into something bigger than a town built around the school.
Fayetteville is still a "college town" with 85,000 people, but it is undeniably part of a broader metro. It can feel larger or smaller than its actual size, depending on the day of the week and what's going on.
Northwest Arkansas is unique in that the four "big towns" can all feel pretty "small-town" on their own, but tend to have "big city amenities" that would not exist if the towns stood alone.
A town of 45,000 with a world-class (no, really) art museum and fine dining downtown, for example.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:14 pm to Tuscaloosa
quote:
A town that is booming and beautiful because of the University is the epitome of what a “College Town” is all about.
Agreed. But Tuscaloosa isn't necessarily "Booming" compared to other SEC College Towns.
If you look at Percentage Population Growth from 2010-2016 of all the SEC metro/micro areas, here is how they rank:
1. Oxford, MS- +13.6%
2. Auburn, AL- +13.4%
3. Fayetteville, AR- +13.4%
4. Nashville, TN- +11.6%
5. College Station, TX- +11.5%
6. Columbia, MO- +8.5%
7. Lexington, KY- +7.3%
8. Athens, GA- +6.6%
9. Columbia, SC- +6.5%
10. Gainesville, FL- +6.2%
11. Tuscaloosa- +4.9%
12. Baton Rouge, LA- +4.1%
13. Knoxville, TN- +3.7%
14. Starkville, MS- +3.7%
Sub 5% growth over six years is actually fairly sluggish relative to most other college towns across the country.
Here is the real growth (actual number of people added to each metro area) since 2010:
1. Nashville: +194,400
2. Fayetteville: +61,800
3. Columbia, SC: +49,900
4. Lexington: +34,700
5. Baton Rouge: +32,700
6. Knoxville: +31,000
7. College Station: +26,300
8. Auburn: +18,800
9. Gainesville: +16,400
10. Columbia, MO: +14,000
11. Athens: +12,700
12. Tuscaloosa: +11,200
13. Oxford: +6,400
14. Starkville: +1,700
Poor Starkville.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:16 pm to Pettifogger
quote:
Athens is really, really dumpy outside of downtown,
My point.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:17 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
Agreed. But Tuscaloosa isn't necessarily "Booming" compared to other SEC College Towns.
What Walt Maddox has done to Tuscaloosa since being elected in 2005 is nothing short of spectacular. That's in business development and revitalizing the City's core.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:21 pm to mizslu314
quote:
Columbia SC was just awful
Columbia is middle of the road, but definitely not awful. Sounds like you just didn't hit ANY of the many good spots.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:22 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
Here is the real growth (actual number of people added to each metro area) since 2010:
1. Nashville: +194,400
2. Fayetteville: +61,800
3. Columbia, SC: +49,900
4. Lexington: +34,700
5. Baton Rouge: +32,700
6. Knoxville: +31,000
7. College Station: +26,300
8. Auburn: +18,800
9. Gainesville: +16,400
10. Columbia, MO: +14,000
11. Athens: +12,700
12. Tuscaloosa: +11,200
13. Oxford: +6,400
14. Starkville: +1,700
Fayetteville-proper is growing quickly, but most of this growth is in the county to the north...the area that 25 years ago was sort of "the boonies" from Fayetteville. Now that county is larger in population, growing faster, and has higher incomes, better shopping, dining, etc. It's a weird situation, and the reason for my avi location.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:22 pm to CrabInMyShoeMouth
quote:
Lexington is larger than Knoxville, Baton Rouge, and Columbia. By a long shot.
No it isn't. Not if you look at the metro area.
Nashville is up to about 1.9 million.
Knoxville is 868,000
Baton Rouge is 835,000
Columbia, SC is 817,000
Fayetteville is 525,000
Lexington is 507,000
Gainesville is the next largest at 281,000... Auburn, COMO, Athens, Tuscaloosa, College Station, and Gainesville all range between 160,000 and 281,000
THen you have the very small Mississippi towns. Oxford is only 54,000... and Starkville is only 49,000.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:25 pm to Jebadeb
I haven't been to all, but I've been to a good number. Starkville BY FAR takes the cake as worst SEC town.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:27 pm to UpstateCock2007
quote:
Columbia is middle of the road, but definitely not awful. Sounds like you just didn't hit ANY of the many good spots.
I don't think it's awful either. It loses points with people because it lacks a) the supposed charm of places like Oxford or Auburn, b) the mixed fun/charm of places like Athens/Tuscaloosa, c) the attributes of a better, larger city like Nashville.
I don't think Columbia is bad, I just think it's dull.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:31 pm to Jebadeb
It's got the best coke in the sec
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:32 pm to Jebadeb
quote:
Name something about it unrelated to the university.
You could say that about most if not all the college towns in the SEC other than Vandy.
Honestly if not for those schools/football games I would never go to any of those college other than Nasvhille, which is the complete opposite.
Posted on 11/3/17 at 1:34 pm to lsupride87
quote:
3. Harvard (love the area. was very cool)
I understand it's Cambridge but I would just group that with Boston.
I wouldn't call Boston a college town, but that's just me.
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