Dallas Versus Philadelphia: Which City Is More Important? Which City Would You Prefer To Live In? (living, best)
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Philadelphia has some nice pockets and a lot going on meaning activities and opportunities . I would pick Dallas over Philly, Dallas is much nicer and cleaner.
I was going to take a job in Philly many years ago and decided against it looking at the crimes and how bad it is to find parking.
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The problem with Dallas’ GDP figures is that you could make strong cases for breaking off Denton, Lewisville, McKinney (I.e. Denton County and even a big chunk of Collin County, which I know partial counties aren’t allowed for MSAs) as separate MSA’s due to their long distances from the core of Dallas. Denton is over 40 miles (65km) and McKinney is almost 35 miles (56 km) to Dallas.
I mean Trenton NJ is already excluded from the Philadelphia MSA (33 miles /53 km) despite continual urban development between them, and rightfully so.
Another drawback to Dallas FW is that it has no port or water access as a non-coastal/inland city (arguably along with Atlanta the most important inland city in the nation).
Dallas turns suburban very quickly outside its immediate downtown core. Whereas Philadelphia is just nonstop walkup rowhouse blocks, apartment buildings, densely packed SFH, but very few SFH on suburban sized lots. Philadelphia is far more urban and compact than DFW.
So, I’m certainly not saying Dallas isn’t a peer city of Philadelphia, it just functions very differently as a more suburban-oriented Sun Belt sprawling metropolis. Also Philadelphia has an extremely overwhelming advantage historically speaking, and is almost unrivaled nationally speaking in the History department. That being said, Dallas has a much faster growth rate.
Philadelphia also loses points logistically due to its proximity to Newark, JFK, BWI, Dulles Intl Airports. Whereas Dallas Forth Worth has no such regional competitors (maybe Austin if you really stretched it).
So I suppose I’d give the ever so slightest edge to Philadelphia. The city is undergoing something of a cultural and economic renaissance despite all the odds stacked against it as a legacy city (blight, crime, pollution). Philadelphia has enormous future potential. Dallas FW has a very bright future too.
The city (and county) of Dallas owes its very name in fact to a Philadelphian--George Miflin Dallas. Dallas served as Mayor of Philadelphia from 1828 to 1829 and became the 11th Vice-President of the U.S. (1845-1849) under President James K. Polk.
A Texas historical marker (#6666) located at 600 Elm Street in downtown Dallas reads as follows:
"Both the city and county (of Dallas) were named in honor of George Miflin Dallas (1792-1864) Pennsylvania Democratic statesman who was elected 11th Vice President of the United States on a platform favoring Texas annexation"
The city (and county) of Dallas owes its very name in fact to a Philadelphian--George Miflin Dallas. Dallas served as Mayor of Philadelphia from 1828 to 1829 and became the 11th Vice-President of the U.S. (1845-1849) under President James K. Polk.
A Texas historical marker (#6666) located at 600 Elm Street in downtown Dallas reads as follows:
"Both the city and county (of Dallas) were named in honor of George Miflin Dallas (1792-1864) Pennsylvania Democratic statesman who was elected 11th Vice President of the United States on a platform favoring Texas annexation"
You're welcome Dallas.
That theory has never been confirmed.
"The establishment was named Dallas, and though it has been largely assumed that it was named after George Mifflin Dallas, who became vice president the following March, there are problems with this theory. George M. Dallas lived in Philadelphia and never traveled very far west of the city, and Bryan had never traveled very far east of Memphis. It is doubtful that the two ever met, and there are at least seven other candidates"
Philly is on a roll, in particular with respect to life sciences. This year so far $5.3 billion of V. C. invested in the region. Placing it 5th in V.C. investment. With over 100 schools of higher learning, including 2 Ivy Leagues with in less than one hour travel to University City's life science hub. Nearly 3 million ft.^2 of lab and research space being constructed, buildings are leased before they're fini
d. https://nvca.org/research/pitchbook-...nture-monitor/
Last edited by kingtutaaa; 11-09-2021 at 08:32 AM..
My parents both went to Penn. I’ve done a ton of business with Comcast. I spent 3 months of midweeks in a high rise condo near Rittenhouse a few years ago. I must have 100 room nights at the Marriott, Courtyard, and Residence Inn east of city hall.
Center City is a good place but it has some edge to it. Under the convention center is a homeless people lair. There’s one across the street from Comcast Center. You don’t have to get too far from Center City before you hit vast slums. It’s certainly the best value for housing prices if you want to live urban. Far cheaper than Boston, NYC, and DC.
With all the high tech I’ve done, I’ve been in Dallas a lot. It’s generally Anywhere USA sprawl. Nothing wrong with it but I prefer more character than that.
Personally, if I had to take a job where I was in Comcast Center all the time, I’d opt for an inner Main Line suburb. Blue chip towns at pennies on the dollar compared to Boston, DC, or NYC. Commuter rail works really well. Easy train connection to the airport or to Amtrak to access Manhattan or DC. The south Jersey shore isn’t much more than an hour. I used to date someone with a beach condo in Brigantine just north of Atlantic City. It does the job.
Philadelphia has great food, good transit, great culture and i like the people.
Dallas has become the 4th largest metro area in the country soon to be third and a mammoth of an economy. I don't see how this is close, Dallas wins this easily. This isn't the 1700 or 1800s, Philly's days of importance have long passed.
My parents both went to Penn. I’ve done a ton of business with Comcast. I spent 3 months of midweeks in a high rise condo near Rittenhouse a few years ago. I must have 100 room nights at the Marriott, Courtyard, and Residence Inn east of city hall.
Center City is a good place but it has some edge to it. Under the convention center is a homeless people lair. There’s one across the street from Comcast Center. You don’t have to get too far from Center City before you hit vast slums. It’s certainly the best value for housing prices if you want to live urban. Far cheaper than Boston, NYC, and DC.
With all the high tech I’ve done, I’ve been in Dallas a lot. It’s generally Anywhere USA sprawl. Nothing wrong with it but I prefer more character than that.
Personally, if I had to take a job where I was in Comcast Center all the time, I’d opt for an inner Main Line suburb. Blue chip towns at pennies on the dollar compared to Boston, DC, or NYC. Commuter rail works really well. Easy train connection to the airport or to Amtrak to access Manhattan or DC. The south Jersey shore isn’t much more than an hour. I used to date someone with a beach condo in Brigantine just north of Atlantic City. It does the job.
I get your points, two nitpicks (bolded)...
1. Most neighborhoods surrounding Center City are fine, you have to travel far North and West to encounter awful parts (and no visitor could mistakenly do that). South Philly is rough in parts, but by no means slums. And many neighborhoods are changing at astonishing rates, even from 5 years ago (as you may know).
2. This statement is losing value (literally, for better or worse). The Main Line is still more affordable compared to DC, NYC, Boston counterparts, but not "pennies on the dollar", it's becoming more a wash as the years go on. The blue chip Boston burbs are more likely an outlier on the high-end rather than the Main Line on the low-end.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichiganderTexan
Dallas has become the 4th largest metro area in the country soon to be third and a mammoth of an economy. I don't see how this is close, Dallas wins this easily. This isn't the 1700 or 1800s, Philly's days of importance have long passed.
Here we go... First and foremost, both regions have mammoth economics, don't sleep on Philly.
Next, Philadelphia still has a stronger argument as the "more important" city based on economics, history, culture, arts, higher education, notable institutions, etc. Dallas is a boomtown (no doubt), but claiming it is more important because it's economy is larger (though not per capita) doesn't hold much weight.
As far as preference to live, I pick Philadelphia, but I could understand arguments for Dallas.
Last edited by cpomp; 11-09-2021 at 01:37 PM..
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