Birmingham Named to Travel Channels list of Great Destinations, but also called a Mid Sized City in the Article (Talladega: 2015, living)

[spidac]

Birmingham rated onTravel Channel's list of '11 next great destinations' but called a Mid-Sized city in the article.


http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/201...art_river_home

[Tourian]

K.

What's your point?

[Southlander]

If NYC, Chicago and Lost Angeles are Big Cities, then calling Birmingham at Mid Sized City is being generous. I don't disagree at all.
So, as Tourian said....what's your point?

[spidac]

No point to be made. In the past city data posters have compared Birmingham in size to Memphis, Nashville etc, and claimed it to be a Big City. Do you think Memphis and Nashville would be called Mid Sized cities by the Media?

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by spidac

No point to be made. In the past city data posters have compared Birmingham in size to Memphis, Nashville etc, and claimed it to be a Big City. Do you think Memphis and Nashville would be called Mid Sized cities by the Media?

Sounds like a point to me, just one of those passive aggressive ones that gets slid in on the sly.

Birmingham is comparable in size to those cities, metro to metro. So yeah, compared to major cities like Chicago or Houston on the big side, and cities like Savannah or Boulder on the small side, it could accurately and fairly be described as mid sized.

It isn't more important than the recognition given by the Travel Channel or even worth worrying about.

Of course, you could also do something silly like type "Nashville mid-sized city" into google and see how many times the media refers to it as such. But that probably would never work...

[golden eagles fan]

It could depend on how the Travel Channel defines a mid-sized city. Over 1.1 million people live in metro Birmingham, with just over 200k in the city. Metro Birmingham's population is rather comparable to Memphis (1.3 million) and New Orleans (1.25 million). However, most people would consider Memphis and New Orleans to be large cities. Though we may have an idea on what constitutes a small, medium or large city, it's pretty much subjective.

[preguntas]

The Federal Census defines cities in Birmingham's population range as being mid-sized. It defines cities with Metro Birmingham's pop. as being large-sized. As with any use of statistics, if one has an agenda, they create almost any image they want. I suggest the op did have a slant to the post, weak though it was.
If the reader of the article notices, the references were of the city proper not the metro. Well read people will not confuse this, Birmingham is one of the South's large cities and one of the nation's 50 largest cities. Those are facts. Another is; right now the city has a CMSA of 1,350,000 with a pending Federal increase in that to almost 1,700,000. The last increase was in 2012, taking in Talladega and Coosa Counties due mostly to the Honda effect on job commutes. These numbers show Birmingham passing both of the cities mentioned as they have no CMSAs. Their MSAs have extended as far as the dependent population exist. (somewhat as a result of their locations next to water and uninhabitable marsh land) Does this matter, not really but I hope that people don't start referring to them as mid-sized in an attempt to diminish their importance as major southern cities.


However this is C-D Forum, and twisting information or presenting opinion as fact is what is done here. The article , after all was not about the size of the city and the author's opinion, or lack there of, painted a slightly skewed picture for 'some' readers to redirect the focus. The real meaning of the article is that this city is becoming more than many are happy about for some reason. (agenda?)

[BamaDave]

I think it's a subjective thing. If Atlanta and Dallas are "big cities," then Birmingham is "mid-sized." If Atlanta and Dallas are mega cities or very large, then Birmingham is large.

[bosshawk]

I am the biggest Birmingham supporter/promoter/defender you will find and even I would say it is a mid-size city by American standards.

I would say below top 20, but in top 75 or so and you are in a mid-sized city. But some cities live larger or smaller than others. Nashville lives bigger than the population wold suggest because of the tourism and music. It falls into a bit of a gray area in my opinion. New Orleans - same thing. Birmingham on the other hand lives smaller than its size would suggest. It still falls into mid-size category though.

[preguntas]

Originally Posted by bosshawk

I am the biggest Birmingham supporter/promoter/defender you will find and even I would say it is a mid-size city by American standards.

I would say below top 20, but in top 75 or so and you are in a mid-sized city. But some cities live larger or smaller than others. Nashville lives bigger than the population wold suggest because of the tourism and music. It falls into a bit of a gray area in my opinion. New Orleans - same thing. Birmingham on the other hand lives smaller than its size would suggest. It still falls into mid-size category though.

Not to offend, but actually the Federal Government has the tools and taken on the job of these statistical proclamations. No 'living large or small'; just the facts mam. You are wrong but it is irrelevant as things are going to be what they are despite forum banter.