Oddities of geography (requirement, debt, density)

[Baybie Alyssa]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

It is much closer to us. I live in Central NJ, near the ocean, and I can drive 15 minutes and look at Staten Island across a short span of water, yet it took me nearly two hours door-to-door to get to my office in Manhattan via two trains. Yet both Manhattan and SI are New York City.

Are you talking about Keyport, my love? Or Union Beach or Highlands? There is a breathtaking view of the Verrazano Bridge, connecting Staten Island with Brooklyn. This bridge can be seen from the Keyport Marina.

[Baybie Alyssa]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

Cape May is nearly as far south as DC

Speaking of which DC is further west than South relative to both NYC and Philadelphia

According to the map I have pulled up, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Baltimore, Maryland is a mostly Westward Drive using Interstate 95.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by LINative

New York County (Manhattan) and Grand Isle County, Vermont also almost qualify.

Actually, there's a tiny area of New York County (Marble Hill) that is located on the mainland, surrounded by the Bronx.

[1greatcity]

Ten interesting land area equivalents:

1. San Bernardino County, CA, is more than twice the size of Maryland
2. The city of Phoenix is roughly half the size of Rhode Island
3. The "Big" Island of Hawaii is about 17% smaller than Connecticut
4. Long Island is larger than Rhode Island
5. The city of Houston has more than three times the land area of Tulsa
6. Jacksonville is larger in area than Maui
7. The city of Boston would fit into Nashville almost ten times
8. Huntsville, AL, is nearly identical in area to Padre Island, TX
9. The City of Los Angeles has approximately ten times the area of San Francisco
10. Oklahoma City is almost as large in area as Oahu

[btownboss4]

Massachusetts is about the same length as Tennessee (north to south) 115 to 120

[lammius]

Originally Posted by pch1013

Actually, there's a tiny area of New York County (Marble Hill) that is located on the mainland, surrounded by the Bronx.

Yep. And the same is true for Grand Isle County, VT. A portion is attached to mainland Quebec.

[BruceTenmile]

Originally Posted by pch1013

Actually, there's a tiny area of New York County (Marble Hill) that is located on the mainland, surrounded by the Bronx.

Hence the 'almost'.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

Massachusetts is about the same length as Tennessee (north to south) 115 to 120

This one surprised me.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by 1greatcity

Ten interesting land area equivalents:

1. San Bernardino County, CA, is more than twice the size of Maryland
2. The city of Phoenix is roughly half the size of Rhode Island
3. The "Big" Island of Hawaii is about 17% smaller than Connecticut
4. Long Island is larger than Rhode Island
5. The city of Houston has more than three times the land area of Tulsa
6. Jacksonville is larger in area than Maui
7. The city of Boston would fit into Nashville almost ten times
8. Huntsville, AL, is nearly identical in area to Padre Island, TX
9. The City of Los Angeles has approximately ten times the area of San Francisco
10. Oklahoma City is almost as large in area as Oahu

Interesting

On City sizes, Boston, DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, SF, and Miami would fit inside the borders of Houston with room to spare

NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, DC, and SF would also fit (or just about)

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

Interesting

On City sizes, Boston, DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, SF, and Miami would fit inside the borders of Houston with room to spare

NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, DC, and SF would also fit (or just about)

Each state has its own unique set of municipal criteria, for the definitions of political subdivisions within the state. So different rules need to be met within each state in order to satisfy the requirements for incorporation as a "city" and the determination of those boundaries. So it often not the "city" that determines its boundaries, but the framework within the state's municipal incorporation criteria.

For example, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, St. Louis, Baltimore, Washington, New Orleans and Norfolk can never expand, because they are defined as being contiguous with a small and restrictive county or a county-equivalent. However, Houston was not so constrained, and had complete freedom to sprawl.