Disagree. I've lived in Paris, Weisbaden, Boston, Cincinnati and Tampa. Pittsburgh is terrific.
Companies like the ones in the article (which you didn't read, how telling) are very attuned to quality of life. Competition for talent is keen. Low crime, excellent food scene, cultural assets disproportionate to a tertiary city, good schools, are big pluses.
Oh and a pretty good hockey team.
And what exactly is the draw to Pittsburgh vs. NYC, Boston, Philly, DC, etc.
Again I'm not saying Pitt is unlivable, I'm saying it's fine, and I imagine that for someone who grew up there it's likely more than "fine". But as a person who also has lived in that area I'm telling you it's not comparable in terms of what it brings to the table as other major metropolitan areas. No one is going out of there way to live in Pitt because it has "an excellent food scene", literally every city I've ever been to has an excellent food scene, it's a natural part of a city. If you want to rank it as one of the best tertiary cities, cool, but understand it's a tertiary city because again, the draw to live there is less than most other cities.
Pitt is a lot like Cincy. When I visited Cincy I asked people what there was to do, most of what was offered seemed like it would be great if you were from the surrounding area and had no other access to that sort of stuff outside of Cincy (zoo, sports teams, food, breweries, museums, etc.) that being said nearly everything that was proposed was in many ways something I had access to in DC but was a step down. When I've gone to cities like NYC, Philly, Boston, New Orleans, etc. the things they have to offer to a tourist are things that I know are unique, among the best in the world, and something that other cities can barely compete with.
And that's where I'm leaving this. Would I be torn to shreds if my company forced my to move to Pitt? Nah, not at all. Would I circle it on my list if they offered me a bunch of other options? Unlikely.
Also if it makes you feel better I wouldn't want to live in Tampa or Boston either. Boston obviously fits my bill of having a lot to offer, I just have never enjoyed my time there for various reasons. Tampa is a fine city too, it's very Pitt of the south. I have no issues with it... it's just Tampa, ya know?
I don't know much about Wiesbaden but I think I could make Germany work. Never been to Paris, would like to visit.
