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I don't know. I wouldn't say Seattle. If anything I'd say Minneapolis, since Denver definitely is more like the midwest than it is the coasts. Although Denver has a large percentage of residents from outside the state/region, while in Minnesota probably 95%+ are from Minnesota or a state that borders it.
91% of people in the Twin Cities are US born, meaning around 9% are foreign born, so you are wrong.
I wouldn't compare Denver to Houston at all. For one thing, the Houston MSA is more than twice as big as the Denver MSA. City populations/areas are even a wider margin. The weather couldn't be any more different either. Houston is a coastal port city. Denver is arguably the most land-locked large city in the nation. The only way I could compare the two, and even this is a stretch, is in their layout. Both cities have rapidly densifying/urbanizing cores surrounded by vast sunbelt-style suburban sprawl... but even then they're still quite different.
It's not a dis on either city. It's just that they really aren't much alike at all.
IMO the closest thing Denver has to a peer city would be perhaps San Antonio or Kansas City... though even those are pretty different.
EDIT: I just read the OP's statement about wanting to live in a city that's like Denver, but near the coast. Going on that criteria, OP, my suggestion would be San Diego for sure.
Last edited by Bobloblawslawblog; 09-27-2014 at 06:22 PM..
I wouldn't compare Denver to Houston at all. For one thing, the Houston MSA is more than twice as big as the Denver MSA. City populations/areas are even a wider margin. The weather couldn't be any more different either. Houston is a coastal port city. Denver is arguably the most land-locked large city in the nation. The only way I could compare the two, and even this is a stretch, is in their layout. Both cities have rapidly densifying/urbanizing cores surrounded by vast sunbelt-style suburban sprawl... but even then they're still quite different.
It's not a dis on either city. It's just that they really aren't much alike at all.
IMO the closest thing Denver has to a peer city would be perhaps San Antonio or Kansas City... though even those are pretty different.
EDIT: I just read the OP's statement about wanting to live in a city that's like Denver, but near the coast. Going on that criteria, OP, my suggestion would be San Diego for sure.
I've heard the Kansas City comparison before. In some ways I do think the cities are similar, and I think Denver represents what Kansas City could be in many ways.
Kansas City has two problems that Denver does not have: (1) a huge city/suburb divide. There is still a strong anti-city mentality in a lot of the suburban areas which has really impeded a lot of progress such as public transportation. Kansas City is only now getting a streetcar line and light rail still remains a pipe dream in many respects. (2) a state line going through the metro, which is a line separating two very different states. There is a somewhat antagonistic relationship between Kansas and Missouri and it is to the detriment of the metro area as a whole. I won't go into it in too much detail as it's off topic (check out the KC subforum for detailed discussions about the topic) but suffice it to say Denver greatly benefits from only having one state with jurisdiction over the metropolitan area.
The other difference is that KC just does not have the same outdoor opportunities that Denver has. That being said, for a Midwestern city KC has pretty easy access to mountains - not just the Front Range which is a moderate 8 hours away, but you also have the MO and AR Ozarks 3-5 hours away, and the Ouachita Mountains 6 hours away.
Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary (Canada), and Portland are similar to Denver as they have plenty of mountains plus beaches. Even LA is somewhat similar to Denver except larger.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned LA.. Denver reminded me of Portland culturally, but a built environment more like LA. Much more sprawl than Portland. Surf bros vs snow bros. Lots of Mexican-American history and influence. I've lived in LA and Portland and found Denver to be more towards the LA end of the spectrum. Although, I also feel that Seattle has more in common with San Diego or the Bay Area than Portland.
Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary (Canada), and Portland are similar to Denver as they have plenty of mountains plus beaches. Even LA is somewhat similar to Denver except larger.
Um, there are no beaches in Portland, unless you're counting the banks of the Columbia river... and there are DEFINITELY no beaches in Calgary.
Houston is fantastic. Not sure why it doesn't get more love.
Isn't this about what city is most similar to Denver? Who's not giving Houston love?
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