http://www.cleveland.com/living/index.ssf/2009/07/cleveland_ranks_no_14_in_ratin.html

 

Cleveland has moved out of Mom's basement.

 

 

How to make the list

 

Forbes.com bases its rankings on seven things: cost of living alone, job growth, perceived coolness, culture, nightlife, online dating participation, and the percentage of singles in the population.

 

The top 10 cities for singles

 

1. New York City

 

2. Boston

 

3. Chicago

 

4. Seattle

 

5. Washington, D.C.

 

6. Atlanta

 

7. San Francisco

 

8. Los Angeles

 

9. Milwaukee

 

10. Philadelphia

 

 

The bottom 10 cities for singles

 

31. Indianapolis

 

32. Charlotte, N.C.

 

33. Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.

 

34. Detroit

 

35. Sacramento, Calif.

 

36. Memphis, Tenn.

 

37. Kansas City

 

38. Cincinnati

 

39. Salt Lake City

 

40. Jacksonville, Fla.

 

-- www.Forbes.com

 

 

For more, click the link

Sorry.  This is Forbes.  I don't see this as anything but feel good fluff. 

 

Their flawed research and methodology makes me question this thread, just as I would if we were on the "negative" end of their findings.

They are going to measure "coolness" and then measure the cost of Heineken.  I see a problem

Sorry. This is Forbes. I don't see this as anything but feel good fluff.

 

Their flawed research and methodology makes me question this thread, just as I would if we were on the "negative" end of their findings.

 

I don't put any weight in these findings either, but it doesn't hurt to get a little feel good fluff every now and then. 

Sorry.  This is Forbes.  I don't see this as anything but feel good fluff. 

 

Their flawed research and methodology makes me question this thread, just as I would if we were on the "negative" end of their findings.

 

I don't put any weight in these findings either, but it doesn't hurt to get a little feel good fluff every now and then. 

 

Sorry, but I disagree.  Forbes is not a reputable or trusted source of factual, equal and unbiased reporting.

"For singles, our city is suddenly a good catch, almost a hottie.. That's how the kids talk now, right?"

 

"Yeah, I think so .. my kids started calling everyone a hottie after watching that there O.C. Hills program a while back."

 

"Well, it can't hurt to throw that in there. We really want to be a cool, hip newspaper and show the kids we're 'with it' ".

 

"Oh, man. I want to be cool and accepted by youngsters more than anything. Put it in there, duuuude!"

I disagree.  Sometimes a little feel good fluff goes a long way

The parameters they set for deciding what is or what is not... Means nothing to me... Usually, when some national headline is touting some place as "thee place to be" for whatever...I usually take that a hint to do the opposite. when people are jumping onto a fad... I am usually already jumping off...But that's me...  I also have to laugh at New York always being ranked and assumed to be number one in anything and everything...  I have some friends there who live NOT in Manhattan, but in regular old New York...just the everyday resident.. They hate, get sick of seeing it rated so highly because they truly believe it is the world's most overrated city. I just had to laugh at that...

 

"almost a hottie"

 

In my day, well, school... we often called a hottie a "treats-a-saur-us" as  in "Tyrannosaurus"

 

But in my book, I see the worst city for singles as Warren, Ohio. I swear for a guy in his mid 20's to early 40's, it is the recruiting grounds for the Jerry Springer Show! With the communication opportunities today...why not see the entire world as chance to connect with someone....

 

While I dont put a whole lot of merit into these so called experts "lists" and rankings of cities, a lot of other people do. I think its safe to say that we are in the minority who dont buy into this crap. A lot of people i know and hear talking at work, at friends houses, or other places live and die by these lists (that might be a little over exagerated but people do look at these as being true). Id rather be higher up and getting good publicity from a crap source than being lower in the list and give more people reason to complain about the city and get down on themselves, My name is eeyore, and nobody wants to play with me. The fact that this is splashed on the homepage of the pee dee shows that people do read it and are probably influenced one way or another on it.

While I dont put a whole lot of merit into these so called experts "lists" and rankings of cities, a lot of other people do. I think its safe to say that we are in the minority who dont buy into this crap. A lot of people i know and hear talking at work, at friends houses, or other places live and die by these lists (that might be a little over exagerated but people do look at these as being true). Id rather be higher up and getting good publicity from a crap source than being lower in the list and give more people reason to complain about the city and get down on themselves, My name is eeyore, and nobody wants to play with me. The fact that this is splashed on the homepage of the pee dee shows that people do read it and are probably influenced one way or another on it.

 

Good point..fair enough!

While I dont put a whole lot of merit into these so called experts "lists" and rankings of cities, a lot of other people do. I think its safe to say that we are in the minority who dont buy into this crap. A lot of people i know and hear talking at work, at friends houses, or other places live and die by these lists (that might be a little over exagerated but people do look at these as being true). Id rather be higher up and getting good publicity from a crap source than being lower in the list and give more people reason to complain about the city and get down on themselves, My name is eeyore, and nobody wants to play with me. The fact that this is splashed on the homepage of the pee dee shows that people do read it and are probably influenced one way or another on it.

 

As if the Plain Dealer is reputable these days?

 

If they wanted to tout the article, they could have done an add on and discussed the things (neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, clubs, social networks, etc.) that do make our city "appealing" to singles.

 

However, the PC is only going to regurgitate information on Downtown, Ohio City, the Flats and Tremont.  So unfortunately, they wont be able to go into deeper analysis of the article and if Cleveland singles feel the same way.

 

Are people hearing chatter about this article?

wow, from 38th to 14th in a year, eh? rilly?

 

so...did a bazillion mega clubs and restaurants just open up?

 

wait, is heineken on sale in cleveland?  :laugh:

 

bah, more forbes fiction!  :whip:

 

at least it's positive this time!

I think it is great to see Cleveland ranked relatively high on the list. Whether or not Forbes is reputable or factual doesn't really mean people aren't reading it. Whenever Forbes comes out with a list, it is usually picked up by at least one news source from a city that made that particular list. So now the folks from NYC, Boston, DC, Philly, Seattle, Chicago, etc... will be getting positive information about Cleveland.

While I dont put a whole lot of merit into these so called experts "lists" and rankings of cities, a lot of other people do. I think its safe to say that we are in the minority who dont buy into this crap. A lot of people i know and hear talking at work, at friends houses, or other places live and die by these lists (that might be a little over exagerated but people do look at these as being true). Id rather be higher up and getting good publicity from a crap source than being lower in the list and give more people reason to complain about the city and get down on themselves, My name is eeyore, and nobody wants to play with me. The fact that this is splashed on the homepage of the pee dee shows that people do read it and are probably influenced one way or another on it.

 

As if the Plain Dealer is reputable these days?

 

If they wanted to tout the article, they could have done an add on and discussed the things (neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, clubs, social networks, etc.) that do make our city "appealing" to singles.

 

However, the PC is only going to regurgitate information on Downtown, Ohio City, the Flats and Tremont.  So unfortunately, they wont be able to go into deeper analysis of the article and if Cleveland singles feel the same way.

 

Are people hearing chatter about this article?

 

I think their scope of 'singles' and what is appealing to them leaves out a big but silent and neglected crowd who does NOT prefer the bar, etc.. scene. If that is all a publication can tout as what is appealing to singles... Then it is very narrow and demonstrates an extreme lack of creativity in discovering the many other ways singles can spend their time and discover activities in which to engage. Personally, I have grown out of the bar scene....  Many eventually do and look to broaden their horizons and grow other interests...and if that is all a community can offer to singles, it really gets boring eventually. New York, Chicago, etc.. I am not impressed. The nightlife/singles scene does not have to be monopolized or type-cast by club scenes only.....to determine if it is "theee place for singles"... I can think of a myriad of many things to do that are socially engaging that do not involve alcohol/clubs. I am not saying it is a bad thing... It is just a limited scope to determine that this sort of thing is appealing to everyone who is single...or what makes a great place, for that matter.

While I dont put a whole lot of merit into these so called experts "lists" and rankings of cities, a lot of other people do. I think its safe to say that we are in the minority who dont buy into this crap. A lot of people i know and hear talking at work, at friends houses, or other places live and die by these lists (that might be a little over exagerated but people do look at these as being true). Id rather be higher up and getting good publicity from a crap source than being lower in the list and give more people reason to complain about the city and get down on themselves, My name is eeyore, and nobody wants to play with me. The fact that this is splashed on the homepage of the pee dee shows that people do read it and are probably influenced one way or another on it.

 

As if the Plain Dealer is reputable these days?

 

If they wanted to tout the article, they could have done an add on and discussed the things (neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, clubs, social networks, etc.) that do make our city "appealing" to singles.

 

However, the PC is only going to regurgitate information on Downtown, Ohio City, the Flats and Tremont.  So unfortunately, they wont be able to go into deeper analysis of the article and if Cleveland singles feel the same way.

 

Are people hearing chatter about this article?

 

We both know that the pee dee isnt going to add anything useful to an article like this, copy - paste - dont moderate the comments, that is what we get from our BIG newspaper. Now if it were a negative article then im sure they would have thrown something in there to add on to the pile of rubbish. 

It's one of many lists Forbes will come out with this year - and Cleveland actually ranked high on it people. These lists come and go. Accept that it is good news for Clevelanders. It is good publicity for our city. Why is this being so over analyzed??? Amazing how some people still find a way to turn good news into bad news.

While I dont put a whole lot of merit into these so called experts "lists" and rankings of cities, a lot of other people do. I think its safe to say that we are in the minority who dont buy into this crap. A lot of people i know and hear talking at work, at friends houses, or other places live and die by these lists (that might be a little over exagerated but people do look at these as being true). Id rather be higher up and getting good publicity from a crap source than being lower in the list and give more people reason to complain about the city and get down on themselves, My name is eeyore, and nobody wants to play with me. The fact that this is splashed on the homepage of the pee dee shows that people do read it and are probably influenced one way or another on it.

 

As if the Plain Dealer is reputable these days?

 

If they wanted to tout the article, they could have done an add on and discussed the things (neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, clubs, social networks, etc.) that do make our city "appealing" to singles.

 

However, the PC is only going to regurgitate information on Downtown, Ohio City, the Flats and Tremont.  So unfortunately, they wont be able to go into deeper analysis of the article and if Cleveland singles feel the same way.

 

Are people hearing chatter about this article?

 

I think their scope of 'singles' and what is appealing to them leaves out a big but silent and neglected crowd who does NOT prefer the bar, etc.. scene. If that is all a publication can tout as what is appealing to singles... Then it is very narrow and demonstrates an extreme lack of creativity in discovering the many other ways singles can spend their time and activities in which to engage. Personally, I have grown out of the bar scene....  Many eventually do and look to broaden their horizons and grow other interests...and if that is all a community can offer to singles, it really gets boring eventually.

 

I'm not defending the accurancy of this article at all, but if you look at the rankings, Nightlife was only 1 out of 7 categories.  They didn't just look at the bar scene.  That being said, good luck getting young professionals to move to an area that doesnt have a thriving nightlife. 

It's one of many lists Forbes will come out with this year - and Cleveland actually ranked high on it people. These lists come and go. Accept that it is good news for Clevelanders. It is good publicity for our city. Why is this being so over analyzed??? Amazing how some people still find a way to turn good news into bad news.

 

I'm a realist and know intimately how Forbes works.  Do you?  The people who compile the rankings rarely if ever visit the city they or subject the poll is about.

 

If anyone wants positive news about the city it's me.  What is the point of publishing this "information" if its not accurate or true??

Debbie Downer,

 

No I do not know intimately how Forbes works. Simply said, Cleveland made a list on Forbes, and it is generating good publicity because if it. What is left to analyze? Take it at face value.

 

Signed,

 

Happy Clevelander

It's one of many lists Forbes will come out with this year - and Cleveland actually ranked high on it people. These lists come and go. Accept that it is good news for Clevelanders. It is good publicity for our city. Why is this being so over analyzed??? Amazing how some people still find a way to turn good news into bad news.

 

I'm a realist and know intimately how Forbes works.  Do you?  The people who compile the rankings rarely if ever visit the city they or subject the poll is about.

 

If anyone wants positive news about the city it's me.  What is the point of publishing this "information" if its not accurate or true??

 

Refer to reply #675. I tend to agree with your view on this.

Debbie Downer,

 

No I do not know intimately how Forbes works. Simply said, Cleveland made a list on Forbes, and it is generating good publicity because if it. What is left to analyze? Take it at face value.

 

Signed,

 

Happy Clevelander

 

Just remember this when they rank us low on a poll, and people are complaining and bitching about the methodologies used and the inaccurate reporting.

All of the information below seems accurate and true to me. Maybe I am missing something. What exactly in the article below isn't true? I am genuinely curious.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

The standings are based on seven categories: cost of living, job growth, perceived coolness, culture, nightlife, online dating participation, and the percentage of singles in the population.

 

We soared in nightlife, said Lauren Sherman, the Forbes.com reporter who compiled the rankings.

 

"Cleveland has over 4,000 bars, clubs and restaurants [4,385 to be exact]. In Austin, that metro area has only 2,000," she said. "So even though Austin is thought of as this hip, cool town, there are many more bars and clubs in Cleveland."

 

Also helping us is our low cost of living.

 

"The average rent on a one-bedroom apartment is $540 a month," said Sherman. "That's cheapest in the country."

 

In addition, the rankings now use data from metro areas, not just cities.

 

"Tons of single people live in the suburbs," said Sherman.

Ask Lauren if she came to cleveland to research or compile this information and what other cities they physically went to, Excluding NYC, LA, Boston and DC.

 

What "online" site(s) and data was mined?

What date is the data from?

Who exactly was polled?

Ages of those polled?

"metro area" what defines it or is that based on the census?

 

I could go on and on.......

 

 

I am sure Lauren didn't come to Cleveland, but then why should she based on the criteria for making the list - do you need to go to a city to know that there are 4,385 bars in it? That the average rent is $540 a month for a one bedroom? That tons of singles live in the suburbs?

 

Yes, we might be on the bottom of a list from Forbes soon and receiving bad publicity... but so it goes. I like the fact that Cleveland is up one minute, and down the next. It shows diversity :) If anything maybe it will generate people to see for themselves how a city can be riding high one week and then down and out the next. You can't win them all.

 

But as far as being accurate and true, Lauren seems to have her bases covered. It was a very short article meant to boost the esteem of Clevelanders. I really don't see any need to take it for anything more than that. To even find a fact to argue in the article just seems nitpicky.

Wow - you really have taken the analyzation of this article to a whole new level. I bow out at this point. You win.

 

I will say this though - I am a twenty-something, single guy living in Cleveland - and I love it :) I thought that's what this thread was supposed to be about anyways... loving Cleveland.

Wow - you really have taken the analyzation of this article to a whole new level. I bow out at this point. You win.

 

I will say this though - I am a twenty-something, single guy living in Cleveland - and I love it :) I thought that's what this thread was supposed to be about anyways... loving Cleveland.

 

Because I know how Forbes operates.  Again, I love Cleveland also  -  or I wouldn't live here.

The Onion is long overdue for an article that points out the ridiculousness of all these city ranking pieces.

The Forbes lists are a complete joke and are only published to try to garner attention for their magazine, there is nothing scientific or well-researched about any of them.  The myriad lists they've published that make Cleveland sound like the middle of a war zone are no more credible than those that have a positive spin.  If you give the positive list credence, you validate the dozens of negative lists too.  Best to just ignore them, they are not in the business of accurate reporting, they're in the business of garnering online news space and selling magazines.

Yes, we might be on the bottom of a list from Forbes soon and receiving bad publicity... but so it goes. I like the fact that Cleveland is up one minute, and down the next. It shows diversity :)

 

I guess that's a good way to look at it :)

 

I'm not a fan of Forbes, but we have to admit that people put value into these listings- for whatever reason.  Same with the "poverty" rankings... but that's another issue.

The Forbes lists are a complete joke and are only published to try to garner attention for their magazine, there is nothing scientific or well-researched about any of them.  The myriad lists they've published that make Cleveland sound like the middle of a war zone are no more credible than those that have a positive spin.  If you give the positive list credence, you validate the dozens of negative lists too.  Best to just ignore them, they are not in the business of accurate reporting, they're in the business of garnering online news space and selling magazines.

 

Truer words have never been spoken.  Also, keep in mind this: were Forbes to remain completely negative about Cleveland, they would likely lose readership around here.  However, by having Cleveland (and other cities) at the bottom of a few lists and at the top of other lists adds just enough intrigue to provide them a modicum of relevancy.

How does Cincinnati end up ranking worse than NYC for cost of living? A person could buy an entire city block in Cincy for the price of a crappy co-op studio in NYC.

that is exactly why this list is BS.  Now Lauren has published a list of "empty cities".  Look how many empty cities are also on the list of most popular cities!  :wtf:

 

this is the third thread on this.  why?????

AAAAGGGHHH! 

How does Cincinnati end up ranking worse than NYC for cost of living? A person could buy an entire city block in Cincy for the price of a crappy co-op studio in NYC.

 

Alright, that is entirely suspect. Cincinnati is two or three times more affordable than New York. I guess the methodology is weak. Perhaps the theory of ranking Cleveland high just to keep readers around NE Ohio might hold water? But it wasn't just Cleveland. The Great Lakes region in general did outstanding and by far the best it has ever done. I mean Milwaukee number 9?!

 

It does seem like Forbes is showing some pro-Great Lakes bias here, which is a welcome change from the past. Though I could do without the relentless Chicago ego stroking...

 

c-dawg you can actually suss out that last comment with a bit of online sleuthing!

 

for example, our young lauren is almost as fresh as a newborn baby, she twitters and she doesn't appear to have been in nyc for very long:

 

http://twitter.com/lapresmidi

 

hmm, maybe she's a midwesterner who now lives in brooklyn and maybe she actually has love for where ever she grew up (vs the ones who move in to nyc and then hate on their home states)? whatever, i didnt look her up any more than that, but the point is often you can detect some bias trends with a little research if the author has a decent online history.

 

I'm not giving the link or quoting, but I just want to point out that the editorial in the Plain Dealer took their coverage of this to a new low. I don't usually pay attention to these articles, and agree they're BS, but there's no reason our local paper should complain about it if they aren't willing to complain about the negative articles.

How does Cincinnati end up ranking worse than NYC for cost of living? A person could buy an entire city block in Cincy for the price of a crappy co-op studio in NYC.

 

Alright, that is entirely suspect. Cincinnati is two or three times more affordable than New York. I guess the methodology is weak. Perhaps the theory of ranking Cleveland high just to keep readers around NE Ohio might hold water? But it wasn't just Cleveland. The Great Lakes region in general did outstanding and by far the best it has ever done. I mean Milwaukee number 9?!

 

It does seem like Forbes is showing some pro-Great Lakes bias here, which is a welcome change from the past. Though I could do without the relentless Chicago ego stroking...

 

c-dawg you can actually suss out that last comment with a bit of online sleuthing!

 

for example, our young lauren is almost as fresh as a newborn baby, she twitters and she doesn't appear to have been in nyc for very long:

 

http://twitter.com/lapresmidi

 

hmm, maybe she's a midwesterner who now lives in brooklyn and maybe she actually has love for where ever she grew up (vs the ones who move in to nyc and then hate on their home states)? whatever, i didnt look her up any more than that, but the point is often you can detect some bias trends with a little research if the author has a decent online history.

 

 

Hence my questions about her, her research and reporting further up thread.

 

I'm not giving the link or quoting, but I just want to point out that the editorial in the Plain Dealer took their coverage of this to a new low. I don't usually pay attention to these articles, and agree they're BS, but there's no reason our local paper should complain about it if they aren't willing to complain about the negative articles.

 

Agreed.  But then again, our Plain Dealer is our own worst enemy.

 

 

Re: Reply # 40

 

This is what happens when the media becomes homogenized/monopolized.... This city desperately needs a new larger totally independent media source publication imo.