Is Denver more similar to West Coast or Midwest cities? (comparison, places)

[PolarSeltzer]

Here are the categories -

- Built environment
- Overall Culture
- Culture specific to food, drink, sports, work
- People
- Transportation infrastructure and commute patterns
- Overall vibe

Which is Denver more similar to?

[SEAandATL]

West Coast without a doubt. Particularly Seattle.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

West Coast if I had to pick but it feels more like Minneapolis than anywhere. The brick houses, flat grid-plan layouts, at-grade light rail, generally new and well-kept feel, and "liberal but not uber-liberal" political climates in both cities remind me of the other one.

Denver is sort of like Seattle and Portland (in different ways) but not much like LA and nothing like SF/Oakland. Sacramento is probably the most similar on the West Coast although it feels much smaller.

I sort of get a Denver vibe in parts of the north side of Chicago like Wrigleyville as well. Both places are saturated with "bro" types, drinking and breweries are huge (pot too), and there's a general unambitious, slightly provincial, "let's just hang out and go to the arcade bar" atmosphere.

[Kaszilla]

Originally Posted by TheTimidBlueBars

West Coast if I had to pick but it feels more like Minneapolis than anywhere. The brick houses, flat grid-plan layouts, at-grade light rail, generally new and well-kept feel, and "liberal but not uber-liberal" political climates in both cities remind me of the other one.

Denver is sort of like Seattle and Portland (in different ways) but not much like LA and nothing like SF/Oakland. Sacramento is probably the most similar on the West Coast although it feels much smaller.

I agree that the grid layout is similiar to Minneapolis but the architecture is different. Minneapolis doesn't have that much brick houses but a lot of stucco houses. Minneapolis is like a cross between western cities like Denver, Portland, and Seattle and great lakes cities like Milwaukee and Cleveland.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by Kaszilla

I agree that the grid layout is similiar to Minneapolis but the architecture is different. Minneapolis doesn't have that much brick houses but a lot of stucco houses. Minneapolis is like a cross between western cities like Denver, Portland, and Seattle and great lakes cities like Milwaukee and Cleveland.

Seems to me the Denver area mostly made up of the chidren and grandchildren of Midwesterners. Whenever I'm in Denver i hear mostly what sounds like Michigan and upper Miderstern accents.

[JohnGuterson]

Originally Posted by TheTimidBlueBars

I sort of get a Denver vibe in parts of the north side of Chicago like Wrigleyville as well. Both places are saturated with "bro" types, drinking and breweries are huge (pot too), and there's a general unambitious, slightly provincial, "let's just hang out and go to the arcade bar" atmosphere.

I definitely see your point in terms of the general vibe, but I just don't think Denver's bar or drinking scene is anywhere near the level of Chicago's. Even LoDo vs Wrigleyville is not a fair comparison in my opinion.

[mhays25]

It's somewhere between Seattle, Minneapolis, and a larger Boise, but with far worse transit ridership than M/S.

[MrIndependent]

Denver feels like a blend of Midwest and West Coast. Everyone talks about the influx of Californians to Denver, but the more interesting story is the influx of Midwesterners to Denver.

[Gfitz1010]

Originally Posted by MrIndependent

Denver feels like a blend of Midwest and West Coast. Everyone talks about the influx of Californians to Denver, but the more interesting story is the influx of Midwesterners to Denver.

Denver has a lot of transplants from all regions. Don’t think any has more influence over another.

[mhays25]

Denver also has fairly limited immigration, particularly from overseas. That contributes to a middle-America feel.

It would feel different if CU was in the middle of town BTW. There's a young vibe but it's more like 25-30-year-olds.