If you’re a single woman in the Valley, it might be your fault.
A new study shows that there are 65,330 more single men than women, age 20 to 64, in Phoenix. In fact, the entire West is awash with single men, according to figures in a new book, Who’s Your City? by Richard Florida.
When people talk about economic competitiveness, the focus tends to be on nation states. In the 1980s, many were obsessed with the rise of Japan. Today, our gaze has shifted to the phenomenal growth of Brazil, Russia, India and China. But this focus on nations is off the mark.
Richard Florida with his naming of the “Creative Class” has become a popular economist. His talent at forseeing what class has risen and will continue to rise is discussed in The Rise of the Creative Class. At the heart of economics is a city’s center.
“Success and contentment may depend as much on choice of location as on choice of spouse or job”.
WHICH OF THESE two decisions do you think has a bigger impact on someone’s life: finding the right job, or finding the right significant other? No one’s going to argue with the notion that where you live affects your employment prospects. But the place you call home has a lot to do with your chances of finding the right partner as well. Having an enticing “mating market” matters as much or more than a vibrant labor market.
If Dayton wanted to impress somebody, it could do worse than Richard Florida.
Recently, he gave an interview in which he said:
“I was just in Cincinnati and in Dayton, another city I love. They’re historical centers of innovation … from steel innovation to aluminum innovation, to electronics, to the Wright brothers, to the car. This is one of the greatest innovative and entrepreneurial centers in the world.
“They have probably one of the greatest clusters of universities in the history of the planet. They’re producing phenomenal talent, but, unfortunately, that talent leaves. …
“The party that can bring together the working class and the creative class is likely to build a lasting majority”
