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Prototypical cities for regions don't necessarily have to be the largest ones to be representative. In fact, I can argue that these cities aren't regionally representative but nationally representative.
For example, how is NYC representative of upstate NY or western MA? How is Chicago representative of Central Illinois, or the state of Iowa? How does Atlanta represent Mobile or Charleston?
There are. You just have to look past the giants like Atlanta, Houston, and Miami, and the obviously unique places like Charleston, Savannah, Asheville, New Orleans, Orlando, etc.
Columbia, Greenville, Huntsville, Augusta, Greensboro, Winston Salem, Norfolk, Knoxville, Pensacola, Columbus, Montgomery, Roanoke, Little Rock, Nashville, Jacksonville, etc. These are the types of cities I feel give a more typical southern living experience.
I agree with the person above that NYC doesn't really rep the north either. NYC is in a class of it's own. Taking the subway or taxis everywhere, going to school in a 10 story building, and having a thousand skyscrapers to look at isn't typical. I'd say Staten Island maybe, but not NYC as a whole.
There are. You just have to look past the giants like Atlanta, Houston, and Miami, and the obviously unique places like Charleston, Savannah, Asheville, New Orleans, Orlando, etc.
Columbia, Greenville, Huntsville, Augusta, Greensboro, Winston Salem, Norfolk, Knoxville, Pensacola, Columbus, Montgomery, Roanoke, Little Rock, Nashville, Jacksonville, etc. These are the types of cities I feel give a more typical southern living experience.
I agree with the person above that NYC doesn't really rep the north either. NYC is in a class of it's own. Taking the subway or taxis everywhere, going to school in a 10 story building, and having a thousand skyscrapers to look at isn't typical. I'd say Staten Island maybe, but not NYC as a whole.
The thing about NYC is that it is such a huge fraction of the Northeast (its Metro is 40% the NE's population) as opposed to Atlanta that is 6% or so the size of the Entire South, so there is no other city that can represent a larger portion of the Northeast than NYC, while the collection of smaller Southern cities lead to a larger population than Atlanta thus more representative of the south, that is not true in the Northeast.
Because it's not quintessential Gulf Coast. I mean that's why I never include it. Plus there's a long stretch along the coast of no major population centers between the panhandle and Tampa.
What is "quintessential Gulf Coast? New Orleans? Hardly. N.O. is truly unique.
The thing about NYC is that it is such a huge fraction of the Northeast (its Metro is 40% the NE's population) as opposed to Atlanta that is 6% or so the size of the Entire South, so there is no other city that can represent a larger portion of the Northeast than NYC, while the collection of smaller Southern cities lead to a larger population than Atlanta thus more representative of the south, that is not true in the Northeast.
True, but even then New York City is not the same as New York Metro. Long Island, most of northern New Jersey, and lower Connecticut are built more traditionally. Staten Island is really the only part of NYC that comes close to that
But I agree, NYC is so large that the dynamic is different than saying Atlanta, but I still think New York City is pretty unique. I would personally do something like Hartford, Providence, LI, Staten Island, Wilmington, , Worcester, Rochester, etc. Though again the dynamic changes since so many people commute to NYC to work.
Columbia, Greenville, Huntsville, Augusta, Greensboro, Winston Salem, Norfolk, Knoxville, Pensacola, Columbus, Montgomery, Roanoke, Little Rock, Nashville, Jacksonville, etc. These are the types of cities I feel give a more typical southern living experience.
But what is "typical Southern Living"? Let me guess: fried chicken, churches, and places on the US map the celebrities look at on a map and tell their managers HELL NO ! Even the listed cities have unique characteristics. Some are known as college towns, beach towns, military areas, historical US cities, and music towns to name a few. The one thing they I do think they all have in common is that they can all be considered mid size blue collar towns.
I do agree with that places like ATL, Houston, New Orleans, and Miami are different from smaller cities in the south however, all the big metreos in each region are unique to the U.S overall.
Also, what are prototypical aspects of the other regions as well? For example, I don't think people that live in Buffalo,NY or Pittsburg,PA would think NYC/Philly show a complete representation of the NE. Someone that lives in Maine or Vermont would not appreciate people thinking Boston is what New England is all about.
But what is "typical Southern Living"? Let me guess: fried chicken, churches, and places on the US map the celebrities look at on a map and tell their managers HELL NO !
Wow you read my mind. I don't think Atlanta is typical because they don't have enough fried chicken per capita...
Typical southern living to me - a southerner - is having a city with a post-WWII feel, small to midsize core, a good bit of amenities but not an insane amount - like a local baseball team, a regional mall, a few retail corridors, some outdoor festivals, city museums, some colleges in town, a regional airport, etc. Plus low density single family home living dominates - not many condos or office towers, and not extremely diverse.
As I said like 2 pages ago, tell me another southeastern city outside of Atlanta and Miami where you'll find a 400 foot condos tower next to McMansions, and people are okay with?
Quote:
Originally Posted by sevenfiveseven
Even the listed cities have unique characteristics. Some are known as college towns, beach towns, military areas, historical US cities, and music towns to name a few.
Obviously every city is going to have it's thing.
Columbia, Augusta, Greensboro, Pensacola, Greenville, Roanoke, Huntsville, etc have more in common with each other than they do Atlanta, and especially Miami, which was my point.
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! Even the listed cities have unique characteristics. Some are known as college towns, beach towns, military areas, historical US cities, and music towns to name a few. The one thing they I do think they all have in common is that they can all be considered mid size blue collar towns. 
