Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The land area of a metros primary city is a very influential variable in local urban cultures around the world.
Large land area cities
Pros
Many affordable areas within the city proper
More fiscally efficient.
Room for growth, thus great real estate opprtunities
Captures close inn suburban tax base.
More middle class friendly.
Cons
Not as much rail transit incentive
Not as environmentally friendly
Sub-par downtowns
Captures the entirety of ringed slums
Not as many municipal options.
Small Cities
Pros
Good transit
Good downtowns
Alot of different commutable municipal options
Environmentally friendly
Excludes metro slums
Cons
Expensive
Crowded
excludes wealthy inner suburban tax base
No middle class, not family friendly.
Middle cities would obviously fall between that spectrum with variations based on size and shape.
What do you think is healthier for a city in 2016 600sq miles or 60sq miles?
I don't know if smaller city limits automatically mean expensive, no middle class and no family friendly areas. Maybe coastal cities, but not those inland.
Among other things the OP conflates the city with the people.
As noted in a preceding post, there are many presumptions implicit in the OP's inquiry which aren't rooted in fact and indeed may be wholly incorrect or incomplete.
Perhaps it's better for there not to be a city at all.
The existence of the "city" is distinct from the existence of the people.
There is nothing particularly magical about residing within the geographic territory of an incorporated political subdivision of a state unless you find paying taxes to that entity to be magical.
Among other things the OP conflates the city with the people.
As noted in a preceding post, there are many presumptions implicit in the OP's inquiry which aren't rooted in fact and indeed may be wholly incorrect or incomplete.
Perhaps it's better for there not to be a city at all.
The existence of the "city" is distinct from the existence of the people.
There is nothing particularly magical about residing within the geographic territory of an incorporated political subdivision of a state unless you find paying taxes to that entity to be magical.
It does come down to taxes. In cities with larger land areas it is harder to escape the taxes, and still be within commuting distance of downtown. That does make a big difference.
I have no idea what your talking about as far as the city and the people being magical or whatever. I never said anything like that.
Last edited by killakoolaide; 08-27-2016 at 01:01 PM..
It does come down to taxes. In cities with larger land areas it is harder to escape the taxes, and still be within commuting distance of downtown. That does make a big difference.
I have no idea what your talking about as far as the city and the people being magical or whatever. I never said anything like that.
You have confused the city as an entity with the people in the city - a common theme in this forum. You list aspects that might be pros or cons for people (not really the list was presumptive). But then you pose the question: "What do you think is healthier for a city in 2016 600sq miles or 60sq miles?"
So you veered off track about the people and jumped to some non-sequitur question about which was a better size for a city. Why would the people living in an area care if they were living in an incorporated area? Why would they care whether the political subdivision they reside within spans a geographic territory of X miles?
You have confused the city as an entity with the people in the city - a common theme in this forum. You list aspects that might be pros or cons for people (not really the list was presumptive). But then you pose the question: "What do you think is healthier for a city in 2016 600sq miles or 60sq miles?"
So you veered off track about the people and jumped to some non-sequitur question about which was a better size for a city. Why would the people living in an area care if they were living in an incorporated area? Why would they care whether the political subdivision they reside within spans a geographic territory of X miles?
I'm simply asking what makes more economic sense for an urban area, lt's not whether or not people care. Boundaries do matter because of school districts and taxing. If detroit was to add 100sq miles tommorrow, most of those residents would leave asap.
I'm simply asking what makes more economic sense for an urban area, lt's not whether or not people care. Boundaries do matter because of school districts and taxing. If detroit was to add 100sq miles tommorrow, most of those residents would leave asap.
I may have worded it incorrectly.
Economic sense for who?
An "urban area" is just a geographic territory.
Are you referring to the people there? If so then why would they care?
Economic sense for who?
An "urban area" is just a geographic territory.
Are you referring to the people there? If so then why would they care?
An urban area is not just a geographic area. It is a man-made environment that is heavily influenced by commerce and transportation. Are you asking why people would care about salaries, taxes, COL, and job opportunities? It's a simple concept.
Last edited by killakoolaide; 08-28-2016 at 04:38 AM..
An urban area is not just a geographic area. It is a man-made environment that is heavily influenced by commerce and transportation. Are you asking why people would care about salaries, taxes, COL, and job opportunities? It's a simple concept.
Your question is "What do you think is healthier for a city in 2016 600sq miles or 60sq miles?"
Are you referring to the people in the city or the city as an entity?
Your pros and cons were directed at aspects important to people.
Your question, however, appears to be about the city as an entity.
These are two distinct things.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
