Explain why a mid-20s guy would prefer NYC over smaller cities (Pitt, Philly, Portland, cinci, etc)

if you are straight and have a job, you will be a happy man. tons of lonely, lovely, smart, well put together women and a massive overweight of gay men and jerks.

Speaking only from personal experience: an absolutely staggering amount of potential female (or male, for that matter) companionship.

I was one of those guys who, if he'd had any fewer moves, would have been a statue--you know, a distance runner--and yet when I came to NYC...let me just say, wow.

mid 20s guys arent out of college yet.

i have never met anyone who got a bachelor degree before age 30. im not saying its impossible, im just saying its extremely rare.

Career opportunities. If you are in finance, advertising, law, etc. there are almost unlimited opportunities to advance by changing switching companies.

What do you mean? I don't understand.

coach steve wrote:

mid 20s guys arent out of college yet.

i have never met anyone who got a bachelor degree before age 30. im not saying its impossible, im just saying its extremely rare.

NYC offers more choices and variety than any other city while also being incredibly convenient. Regardless of your interests, there will be thousands of like-minded people around your age who are all looking to have as much fun as you. It's really pretty obvious, imo. I don't understand why someone wouldn't want to live in the city, if provided the opportunity, at least for a few years.

Manhattan has been called a playground for the rich. This characterization is absolutely correct. Given this, why would a young guy with more money than God not want to live here.

And professionally, I wouldn't want to develop real estate anywhere else in the US. Do you think that projects like Related's Hudson Yards, Extell's One57, Silverstein's World Trade, etc could be built in Philly? What a joke. If I lived in Philly, I'd be building million dollar apartments for people who think that a million dollars is a lot of money.

It all depends on what you want. NYC has a lot to offer, but some may be intimidated by the size or the number of people or the general pace of the city.

I have lived in Philadelphia for the past 4 years. I'm 27. Philly is a great place but not for everyone. It's old, has it's rough neighborhoods, and the locals can be shockingly intimidating to outsiders. Tons of stuff to do however it is a big boozing city.

Portland is unique. It's best days are ahead unlike the big east coast cities. Cleanliness is much more important out west. Lots of young people, lots of healthy people, lots of potential.

I'm 24, work two jobs, and I'm a full time student, but I'm thoroughly enjoying Manhattan. I live in Harlem, but anywhere on Manhattan is within an easy commute. I'm totally broke, but still there's tons of fun stuff to do and cool people around. And the food and drink? Great.

It helps that NYC is the country's capital for my particular academic/arts field. The networking potential and number of related events are both great perks.

Endless supply of everything you ever wanted. NY is generally for a competitive guy looking to make money and meet attractive, competitive women from all over. It is a good place to come if you are in finance, law, medicine, advertising/media, arts, entertainment. Do not come if are super picky and sensitive about living conditions or need tons of space, peace and quiet.

Pros:

Employment

High Salaries

Women

Entertainment

Education

Interesting people

Easy access to beaches, mountains, other cities, the world

Competitive running scene and endless races opportunities

Cons:

Generally poor weather 6 months a year

Extremely expensive

Not ideal for young family unless you are very wealthy

Generally dirty

Always crowded everywhere

Refuting the cons: yeah the weather is probably right, not everywhere is expensive queens isn't bad. My family raised me in middle income housing in manhattan, so it's possible. Not everywhere is dirty and certaint not everywhere (even In manhattan) is crowded

Times Square Elmo wrote:

Pros:

Easy access to mountains

≠

or

or

No doubt for people who care more about urban pursuits than outdoors, NYC is probably the spot. But for people more serious about their mountains NYC doesn't cut the mustard.

Best Coast wrote:

Times Square Elmo wrote:

Pros:

Easy access to mountains

http://americandrivingvacations.com/_atc2013/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/NY-Adirondacks.jpg

≠

https://donsmithphotography.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/lone-pine-peak-at-first-light-blog.jpg

or

http://www.boiseweekly.com/imager/b/original/3123952/c61e/mount-rainier.jpg

or

http://www.therockymountainhalf.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/dsc2637x-edit1.jpg

No doubt for people who care more about urban pursuits than outdoors, NYC is probably the spot. But for people more serious about their mountains NYC doesn't cut the mustard.

+1 Boulder & Denver Colorado for the win!!!!

coach steve wrote:

mid 20s guys arent out of college yet.

i have never met anyone who got a bachelor degree before age 30. im not saying its impossible, im just saying its extremely rare.

this.

Times Square Elmo wrote:

Endless supply of everything you ever wanted. NY is generally for a competitive guy looking to make money and meet attractive, competitive women from all over. It is a good place to come if you are in finance, law, medicine, advertising/media, arts, entertainment. Do not come if are super picky and sensitive about living conditions or need tons of space, peace and quiet.

Pros:

Employment

High Salaries

Women

Entertainment

Education

Interesting people

Easy access to beaches, mountains, other cities, the world

Competitive running scene and endless races opportunities

Cons:

Generally poor weather 6 months a year

Extremely expensive

Not ideal for young family unless you are very wealthy

Generally dirty

Always crowded everywhere

this post sums it up nicely

I'll add one point on the social/attitude side of things, NY is probably not the place for you if you are the non-materialistic social type. NYC has its hipster areas for sure, but the social (money) hierarchy is more pronounced here than almost anywhere else. If you don't make enough money you simply won't exist to some people, and that some people is alot in a city of 8 million. Most don't care about this as they are in NYC to chase prestige and money in the first place, but my friends from the Midwest or other areas/foreign countries where people are "generally" friendlier and not stuck up pricks usually didn't like living in NYC for this reason. One of my first times going out to the bars in Manhattan this chick asked me how much money I made like it was a normal question to ask when meeting somebody, however the women in general are a plus in NYC especially if you're looking for "wife material". Lots of smart, self-motivated and stressed out babes.

Intellect and drive >>>> money in NYC

I am from a suburb of the city so I am bit biased.

I have always loved the architecture, the big buildings, I liked seeing my dad put on a suit and go to work in a tall building everyday, just got used to it and when I was old enough I wanted to do the same.

Now that I am in mid-20s it is a blast living here. If you are fairly smart there are a ton of good jobs in finance, law, medicine, business etc.

I will start out with the cons:

Rent is ridiculously expensive here, I am embarrassed to tell my parents because it is more than their mortgage. Also everything is very small. There are ways to do it (some other poster said Queens which is fine) but any convenient commute in Brooklyn or Manhattan you will pay a ton.

Weather is terrible (I went to college in the South)

Don't save a ton because of rent (have been better recently now I have no more student loans)

People can be very rude

There was another thread like this once and some guy said "A lot of nice guys from Ohio get their a$$ kicked here" 100% spot on. That might just be adult life but certainly true thus far.

Suburbs are very expensive hard to be a homeowner

But I would much rather live here than any other cities you listed,

Pros

There are a ton of educated / attractive girls here who are very career oriented

Intellectual climate is great here

Nightlife is insane, there are some bars and clubs that you just don't get anywhere else, everyone loves to party

People don't settle down too early

Incredible art / architecture (I love everything from the high rises to the grimey east village spots)

Opportunities to increase your earnings much better here than in those other cities. If you are from Cincinnati, unless you inherit a lot of money you won't get make a ton / you will not around as many ambitious people.

I will say I think the buying a house at 40 in Connecticut and having a 90 min commute to work seems completely miserable.

In my ideal world I stay single here until about 35, settle down with an apartment in the city for work and a house in the South to raise my family and I either 1) work from a satellite office in the South or 2) am I own boss and have an apartment here for presentations and conference but run my business from there. Think it would be hard to raise small children here but would want to keep some ties for work and I would also want my kids to see that people actually go to Harvard / Yale / Princeton if they are smart and work hard.

Manhattan Developer wrote:

Manhattan has been called a playground for the rich. This characterization is absolutely correct. Given this, why would a young guy with more money than God not want to live here.

And professionally, I wouldn't want to develop real estate anywhere else in the US. Do you think that projects like Related's Hudson Yards, Extell's One57, Silverstein's World Trade, etc could be built in Philly? What a joke. If I lived in Philly, I'd be building million dollar apartments for people who think that a million dollars is a lot of money.

Cons: you have to deal with pricks like this guy on a regular basis.

One must assume you're a runner if you're posting this question on letsrun. There are great running opportunities in NYC as compared to the other cities. Portland beats NYC for potential medalist but if you're not on the NOP radar you can join literally thousands of people running in Central Park every day. There are also perhaps a dozen viable running clubs where the social hierarchy referred to in other posts doesn't come into play.