Little cities that could (comparison, places, life, people) - City vs. City - City-Data Forum

eskercurve · 06-12-2009, 09:44 PM

So all these comparisons of big cities vs. big cities and a few other threads where smaller cities actually won out (Seattle vs. Los Angeles!), it got me thinking ...

What cities would you say are "little cities that could" ... or rather, cities which are much smaller in size but still offer great places to live, great nightlife, food, culture, etc.?

I already have been a Seattle booster, so I'll pick Bellevue & Redmond, WA.

My rationale: In the past 20 years its gone from a bedroom community to a thriving city in itself. Redmond is the HQ for Microsoft, and Bellevue is home to many other companies. Bellevue was rated #1 in places to start up a new business in 2008 by CNNMoney.com. Bellevue's downtown is very walkable and has a nice mall, places to eat, and many younger people go there. Redmond's town center is basically a medium sized outdoor mall, and the nearby parks are fabulous.

Cirque du Soliel loved it here. Many asians and europeans call it home too as MS and other tech companies attract talent from all over the world.

And for all intents and purposes, downtown Bellevue is much cleaner and safer than downtown Seattle. In 30 years I wouldn't be surprised if Bellevue overtook Seattle in downtown size.

So, who would you vote for?

Akhenaton06 · 06-12-2009, 11:34 PM

Charleston and Savannah are good contenders here.

MetroBTR · 06-12-2009, 11:40 PM

Bossier City is Shreveport, Louisiana's smaller, across the river counterpart. For years and years Shreveport overshadowed Bossier, and now, Bossier City is getting all the attention and that's where all the growth is at. Nobody wants to live in Shreveport anymore unless they can afford to live on Fairfield Avenue.