Tenants would be your regular blue collar, in metro Detroit we have the big 3 so very good employment with future growth and very well paying jobs.

Columbus, OH has the best population and job growth. 

Use a self directed IRA to invest in real estate for the tax advantaged growth.

That was just a quick and dirty statistic run, without filtering by rental class type, etc.Some data pulled from the web shows job growth expected to grow at around 37% in the future.

You still get the benefit of a major university, and there is a lot of newer growth from population spillover from Blacksburg. 

If it's just because you know contacts, be sure that is enough.Contacts won't make purchase prices lower, unemployment better, job diversity higher or rent growth numbers to increase.

Potential for growth in the cities year over year with good chance of appreciating.

Is there strong rent growth in the area, or is it declining or just sideways? 

WA, central (sunny side) LOLPros- No state income tax, low property taxes (1% ish), cheap power, no floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes or humidity, low crime, good appreciation, good job growth and per capita income. 

We sell a lot of those all across the US paying attention to good growth areas.