How do you figure out what size city you prefer? (live, best)

[Phil P]

In all these debates, cities of similar size are always compared, but how does one figure out what size of city they want to live in? To me they kind of seemed grouped into classes: below 1 million, 1-3 million, 3-5 million, and >5million.

Why would one choose larger over smaller or vice versa? I get the amenities thing (NYC is likelier to have whatever of the thing you were looking for and the worlds biggest ___ ), and I get the traffic thing (the bigger the city, the greater the traffic), but is that it?

Is the chance of finding a job generally better in bigger cities given equal unemployment rates? Is COL greater the bigger the city is? Does it have to do with density desired?

Also which size do you prefer and why?

[Lets Eat Candy]

My girlfriend always tells me that it's not the size that matters, but how you use it thatmatters.

In other words, it depends on the city and the qualities it has.

[T. Damon]

Originally Posted by Lets Eat Candy

My girlfriend always tells me that it's not the size that matters, but how you use it thatmatters.

In other words, it depends on the city and the qualities it has.

I don't know if I would share so readily that tidbit of pillow talk conversation if my girlfriend was always telling me that haha.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by lets eat candy

my girlfriend always tells me that it's not the size that matters, but how you use it thatmatters.

In other words, it depends on the city and the qualities it has.

hahahahahahahaa

[bawac34618]

While I agree that most cities of a certain size offer a similar level amenities, not all do and some do a lot more with what they have.

San Francisco and Phoenix both have metro areas around the same population. New Orleans and Oklahoma City also both have the same population. In both cases, one punches a great deal above its weight and the other offers far below what one would expect considering its size. The cities are so different its difficult to really compare them.

Instead of focusing on size, its best to consider amenities. Come up with a list of amenities that are deal breakers and that are nice to haves but not required and find a city that is a good match.

[Mezter]

I agree that you can't just look at population figures, but what the city offers. For instance, Vancouver, BC only has around 2.4M residence but honestly blows away quite a few US cities that are the same size or larger. The one above about OKC and NOLA is a good example as well.

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by Mezter

I agree that you can't just look at population figures, but what the city offers. For instance, Vancouver, BC only has around 2.4M residence but honestly blows away quite a few US cities that are the same size or larger. The one above about OKC and NOLA is a good example as well.

True. I would say Vancouver compared pretty well with many U.S. metro areas in the 5 million population range. Calgary also feels much larger than it is and if in the U.S., would probably compare well alongside metro areas in the 3 million population range despite only having 1.3 million people in its metro.

Phoenix on the other hand feels like and offers amenities in line with what one would expect from a metro of around 2.5 million in population (not 4.5 million). The OKC metro feels like it should be in the 600,000 population range as opposed to the 1.3 million that it actually is.

[Lets Eat Candy]

Originally Posted by T. Damon

I don't know if I would share so readily that tidbit of pillow talk conversation if my girlfriend was always telling me that haha.

Originally Posted by annie_himself

hahahahahahahaa

Doesn't matter. Got laid

Sorry for the OT remarks. Don't ban me

[USERXXXX]

Originally Posted by Phil P

In all these debates, cities of similar size are always compared, but how does one figure out what size of city they want to live in? To me they kind of seemed grouped into classes: below 1 million, 1-3 million, 3-5 million, and >5million.

Why would one choose larger over smaller or vice versa? I get the amenities thing (NYC is likelier to have whatever of the thing you were looking for and the worlds biggest ___ ), and I get the traffic thing (the bigger the city, the greater the traffic), but is that it?

Is the chance of finding a job generally better in bigger cities given equal unemployment rates? Is COL greater the bigger the city is? Does it have to do with density desired?

Also which size do you prefer and why?

For me, it must be bigger than Baton Rouge.
Memphis/Birmingham/St. Louis/Jacksonville is the best.
Dallas/Houston/Atlanta is too large for me.

Fort Wayne is too small and when i drive from chicago to fort wayne...The corn land on the 65MPH highway makes me feel asleep...

[USERXXXX]

Originally Posted by bawac34618

True. I would say Vancouver compared pretty well with many U.S. metro areas in the 5 million population range. Calgary also feels much larger than it is and if in the U.S., would probably compare well alongside metro areas in the 3 million population range despite only having 1.3 million people in its metro.

Phoenix on the other hand feels like and offers amenities in line with what one would expect from a metro of around 2.5 million in population (not 4.5 million). The OKC metro feels like it should be in the 600,000 population range as opposed to the 1.3 million that it actually is.

OKC is pretty good size make me feel comfortable. Tulsa looks very odd and disrepair...
The most annoying thing in OK is toll road everywhere..