Houston is the Sixth Largest U.S. Metro (Dallas, Fort Worth: place to live, statistics)

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by Guerilla

Yeah, Atlanta's is Georgia's main city. Houston shares with DFW, then you have Austin and San Antonio each close to two million in metro size. By the way, Houston has grown faster than DFW for the past two years. They will both reach 7 million soon, too.

If Houston and Dallas each continues the numerical growth they've had in the 2000-2006 period, here's when each will hit 7,000,000:

Dallas-Fort Worth has averaged 134,595 growth per year; Houston: 133,088 per year.

Houston hits 6,000,000 before 2010 census,
Houston hits 7,000,000 in 2017

Dallas-Fort Worth hits 7,000,000 in 2014.

However, In both metros, recent growth has been greater than those averages. If they each maintain the growth they experienced in 2005-2006, they will hit 7,000,000 VERY close to the same time, around the 2012-2013 time frame.

Call me crazy, but I think Houston has all the potential to become the most populous city in America within the next century. That's my personal opinion.

[Guerilla]

Won't happen. Los Angeles and New York's metro/city size will always be above us. We might pass Chicago in city, and possible metro (as we are growing faster than them), but that is it.

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by Guerilla

Won't happen. Los Angeles and New York's metro/city size will always be above us. We might pass Chicago in city, and possible metro (as we are growing faster than them), but that is it.

And you "know" this how? No one, and I do mean no one, has the foresight or knowledge to be so sure that such a phenomenon could never take place. With Houston's business booming...you have no idea what could happen that could lead to our status as the largest city by 2100. Things change:

Decades ago, San Antonio was the largest in Texas. Most people today can't even fathom that. A few years ago the Los Angeles metro was larger than the New York metro. Populations fluctuate. Business and stocks fluctuate. Don't forget that H is a leading Fortune 500 city.

The fact remains, no one can make it happen, and no one can keep it from happening. As life goes on and on, and trends and lifestyles and attitudes transform, economy will do the same. You act as if I'm saying it will happen within the next few decades.

[SpeedyAZ]

It's VERY highly unlikely that Houston will ever surpass NYC or L.A. Even if Houston experiences the growth that you say it should, it will be nearly impossible to reach the size of NYC (as they are also growing). The metro pop. of NYC is 19 million people while Houston has a little over 5 million.

It just won't happen.

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

It's VERY highly unlikely that Houston will ever surpass NYC or L.A. Even if Houston experiences the growth that you say it should, it will be nearly impossible to reach the size of NYC (as they are also growing). The metro pop. of NYC is 19 million people while Houston has a little over 5 million.

It just won't happen.

You say it as if it's in your hands

[mattscards]

Originally Posted by purtex

Being fourth largest city doesn't matter with television markets. Atlanta is ranked higher and they don't even have 500,000 within their city limits. Metro populations are different but even then, television markets aren't based on metro numbers either. It's based on television households and how many of those households you reach in different counties with your television stations.
Here are the latest rankings for television markets in the US. Houston has a ways to go before it even catches up with the Dallas/Ft Worth television market because they're growing by leaps and bounds too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_media_market

The whole meaning of my post was that the new population release had Houston metro jumping over
Washington and Miami. The link you list shows Houston at 10th. I know since they just released this data this week, that the list that shows Houston #10 TV market is not accurate, and does not reflect the new data, even though it says it is for the 2006-2007 season. As far as the Dallas area goes, all projections I have seen in the next 50 years has them growing at an equal or faster rate than the Houston area.
The metro area size does in deed have something to do with the TV market. It is not always the same number as the metro size, but it should be close.

[Guerilla]

It won't happen. I much as I love Houston (lived there all my life). This is different times now. New York and LA will always be at the top. It really isn't hard to understand. How long as NYC been on the top? You say Houston will be the largest as if you "know" it will be. And the Los Angeles metro has never been larger than the New York metro. For one, Los Angeles has always been catching up to NYC in population. It is growing much faster, and will most likely surpass the metro in ten years.

Houston is leading in Fortune 500 companies, but drops off a bit in Fortune 1000. Also, metro areas. It has a lower GDP than Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta, as well.

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by Guerilla

It won't happen. I much as I love Houston (lived there all my life). This is different times now. New York and LA will always be at the top. It really isn't hard to understand. How long as NYC been on the top? You say Houston will be the largest as if you "know" it will be. And the Los Angeles metro has never been larger than the New York metro. For one, Los Angeles has always been catching up to NYC in population. It is growing much faster, and will most likely surpass the metro in ten years.

Houston is leading in Fortune 500 companies, but drops off a bit in Fortune 1000. Also, metro areas. It has a lower GDP than Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta, as well.

Doesn't matter. Anything is possible. What if Houston annexed its metro? That would make the actual population larger than Chicago and L.A. And anything could happen to New York. You never know. Look at how much business was lost in 9/11. And you also never know what could spark a bang in Houston's economy. I personally am a firm believer in big things like this happening. History and statistics have proved themselves wrong time and time again in the past.

[SpeedyAZ]

You say it as if it's in your hands

I don't want to start an arguement here, neither of us are that childish. I was giving my personal opinion as you gave yours.

Houston is a great city but it just can surpass NYC or L.A. You said how much business was lost as the result of 9/11; now look how much it has gained. 9/11 was a terrible, tragic event that will remain in the history books forever but look how NYC responded. They banned together and became stronger than ever.

Houston also doesn't have the tourism as many other cities have (NYC, L.A., Dallas, etc). This is one aspect where Houston is greatly lacking; tourism is a huge plus for any economy. Houston doesn't have that revenue as other cities.

I also like Houston and believe it's a great place to live. But there is almost 0% chance of it becoming the largest US city.

[mpope409]

And you should know that Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 are the same thing. Fortune 1000 is just a longer list, and there's no such thing as a GDP for a city. GMP/GAP are used to rank metropolitan areas* in the United States. And even then, Houston's GMP/GAP is still greater than Atlanta's. Dallas' is only greater because of the metro.

*If our nation's GMP/GAP was ranked by actual city limits, Houston's would be greater than both Dallas' and Atlanta's.