After NY, LA, and Chicago, what is America's FOURTH city? (comparison, Atlanta)

[OyCrumbler]

The Bay Area punches so much above its demographic weight, it's ridiculous.

It's far from just tech (which it overwhelmingly dominates, but is also such a broad category that encapsulates so much more than what is immediately evident), finances (Visa, Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, a branch of the federal reserve, VCs, etc.), politics/government (leading much of the progressive charge, host to the supreme court of California), media production (Pixar, Lucas Films, a bevy of the instruments with which we produce media, great art/design schools, pretty good music and hip hop scene), trade (some of the largest ports in the nation and an anchor point in our freight rail network), energy (headquarters of Chevron and host to several sustainable energy companies), tourism (SF itself, but also the Napa Valley and as a staging area for wilder areas of northern California), education (Stanford, Berkeley, UCSF, Hasting, and a lot of other smaller/professional schools), research in all fields (largest collection of US national laboratories by far, the universities, many corporate research parks), agricultural/culinary stuff (Napa Valley, one of the main outlets for the riches of California's Central Valley, frontrunner in the culinary world in general), and even the automobile industry is catching on (Tesla is growing, there are plants in the Bay Area).

The Bay Area punches well above its weight. I wish that more metros in the US were innovating and creating new things and new ways of doing things at the same rate--then the US would be in an incredibly strong position now. One city I especially wish this upon is New Orleans--a dense, urban city with a colorful history outside of the traditional northeast corridor. Maybe anchored by Tulane and UNO?

[MostInterestingPoster3]

Originally Posted by CaliSon

Definitely the Bay Area, unlike the other cities mentioned it doesn't get overshadowed

Doesn't the Bay Area to some extent, get overshadowed by LA since its less than 400 miles away?

A few years ago, I would've said DC outright especially how the Federal Government was undergoing the largest expansion it ever had and it didn't seem to stop, with massive amounts of growth population wise to the DC area. However, in terms of practical real world considerations, the gap between the Bay Area and DC is shortening in a small pace of time, though the Bay Area isn't growing anywhere NEAR as fast as the DC area.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

The Bay Area punches so much above its demographic weight, it's ridiculous.

It's far from just tech (which it overwhelmingly dominates, but is also such a broad category that encapsulates so much more than what is immediately evident), finances (Visa, Charles Schwab, Wells Fargo, a branch of the federal reserve, VCs, etc.), politics/government (leading much of the progressive charge, host to the supreme court of California), media production (Pixar, Lucas Films, a bevy of the instruments with which we produce media, great art/design schools, pretty good music and hip hop scene), trade (some of the largest ports in the nation and an anchor point in our freight rail network), energy (headquarters of Chevron and host to several sustainable energy companies), tourism (SF itself, but also the Napa Valley and as a staging area for wilder areas of northern California), education (Stanford, Berkeley, UCSF, Hasting, and a lot of other smaller/professional schools), research in all fields (largest collection of US national laboratories by far, the universities, many corporate research parks), agricultural/culinary stuff (Napa Valley, one of the main outlets for the riches of California's Central Valley, frontrunner in the culinary world in general), and even the automobile industry is catching on (Tesla is growing, there are plants in the Bay Area).

The Bay Area punches well above its weight. I wish that more metros in the US were innovating and creating new things and new ways of doing things at the same rate--then the US would be in an incredibly strong position now. One city I especially wish this upon is New Orleans--a dense, urban city with a colorful history outside of the traditional northeast corridor. Maybe anchored by Tulane and UNO?

Oh it's happening. New Orleans BioInnovation Center on Canal was just built and its already 100% occupied.

[HockeyGuy85]

I would say SF or Philly as 4th.

These two cities though, id group with Boston/DC/Seattle as well, so its tough.

Any one of these really.

[downtown1]

Using GDP as the only indicator for economic power? You failed miserably, dude.

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I think it depends on what the topic is really.



Economic Power: Bay Area & Houston I think are after NY, LA and Chicago(and to be honest the Bay Area is probably more powerful economically than Chicagoland right now)



But Im not ignorant of the fact that many cities out there are incredibly influential, powerful and important as well.

[Metro Matt]

Houston duh

[King_X]

4. Philly
5. DC
6. SF

[JoninATX]

Houston is the 4th largest city in America. Why is everyone going by metro area?

[cali3448893]

Philly because no offense to san fran , miami or houston but none of those really felt big to me the fourth city of america is philly

[JoninATX]

Well I guess it could be either Philly, Houston, San Francisco depending on what the OP talking about.