In search of cheap rent and an urban experience with some bona fide street cred, young people are making the move out to the Rust Belt, Will Doig reports.
Facing economic challenges of historic proportions, some youngsters are leading the move back to the old manufacturing powerhouses of the Midwest. Young people (anywhere between 18- and 34-years-old) have been bucking the trend of decline in Rust Belt cities from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, from St. Louis to Detroit.
Part of the shift, of course, has to do with affordability – in 2009, the median price of a home in Detroit was $7,500 – but for many, it has just as much to do with the edgy image of urban decay.
"I think there's a backlash in the American psyche that's longing for
that," says Cleveland native Richey Piiparinen. "Look at Miami. We've
learned that all that glitters isn't gold."
But Doig warns that "Rust Belt Chic," as Piiparinen calls it, must be taken with a dose of realism: it's "at least partly a romantic fantasy, and that makes
it a risky way to try to revitalize. Last year, Guernica magazine ran a
withering critique of what it called 'Detroitism,'
the fetish for crumbling urban landscapes mixed with eccentric utopian
delusions, 'where bohemians from expensive coastal cities can have the
$100 house and community garden of their dreams.' What these dreams
seldom include, however, are the almost unimaginable systemic problems
many of these cities suffer from: failed schools, violent crime, the
threat of municipal bankruptcy."
FULL STORY: Rust Belt chic: Declining Midwest cities make a comeback

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems
SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope
Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects
The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service