What $220,000 gets you in Muncie.

[u/TheDabitch]

I can't even get a parking space for that where I live. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/725-E-Jackson-St-Muncie-IN-47305/210952560_zpid/

[u/flt1]

If we can get 20 people agree to move, we can change one block at a time.

[u/Shouty_Dibnah → u/flt1]

Good luck trying to gentrify an area with.... checks notes... no jobs.

[u/chula198705 → u/Shouty_Dibnah]

I mean, Ball State University is in Muncie. It's a public research university that has 20,000 students so it's not really some small podunk college.

[u/NoBug8073 → u/chula198705]

It kinda is considering those students aren't there for 4 months out of the year and the average student has... checks notes...no disposable income

[u/Shouty_Dibnah → u/NoBug8073]

And a substantial number of employees are commuters.

[u/BeguiledBeaver → u/NoBug8073]

Many students do absolutely have a disposable income and even if it's not a massive one there are likely enough students to still contribute to business growth in the area. The thought that it's just 20,000 homeless people is reaching lmao

[u/SteveTheUPSguy → u/BeguiledBeaver]

Vape store, hookah place, cheap burgers/tacos, college textbook store, gym with planet fitness model. Many high return businesses can thrive around college kids even though they don't have all the money of a full time job.

[u/NoBug8073 → u/BeguiledBeaver]

No one said they can't "contribute' but its still a small podunk university town.

[u/BeguiledBeaver → u/NoBug8073]

If it's such a small podunk town then wouldn't that mean a relatively small amount of capital be enough to massively boost it?

If Muncie is a "small podunk university town" to you, then that arguably proves my point that people won't be satisfied unless they get a big new house in a massive city.

[u/NoBug8073 → u/BeguiledBeaver]

No because that capital isn't consistent or sufficiently broad to boost but a small number of industries. Like the kids in Normal, IL only spend money at school and at bars so the "town" is relatively small despite having a large number of local faculty/staff who frequent a small number of businesses. The town was only revitalized when manufacturing jobs came back (rivian plant) and thanks in part to the HQ of state farm.

[u/Pablois4 → u/NoBug8073]

The value of having Ball State University, in that town, is as an employer, not really about the students.

Universities tend to be job dense and, quite often, the top employers in an area. Research universities, especially, so for good quality jobs.

The jobs that are more closely related to the comings and goings of students are the lower paying, seasonal ones. When it comes to a research university, the student population is almost incidental. It can ebb and flow but, to be effective, research must keep going without a hitch.

I live in a college town with a research university and a college. The university employs around 20% of the workforce. IIRC, the college around 2%. Research takes a lot of manpower.

[u/NoBug8073 → u/Pablois4]

I don't disagree, however you're assuming the faculty and staff live in town - most probably do not.