Noob question

[misterbean]

Here's my problem: according to the bar at the bottom, I don't need any new citizens right now, but all my businesses are closing down due to lack of workers. I have an elementary school and a high school. Have not unlocked university yet, so I should be good on educated workers.
Do I expand, even though my most recent zoning isn't filled out yet? I feel like I am missing something very basic to city builders, but I don't know what that is.
thanks.

 

[DCT1080]

Better services attract more residents, try adding more parks and make sure fire, medical and police cover your residential zones. Also, make sure there isn't a problem with your road network that is preventing people getting to work like a one way facing the wrong direction or a traffic jam somewhere. If, as it sounds like your commercial is abandoning due to a lack of educated workers however, make sure your residents are covered by the schools you have placed and that the capacity is high enough to potentially educate all the pupils. If you have enough education coverage and there are no traffic or road issues, all you can really do is wait.

 

[misterbean]

That was fast. I will look into those issues. Thanks.

 

[JerkyJerry]

What is your population make up?
25% children
25% Seniors
25% Teenagers (or young adults) I forget what the game calls them

This is your issue
Kids in diapers don't work
Old people (many back in diapers) don't work
Young adults? I don't know how the game classifies them related to workers. Do they all work? Do half work? Got me
Adults work

You may need more adults

Your next question will be:
How do I get/attract/acquire more adults?
Wait for the young ones to age? No
Wait for teenagers to mature? No, that may never happen. Have you read some of the posts here?
Add a football stadium? No sir
Add more coppers or some other service? Not likely

Where do adults live?
Houses? Yeah but only one or two per house. You are going to need thousands upon thousands of houses to fill your current and future worker needs. Not logical.
In a van down by the river? Well yes but not enough to solve your issue
High Rise apartment buildings? BINGO!

 

[DCT1080]

But JerkyJerry, he will have to generate demand from somewhere, only zoning high density won't make people move in when there is no demand, right?

 

[JerkyJerry]

But JerkyJerry, he will have to generate demand from somewhere, only zoning high density won't make people move in when there is no demand, right?

You are correct. So how would he do that?
If I were him I would remove all (some, a lot, many) of those low density residential homes, buildings, areas, neighborhoods and walla!

There is an overlay one can use to view what age group of residents are in what buildings. He is looking for adults. Working adults like to live in high rise buildings because well it is a city and being young in a high rise is just plain cool. Old people like homes to live in. They will live there first if given the option. Families will also choose to live in the hood or single family homes because you know; kids! Ick!
Workers are what he needs. Between the ages of ? & ?
People who don't use diapers of any kind!

 

[misterbean]

Don't you have to unlock those high rises first?

 

[JerkyJerry]

Yes

 

[misterbean]

Well, I haven't, so I can't

 

[JerkyJerry]

I don't remember what the population number is to unlock them but I don't think it is that high. Just a few thousand cims if I remember correctly.You currently are using the light green residential zoning. What you need to unlock is the dark green zoning.

 

[JetCity Gambler]

Just keep laying down those suburbs, you're fine. The RCI meter seems to be kind of a lagging indicator, if you get a message that you need more workers then build more residential. Once you reach the threshold you can start re-zoning some of the suburbs to high density.

Hey, and they love those bus routes in the 'burbs, so don't be shy. Peeps need to get to work.

 

[Gilga]

What is the balance between residential zones and commercial zones? Also, to make residential zones growing better is to make industrial zones, expecially at beginning.

If you start zoning too much commercial you'll get problems.

To start a successul city, you need to do things at the right pace. If you start plopping everything you can, you'll fail.

So, basically: start zoning some residential area, and very few industrial and commercial, then start increasing industries and commerce on demand. Then increase residential.

Also, when you unlock high density buildings, don't start removing everything and using only high density. First, start with few, then you can de-zone and re-zone low density space (i suggest to pause the game while re-zoning).

And so on... At this point your town should grow regularly as long as you follow the rule to keep commercial and industrial zones smaller than residential.

Really you don't need to follow all the numbers in the city info, about adults, teens and so on. At the early stage, just keep a reasonable ratio between zones and that's it.

 

[Spinifex]

Adding services is usually the answer, so check your Fire, Police, Health, Garbage, and Leisure cover. Education usually attracts more citizens, and is good for commercial, but can cause industry to take a workforce hit until your citizens realise they have nowhere else to work.

 

[misterbean]

I will try to build more residential and bus lines. I think I just have too much commercial.

 

[misterbean]

New question. Demand for residents is almost nonexistent, while demand for commercial is around halfway. Yet I have several commercial enterprises, both high- end low-density, close shop because they have no customers. I have been busy solving a huge trafic jam elsewhere in the city. I have a university and several high schools. Is the traffic jam preventing people from shopping there?

 

[Gilga]

Traffic jams can be a source of a lot of problems, so try to have alternate roads for people. Pedestrian pathways are also a good way to have people moving better thru the city.
If you have lot of commercial not selling goods, look where they are, build bus lines, pedestrian paths and zone more residential.
About zoning demands, I found that residential is, in general, never totally filled with people, so having low demand for residential zone doesn't prevent the city population to grow as there are still room for people to get houses in already existing buildings.
So, if you see more commercial/industrial demand, just don't stop zoning residential and keep the ratio between zones so that residential is always higher than others.

 

[misterbean]

It's amazing how little details can trip you up in this game. oh, well, at least I managed to get to 20K this time without any serious mishaps