Dayton--more associated with Columbus or Cincy (Cleveland, Cincinnati: 2010, home, casinos)

[LeslieCK]

Hi there,
Just curious as to whether the residents of Dayton feel more aligned with Columbus or Cincinnati? Does the feel of Dayton seem more similar to either one? I know they all have their own identities, but am curious as to which city they'd rather be aligned with or compare themselves to and why.

Thanks!
Leslie

[OHBuckeye]

I'm not a resident of Dayton, but I worked there for a couple of years and know several people in that area. IMO, Dayton is more like Toledo or Cleveland than Columbus or Cincinnati. Like Toledo and Cleveland, Dayton is more of a blue-collar 'rust belt' city that has been hit hard by losses of manufacturing jobs; all three of those cities are among the top 10 fastest shrinking cities with populations of 100,000+ in the country. The Cincinnati Post - Three Ohio cities losing population rapidly (broken link) All three are also experiencing population losses of their metropolitan areas.

In terms of size, the Dayton metro area is much more like Toledo than Cleveland. Also, Dayton and Toeldo are more midwestern whereas Cleveland is more northeastern. So, IMO, Dayton is most like Toledo.

To answer your actual question, I'd say that Dayton is more aligned with Cincinnati than Columbus. Their suburbs have nearly grown into each other, and the two metro areas will probably be combined into a Consolidated Statistical Area by the Census Bureau in 2010. By contrast, Dayton and Columbus are nowhere near close to growng into each other. Also, Dayton is home to one of the Cincinnati Reds' minor league affiliates, and both the Reds and Cincinnati Bengals are popular in Dayton.

[MattDen]

Dayton/Springfield is its own metropolitan area and actually a medium sized. But its overall more associated with Cincinnati.

Dayton is closer to Cincinnati then Columbus. Not only that Cincinnati sprawls to the north and Columbus really doesnt sprawl that much to the west it sprawls more to the north and east for the most part away from Dayton.

[Ohiogirl81]

When I lived in Dayton, I associated myself with ... Dayton. I didn't see a need to "align" anywhere else.

[wrightflyer]

In terms of which city, Columbus or Cincinnati, I more associate with, it would be Cincinnati. But that's only if I'm trying to explain to someone where I live and they don't know where Dayton is.

Still, its not like I go into Cincinnati once a week. I can find most things from shopping to recreation in the Dayton area. Hopefully with more federal and defense jobs coming to Dayton/Wright-Patt, the population lose will shrink or better yet, reverse itself.

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by MattDen

Dayton/Springfield is its own metropolitan area and actually a medium sized. But its overall more associated with Cincinnati.

Dayton is closer to Cincinnati then Columbus. Not only that Cincinnati sprawls to the north and Columbus really doesnt sprawl that much to the west it sprawls more to the north and east for the most part away from Dayton.

As much as I agree with the sentiments of OhioGirl 18 and Wrightflyer, I think MattDenn and OHBuckeye's second paragraph answer are the correct answer to LeslieCK's question.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Originally Posted by OHBuckeye

Their suburbs have nearly grown into each other, and the two metro areas will probably be combined into a Consolidated Statistical Area by the Census Bureau in 2010.

I heard you mention this in another thread and I don't know what you are basing it on. Ever since the 2000 Census the trend has been to segregate areas, not to combine them. MSA's and CSA's are not merely a matter of proximity to a downtown --- other factors come into play such as commuting patterns. For example, Mohave County, Arizona is actually considered to be part of Las Vegas metro even though the largest city in that county is over a hundred miles away. Why? Because there is a sufficient ratio of residents who commute to the Vegas casinos for work. It's a little nutty, but that's how they do it.

[OHBuckeye]

Originally Posted by The Cactus Leaguer

I heard you mention this in another thread and I don't know what you are basing it on. Ever since the 2000 Census the trend has been to segregate areas, not to combine them.

There was a major article (front page Sunday) in the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this year that stated that there was a good possibility that there would be a Cincinnati-Dayton merger by the Census Bureau for the next census. I would assume that they would be merged into the same CSA, as I think it's highly unlikely that they would be merged into the same MSA.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Originally Posted by OHBuckeye

There was a major article (front page Sunday) in the Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this year that stated that there was a good possibility that there would be a Cincinnati-Dayton merger by the Census Bureau for the next census. I would assume that they would be merged into the same CSA, as I think it's highly unlikely that they would be merged into the same MSA.

Got it, thanks.