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I like Chicago a lot. But in the early 80's when LA jumped ahead to #2, it didn't automatically make LA a better city. Granted now, in 2012 I'd say LA exceeds Chicago in several categories but that has more to do with differing locales and culture. But back to my point: when LA first passed Chicago all that meant was that LA had more people. Chicago was and STILL IS a more important financial center, was more important industrially and in manufacturing. Now as LA matured I think it did pass Chicago in industry and manufacturing but it didn't become better in those areas just because it had more people.
Like LA in the 80's Houston is booming and if it does pass Chicago it's only because more people are living there. It will still take time for the city to catch up with it's growth. That's when we'll see how important Houston is compared to Chicago. Remember, this isn't Chicago's first rodeo, it's been around the block once or twice and doesn't need to prove anything to anybody. Houston is the newcomer. Chicago has a status that it has earned over centuries as THE hub of the United States.
if anything i can say houston can stand up about and crow till the cows come home about NASA and mission control in HOUSTON. exploring space and our solar system is something special that only one of a handful of cities worldwide can lay claim to. Chicago with all its broadshouldered might cannot touch this fact. Houston is the largest city in the us and maybe worldwide that has sent humans into orbit, and to the moon and back. Cape Canaveral in FL and Edwards AFB in CA arent cities like Houston. there you go. CHI is my fave city but ill still hook u up!
Population of city proper doesn't matter. Even the MSA doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is CSA, which Chicago crushes both cities and there is no way for them to support the population they need to catch Chicago. On top of that, Chicago is the hub for the bi-national Great Lakes Megalopolis of 50 milliion+ people. Even if DFW and Greater Houston surpass Chicago MSA and CSA population, the regional importance of Chicago and its location while help it remain a very important city.
Do you know how many people the Texas Triangle will anchor in the years to come? Exactly..
Very interesting and constructive conversation folks. It seems like all of us have an opinion and some thoughts on this. Here is what I'll say....While I think some of us have taken this thread to be either a Chicago-hating or Houston-boosting argument, I don't think it should be precieved that way. I'm from the Midwest, and now live in Houston. Prior to Houston, I also lived in Dallas. I feel that a lot of these cities both in TX and in the South really saw substantial growth in the late 60s early 70s with the invention and relavance of air conditioning. Prior to that, no one wanted to live down south because it was just too stinkin hot!
As for today, we continue to hear this term "global economy" thrown around. And the truth is, that SO many of the major cities in the Midwest relied so heavily on manufacturing (Chicago included dispite being the most economically diverse in the Midwest). I think about Detroit and the automotive industry or Cleveland and Pittsburg and the steel industries. They just are not as relevant anymore because those jobs have been outsourced (sadly) to other part of the world. People aren't moving to Midwest cities to work in a steel mill, but THEY ARE moving to southern cities to work for a start-up company or a .com. As such, what was so shocking for me about Dallas, is that you would have to look real hard to find any corner of the city even remotely resembling what Zugg Island and River Rouge look like in Detroit or anything resembling the southside of Chicago. Factories just aren't as prevelant down here because manufactoring (which the Midwest relies on) has continued to dry up.
So consequently (I believe) you have a lot of people from the Midwest saying "Why would I live up here, where its cloudy, rainy, and cold 6 to 8 months out of the year, when I can enjoy year-round warm and sunny weather and MAKE THE SAME PAYCHECK in the Midwest as I would in the South?" And companies are fleeing the Midwest because TX, GA, AZ, etc. offer all around better advantages and they no longer need dirty industry to produce a product and maintain profitability.
Now density should be a completely seperate conversation. I think we all agree that Indianapolis (though bigger in population, according to 2010 Census) will never have the same "feel" as SF. But thats a land area issue and its the same issue that exists when comparing Houston to Chicago.
Houston WILL pass Chicago in pure population within the city limits no doubt. But Chicago will always have more of a SF or NY "feel" and Houston will always have more of an LA "feel" because there is just more space to spread out to.
In closing, I COMPLETELY argree with whoever said that in looking at city size and population, the real guage is in the metro area population. I'll never accept an argument about San Antonio, Phoenix, or Indiapolis being in a 'Top 10 Largest US Cities" list, because we all know that all of the above cities mentioned contribute far more heavily to the U.S.'s GDP then say Indianapolis does.
I don't think Houston will surpass Chicago's population IFF the existing land area of the city is already developed AND the city doesn't annex more land. Chicago's population will stabilize and rebound at some point, and obviously there is no more land to develop new neighborhoods there. Still, I don't see Houston gaining over 500K in the city proper very easily, especially as Chicago will (presumably) rebound again in the future. I do think it will be close for a while though. I also think Houston's amazing boom will reach its peak and begin to stabilize as well.....which has happened to each and every U.S. city in the country, so don't take that as a jab at Houston. I remember during the 80's and 90's thinking LA would NEVER slow down! Look at it now, especially if you exclude the Inland Empire. The growth is still phenomenal but a.) it's LA, a mega global city in paradise, and b.) the growth is a fraction of its former self.
I don't think Houston will surpass Chicago's population IFF the existing land area of the city is already developed AND the city doesn't annex more land. Chicago's population will stabilize and rebound at some point, and obviously there is no more land to develop new neighborhoods there. Still, I don't see Houston gaining over 500K in the city proper very easily, especially as Chicago will (presumably) rebound again in the future. I do think it will be close for a while though. I also think Houston's amazing boom will reach its peak and begin to stabilize as well.....which has happened to each and every U.S. city in the country, so don't take that as a jab at Houston. I remember during the 80's and 90's thinking LA would NEVER slow down! Look at it now, especially if you exclude the Inland Empire. The growth is still phenomenal but a.) it's LA, a mega global city in paradise, and b.) the growth is a fraction of its former self.
I agree, some people simply can't realize that high growth rates do not last forever for a major city. Just because a city has extremely high growth rates now, doesn't mean that the city will have that same growth rates 40-50 years from now. Growth rates slow down as a city becomes more populated. That's just the way it is and history has proven that time and time again.
Do you know how many people the Texas Triangle will anchor in the years to come? Exactly..
DFW is the new "HUB". And DFW Airport will see to that.
And it will not be Houston that passes Chicago. It will be DALLAS.
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if anything....
