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View Poll Results: Which culture do you prefer?
LA 15 25.42%
Chicago 19 32.20%
Boston 13 22.03%
Atlanta 7 11.86%
Denver 2 3.39%
Phoenix 5 8.47%
Other state below 12 20.34%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 59. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 09-01-2016, 02:42 AM
 
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What is the culture like in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Denver, and Phoenix. Which do you prefere culturally?

I have only spent most of my life in the north western states of America. I am thinking of moving so I'm curious what the culture is like in different parts of America.
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Old 09-01-2016, 09:47 AM
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Location: Miami
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Atlanta then Chicago, it's more homegrown than the others.
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Old 09-01-2016, 10:01 AM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
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Atlanta, but then I have to qualify that by saying I'm a native Southerner.
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Old 09-01-2016, 11:15 AM
 
Location: Los Angeles,CA & Scottsdale, AZ
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I think that cities as a whole don't have one unified culture, it's more so sections of the cities that have culture...especially when dealing with huge international cities such as NYC and LA. I've only lived in two of the cities that you listed.
LA- In the area where I live it seems as if the culture revolves around healthy lifestyle. My block alone has three specialised gyms. There are more healthy restaurants than I can count, and I am constantly seeing people work out. Your appearance seems to be very valued here, from what your body looks like to how you dress. Contrary to popular belief, I have not found LA to be laid back at all. It's a rat race here, high energy. Again, I am ONLy speaking about the section of LA that I live in...the city definitely does not adhere to one specific culture.

Phoenix- Cultural wise, I found it to be pretty much just a toned down/more laidback LA (so very similar to the LA suburbs). People in Phoenix love California and you have a lot of former Californians who live in the city. Culturally speaking, Phoenix is different from the rest of the state and has much more in common with southern California than it does with any other city in the state. I have many friends who moved to the LA area from Phoenix after college and they are in agreeance with me about how it really doesn't feel all too different culturally...especially once you get down to the OC. My perception of the culture in Phoenix is from a younger viewpoint. Phoenix is a city where there are different cultures not only depending on where you live (Scottsdale, central phoenix, gilbert) but agewise also. Older people in PHX tend to not be from Arizona, so I have found a lot of them act VERY different, culturally, from the younger people who were born/raised in PHX.

All in all I prefer the culture of the west over any area of the country so I'm gonna have to go with LA & Phoenix on this one....Denver as a close third.
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Old 09-01-2016, 12:24 PM
Status: "Save the children of Gaza" (set 1 day ago)
 
Location: St. Louis Park, MN
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Boston from the list, Minneapolis from not the list. I love urban northern culture, Seattle also as one not on the list. I love the mix of urban grit with a large emphasis of college education, a mix of artsy individuality plus cold winters which create a great cultural atmosphere. The kind of place where you'll find a larger crowd who'd prefer a chill coffee shop over a nightclub.
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Old 09-01-2016, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Arizona
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I am familiar with Denver, Phoenix and Los Angeles

Metro Phoenix is extremely introverted and very polite. The people there tend to have a freeze about them but once one breaks the personality ice they are more friendly then most western cities. Much of the population is very conservative and old-fashioned. People there seem to have more stable friendships then other Western Cities.

Phoenix residents love their privacy and quietness more then any other large metropolitan area I have ever lived in.

People in Phoenix tend to not to talk about subjects that are negative, which is not a bad thing. There is an element that is similar to "Minnesota Nice" where much of the people in the east valley will be very polite to one even if they don't like another person.

Phoenix with all the midwestern transplants that have moved there has a bit of a midwestern mind-set about as opposed to other western cities.

Phoenix is likely the most family oriented metropolitan area of it's size anywhere. It is very married and people tend have large families. The population is also very conformist and very optimistic about the future.

Denver is very polite but very arrogant/pretentious. People there are very pleasant for small interactions but the population is very superficial and materialistic.

Denverites are every bit as pretentious as the mountain resort towns. The people there tend to be extremely over-confident to the point where it comes across as fake.

Denverites tend to have way too much local pride. Way too many Colorado bumper sticker on cars and much of the population who moves there lives the lifestyle that they saw in the Colorado tourism magazines.

A generation ago it was Fords and Chevy's and Old Suburu's in Denver. Now, it is Volvo SUV's, multiple dogs, atheletic jackets when it is not summer and big boots with big, huge ego's

Many of the people will not speak unless spoken too, but they tend to smile and say something polite at least. The population as a whole is big on living in a luxury lifestyle. Many people exaggerate their athletic achievements.

Los Angeles seemed friendlier on the surface then Denver or Phoenix. They seem more extroverted. The thing I like about Los Angeles is there is every personality trait and view that one could imagine.

I noticed people in Los Angeles tend to make small chat for more then most big cities. The people there seem to smile more then a majority of western cities.

Last edited by lovecrowds; 09-01-2016 at 04:25 PM..
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Old 09-01-2016, 04:20 PM
 
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So since Atlanta and Boston are so far winning, what is their culture like? What about Chicago? I always from some reason thought Chicago was a Great Lake city with some southern influences but its not in the south so im not sure why I thought that.
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Old 09-01-2016, 05:13 PM
 
Location: Chi 'burbs=>Tucson=>Naperville=>Chicago
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Chicago only has some southern influences in the African-American population, and even then it's not very prevalent. Otherwise, none.

Chicago is cosmopolitan but friendly. People like to make friends. Eating is big. Sports is big. Craft beer/cocktail culture is big. Suburbanites love to go to the city, but the city folks don't care about the suburbs.

There is pride here but it's not overreaching - the population is aware of Chicago's shortcomings and love the city despite of them.
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Old 09-02-2016, 08:47 AM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seattle4321 View Post
What is the culture like in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Denver, and Phoenix. Which do you prefere culturally?

I have only spent most of my life in the north western states of America. I am thinking of moving so I'm curious what the culture is like in different parts of America.
I spent most of my summer life in the Pacific Northwest (north Seattle suburbs), and have lived in Spokane (I LOVE the culture there), so I at least know your point of reference.

I live in Denver, grew up in the distant LA suburbs, and have been to Chicago and Phoenix.

LA is my favorite, because when people aren't working, they have the most zest for life. It is not beyond them to strike conversations up with strangers, and it doesn't feel uncomfortable.

Chicago is similar, but even more talkative (and it is not beyond them to even be rude/tell it like it is), however, I couldn't get over what felt like a strong racial divide. Chicago would still be #2 for me though.

I agree with the previous posters re: Phoenix, some of the best people I know live there (I do business there daily).

IMO Denver's culture sucks. You have natives who try too hard to stay "Colorado", and transplants who try too hard to be "Colorado". There is virtually no friendliness here, and if there ever is, it is fleeting.
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Old 09-07-2016, 07:31 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
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Los Angeles is truly hard to pin down as there are so many different unique, distinct areas within the city and greater SoCal megalopolis and so many different kinds of people living there. A multitude of vibes. It is a very fast paced city (completely 180 degrees opposite from how the city was often portrayed historically in pop culture like the Beach Boys). Not as fast paced as New York, but faster than any of the other cities you named in your list above. There is a huge importance placed on wearing unique and trendy (though not necessarily expensive) clothes, which reflects a general attitude of keeping on the cutting edge of new cultural innovations. Tons of ethnic ghettoes encompassing large geographic areas where an area might be all Chinese, all Armenian, all Persian, all Salvadorian, Mexican American/Chicano, all black, etc... very segregated for the most part. A LOT of multigenerational wealth, multigenerational families-- not uncommon to see young adults in their 20s and 30s living with their parents rent free but leasing brand new BMWs and Infinitis. On the other end of the spectrum, a lot of working class and poor people living in marginal gangs infested areas, struggling just to get by. In general, LA has a very cliquey, gang [not necessarily violent, but can be] culture. Far less "communal" than cities like Denver or Chicago or other Midwestern cities.

Phoenix has a very "sunbelt" kind of culture-- people spend a lot of time out in the sun lounging at the pool for much of the year, dress light (some might say "skimpy"), flip flops everywhere, a lot of new flashy sports and luxury cars (at least among a segment of the population), new/newer houses (especially with the red tile roof and white stucco look), with a focus on everything being planned and orderly. It's a very cheap place to live with a work to live, not live to work kind of culture. Phoenix reminds me a lot of south Florida, except replace the New York/northeast influence with more of a SoCal influence and even a lot of Midwestern influence.

Denver (I'm a Denver native btw) is changing rapidly. Even as recently as 5 years ago, the city was a very, very "casual" place (probably the worst dressed city in America) full of old, crappy cars, old looking houses (although many have been fully renovated and modernized on the inside) and also a lot of that work to live kind of culture. Very strong outdoors athletic (or wannabe athletic) subculture and very strong support for local sports teams. Tons of communal festivals going on all summer long (in contrast to cities like Phoenix or LA). For the most part, Denver is just an average middle America kind of city-- with an attitude (good or bad depending on one's opinion). I agree with David Aguilar that the people here have a "freeze" and are kind of phony. There is a lot of this "native"/ "CO Yay!" pride crap has gone too far which you just don't get in SoCal or in Phoenix. Granted, most of what made Denver Denver 5 years ago are still true, but now prices have gone through the roof and the city has gotten so much more dense and crowded that a lot of that laidback-ness that Denver used to have is gone.
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