The Greater Micropolitan Area
August 1, 2008 on 5:32 pm | In Local, Main, Media |
If you hang your hat in Connecticut’s Northwest Corner, you probably like living here. I lived in the Corner 22 out of the last 24 years, so I’d say it’s high on my list of desirable places.
But I’ll bet you didn’t know we live in the most desirable small cluster of towns in the U.S. Or so says this study — a bizjournals analysis of 140 “micropolitan” areas. From what I can tell, I agree wholeheartedly with the conclusion of this study and others like it: that many (if not most) Americans would rather live in small towns where they feel like they count for something rather than a large city or a faceless suburb.
The most remarkable aspect of the study (at least as published on msnbc.com) is that the area is simply called Torrington, Conn. Even more surprisingly, Torrington is one of 10 “dreamtowns” identified in the study. Its residents “enjoy high income levels and a strong educational system that would be the envy of most suburbs.” Say what? Which suburbs?
That description of Torrington (and I have defended that dear city before against bogus restaurant reviewers) is at odds with what even people who live there tell me. Take a good luck at the place. Most Torringtonians live modestly. A lot live at or below the poverty line. According to the 2000 Census, the median income for a household in the city was $41,841. The per capita income is about half that. 7.4% of the population was below the poverty line. People who live there tell me the schools have multiple challenges.
So I think it’s safe to say the people who put together the study and/or wrote the bizjournal article on msnbc.com never visited Torrington. Did they even bother to look at the census data? Rather, they must be referring to the surrounding towns, which are smaller and more like the ones described as “dreamtowns.” That would be … us.
So what do you think? Do we live in dreamland? Or do we face the same challenges as most any place else? This isn’t paradise but it’s pretty damned nice. I’ll take Lakeville or Norfolk any day over Harrisburg or White Plains.
P.S. I lived in the 5th most desirable micropolitan area (Lebanon, N.H.). That’s not bad either.
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I read this about an hour after returning home to beautiful Salisbury after a dreaded but necessary trip to several Big Box stores. As I drove down a side street, I noticed a woman throwing several tubs of (what I hope was)water off her second floor balcony onto the sidewalk below. Passing the house (what I’m guessing was a two-family) a mother and child sitting on the porch below watched the water landing inches away from where they were taking the early evening air. My thought was: “My gawd, I just drove into a Hogarth painting. This is what they did in 16th century London.”
I was glad to get home.
Comment by Doug Richardson — August 1, 2008 #
I’m familiar with several of the micropolitans on this list, especially the ones in Montana and New Hampshire. The others all seem to enjoy high rates of growth, much more so than Torrington (or, actually, Litchfield County) does. Why is this the case?
Comment by Steve Barlow — August 1, 2008 #
Doug,
My sentiments exactly. If there were lots of little kids around, it would be Dickensian as well.
Steve,
I suspect in the case of Montana and NH, those locales have looser zoning regs and lower taxes and hence better growth than Litchfield County. Just a guess.
Comment by Terry — August 2, 2008 #
Its not Torrington..
but…
Torruntun (as the local pronounce it!!)
Comment by Marshall Miles — August 2, 2008 #
Hmmm. I just came from an unavoidable shopping trip to Torrington. And now I’m thinkin’:
If it made the list, how come Poughkeepsie didn’t? Six ‘o one, half dozen of the other.
Comment by Jim Britt — August 2, 2008 #
Marshall beat me to it! I was going to post the way we say that town’s name.
A friend of mine, who will remain nameless as I wouldn’t want to embarrass him (He knows who he is.), once went with his wife to Westfarms Mall. He got tired of walking and vowed never to go again. He said, “If you can’t find it in Torruntun, you don’t need it.” That’s been my motto for years!
Comment by Carolyn McDonough — August 2, 2008 #
This is why people distrust the media;
Comment by Dan — August 3, 2008 #