Favorite 3rd Tier City (Atlanta, Columbus: college, floor, centers)

[cdw1084]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Even if that were to happen, I think it's still far enough removed from Atlanta to still be considered a third-tier city. It's not going to be a Decatur or Marietta anytime soon.

I totally agree. On another note, I had thoughts on Athens regarding its status as a 2nd or 3rd tier city also but decided that it's in the 2nd tier.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by cdw1084

I totally agree. On another note, I had thoughts on Athens regarding its status as a 2nd or 3rd tier city also but decided that it's in the 2nd tier.

Yeah I consider Athens 2nd tier. Even though it's smaller than most of the other 2nd tier cities, being home to the state's flagship university pretty much seals the deal for it.

[Fountain-of-youth]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

That is a very interesting take on Albany.

Please elaborate on why Albany has an advantage over the other third-tier Georgia cities in the state from your vantage point.

From my vantage point, it would appear that third-tier Georgia cities like Brunswick and Gainesville would appear to have some of the greatest advantages over other third-tier cities in the state.

Brunswick (like LovinDecatur alluded to) would appear to have one of the greatest advantages over the other third-tier Georgia cities because of its Atlantic Coast seaport and because of its coastal-based tourism industry.

Gainesville would appear to have one of the greatest advantages over the other third-tier Georgia cities because of its status as the industrial capital of Northeast Georgia, its status as a gateway from metro Atlanta to the Northeast Georgia mountains region and its status as a city that seems to punch well above its weight in both Georgia and Southeastern U.S. politics.




Even though there appears to be a strong chance that the city will be added to the Atlanta MSA in 2020, Gainesville is an excellent choice as an entry on this list just simply because of the power that the city possesses in Georgia and Southeastern U.S. industrial and political circles.

Gainesville is an especially important city right now in both Georgia and Southeastern U.S. political circles because both Georgia's sitting governor (Nathan Deal) and sitting Lt. governor (Casey Cagle) claim the Gainesville area as their home base.

Even though there is a very strong chance that Gainesville and Hall County will be added to the Atlanta MSA in the not-too-distant future, Gainesville owes much of its success to being so close to (only about 50 miles away or so from) Atlanta. Gainesville is literally on the shores of Atlanta's primary water source in Lake Lanier.

Without its close distance to Atlanta and without its very advantageous location on the shores of Atlanta's primary water source in Lake Lanier, one possibly could make the argument that Gainesville likely would not have enjoyed the immense economic and political success that it has enjoyed during a period that has almost completely coincided with Atlanta's rise from a provincial mid-sized Southeastern city to a cosmopolitan large major metro of international influence.

There likely may not be a third-tier Georgia city outside of the Atlanta MSA that has benefitted as much from its relationship with Atlanta as Gainesville has with its close, symbiotic relationship with Atlanta.

Even though the area has experienced some significant challenges over the past decade in regards to the massive economic downturn of the late 2000's and early 2010's, Dalton and its famous carpet industry likely may be in a close second in terms of how much the area has benefitted from its relatively close proximity as a third-tier Georgia city.

Both Gainesville's famous poultry industry and Dalton's famous carpet industry have enjoyed much benefit from their relatively close proximities to a booming metropolis in Atlanta.

Albany has an advantage with fast food chains and retail. I think you can also factor in the size of the city as well. It's just more of a focal point of a region than the other cities listed.

[oobanks]

Can't honestly see Warner Robins as an independent or 3rd Tier Georgia city either, being that it touches Macon and right in it's circumference. Not to mention it's more of a suburb and suburban in nature. It does have it's own Metro area in the Macon CSA, rapidly growing and mainly suburban sprawl...

[NewtownMacon]

Originally Posted by Fountain-of-youth

Albany has an advantage with fast food chains and retail. I think you can also factor in the size of the city as well. It's just more of a focal point of a region than the other cities listed.

Also I think Albany is more closer to being 2nd tier than Athens.. It's larger proper in size than any of the cities listed and it much larger than the proper city of Athens and WR. Don't quote me on it, but I think Albany has a larger Economy than any of the cities listed. Albany serves as a hub for commerce for southwest Georgia. Now Athens or W.R. take away UGA and Robins AFB those two would be much of nothing. Athens also owe a lot of it's credit to consolidation, it makes the city appear on paper much larger than what it really is in term of actual size. The proper city size of Athens in less than 50K/consolidated 115,452. Albany is almost 80K without Consolidation.

Listed below are companies with operations or some presents in Albany.

Top eight non-governmental employers in Dougherty County[edit]
(excludes the City of Albany, Dougherty County, and the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany)

Albany State University
AT&T
Coats and Clark, Inc.
Miller Brewing Company
Pfizer Inc.
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
Procter & Gamble
Teleperformance USA
United Parcel Service
Companies[edit]
Georgia Pacific Corp.
Mars, Incorporated
Mediacom
Pfizer Inc.
Procter & Gamble
Sherwood Pictures
Thrush Aircraft

Plus Albany has "The Flint River Aquarium" and "Chehaw Park Zoo" something none of the 2nd Tier has.

[cdw1084]

Originally Posted by oobanks

Can't honestly see Warner Robins as an independent or 3rd Tier Georgia city either, being that it touches Macon and right in it's circumference. Not to mention it's more of a suburb and suburban in nature. It does have it's own Metro area in the Macon CSA, rapidly growing and mainly suburban sprawl...

Warner Robins may feel suburban but due to the fact that it's not within Macon's MSA, it's qualified as a tier 3 city. Some parts of the 2nd tier cities and Atlanta have a suburban feel.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by NewtownMacon

Also I think Albany is more closer to being 2nd tier than Athens.. It's larger proper in size than any of the cities listed and it much larger than the proper city of Athens and WR.

City proper is essentially meaningless. Looking at MSA populations as of 2016 and growth rates (in parentheses) from 2010-2016:

Athens: 205,290 (+6.62%)
Gainesville: 196,637 (+9.43%)
Warner Robins: 190,028 (+5.80%)
Albany: 152,219 (-3.24%)
Valdosta: 144,676 (+3.65%)
Dalton: 143,904 (+1.18%)
Brunswick: 116,784 (+3.93%)
Rome: 96,560 (+0.25%)

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...tistical_Areas

Albany is the only one losing population and Valdosta has more than likely leapfrogged it by this point.

Don't quote me on it, but I think Albany has a larger Economy than any of the cities listed.

Here are the metropolitan GDPs for each as of 2015 (latest year available):

Gainesville: $8.569B
Athens: $8.142B
Warner Robins: $6.865B
Dalton: $5.983B
Albany: $5.142B
Valdosta: $4.850B
Rome: $3.645B
Brunswick: $3.616B

Source: https://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/reg..._metro0916.pdf

Now Athens or W.R. take away UGA and Robins AFB those two would be much of nothing.

But you can't take away those things.

Plus Albany has "The Flint River Aquarium" and "Chehaw Park Zoo" something none of the 2nd Tier has.

And the other cities has stuff that Albany doesn't have. Works both ways.

[oobanks]

Originally Posted by cdw1084

Warner Robins may feel suburban but due to the fact that it's not within Macon's MSA, it's qualified as a tier 3 city. Some parts of the 2nd tier cities and Atlanta have a suburban feel.

Still in the Macon CSA and right next door. On paper it is it's own Metro but all else is debatable... You could also debate Marietta being a 2nd or 3rd Tier city if you think about it but it's within the Atlanta Metro and much more build between the two. I could easily see Marietta as being one of those suburbs that could be a 3rd Tier or even 2nd tier City. I just don't see Warner Robins as being far enough away from Macon-Bibb to have that type of independence. It touches the City of Macon-Bibb. I'm starting to feel the same about Gainesville, GA. in spite the fact its further away from Atlanta than say a Warner Robins but Atlanta has a sorta influence/shadow that's hard to overlook. As far as Athens and Albany, I'm having a hard time putting Athens in the 2nd Tier class even though I get why many would want to put it there. In spite of Consolidation, it seems more a Kin to Albany, GA range, just more popular and vibrant due to UGA.. Albany does seem more regional for Southwest GA.

[cdw1084]

Originally Posted by oobanks

Still in the Macon CSA and right next door. On paper it is it's own Metro but all else is debatable... You could also debate Marietta being a 2nd or 3rd Tier city if you think about it but it's within the Atlanta Metro and much more build between the two. I could easily see Marietta as being one of those suburbs that could be a 3rd Tier or even 2nd tier City. I just don't see Warner Robins as being far enough away from Macon-Bibb to have that type of independence. It touches the City of Macon-Bibb. I'm starting to feel the same about Gainesville, GA. in spite the fact its further away from Atlanta than say a Warner Robins but Atlanta has a sorta influence/shadow that's hard to overlook. As far as Athens and Albany, I'm having a hard time putting Athens in the 2nd Tier class even though I get why many would want to put it there. In spite of Consolidation, it seems more a Kin to Albany, GA range, just more popular and vibrant due to UGA.. Albany does seem more regional for Southwest GA.

Debating Marietta as a 2nd or 3rd tier city is totally different from the Macon-WR debate. Marietta is located within the Atlanta MSA and has been for ages. If Warner Robins and Macon combine into one metro, then I could see the debate but the census don't see WR as a part of Macon's MSA so until further notice, I will continue to call it a third tier city.

As for as Gainesville, you can technically make that argument for Athens and Rome to some degree since they all touch Atlanta's MSA.

Finally, Athens is 2nd tier because it has 123,000 people in its city limits. The metro has 205,000 people. Macon, which has around 155,000 people and 229,000 in it's metro is in the 2nd tier so why wouldn't Athens? Also, both cities are consolidated cities.

[NewtownMacon]

As far as Athens and Albany, I'm having a hard time putting Athens in the 2nd Tier class even though I get why many would want to put it there. In spite of Consolidation, it seems more a Kin to Albany, GA range, just more popular and vibrant due to UGA.. Albany does seem more regional for Southwest GA.[/quote]

I agree... I think Albany would be more 2nd tier than Athens for so many different reasons.