Is Birmingham a "major city"? (Greenville, York: insurance, health care)

[birminghamster]

Has Birmingham amassed enough population and significance to be considered a major city, regionally or nationally? I think it is definitely a major regional city, but what about nationally? If not, will it ever grow enough to become one?

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by birminghamster

Has Birmingham amassed enough population and significance to be considered a major city, regionally or nationally? I think it is definitely a major regional city, but what about nationally? If not, will it ever grow enough to become one?

I have long considered any city with 1million+ population a major city. Adding to that Birmingham's national recognition and it's definitely a major city.

I would bet that a pretty large number of people would name it as the capital of Alabama.

[mwruckman]

Birmingham is a fading steel town and no more a major city than Youngstown Ohio, Gary-Hammond Indiana or Wheeling WVa.

[AQUEMINI331]

Originally Posted by birminghamster

Has Birmingham amassed enough population and significance to be considered a major city, regionally or nationally? I think it is definitely a major regional city, but what about nationally? If not, will it ever grow enough to become one?

Birmingham is definitely a major city regionally in the South, which I generally define as everything between Texas and Virginia and back down to Florida. Nationally, no. Nashville, Memphis, and Charlotte barely qualify as major cities in my opinion, and they're all significantly larger than Birmingham. The only southern cities that are undeniably "major cities" nationally are Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas.

I know 1 million seems like a nice, clean number to use as a threshold, but it's actually a bit small-ish for a metro area. Even Greenville-Spartanburg, SC has that number, and I wouldn't consider that to be a major metropolitan area. Maybe 2 or 2.5 million is a better number.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by AQUEMINI331

Birmingham is definitely a major city regionally in the South, which I generally define as everything between Texas and Virginia and back down to Florida. Nationally, no. Nashville, Memphis, and Charlotte barely qualify as major cities in my opinion, and they're all significantly larger than Birmingham. The only southern cities that are undeniably "major cities" nationally are Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas.

I know 1 million seems like a nice, clean number to use as a threshold, but it's actually a bit small-ish for a metro area. Even Greenville-Spartanburg, SC has that number, and I wouldn't consider that to be a major metropolitan area. Maybe 2 or 2.5 million is a better number.

Greenville-Spartanburg doesn't have the name recognition of Birmingham...that's one factor that makes Birmingham national to me. It's the largest city in the state plus it's known for a few different things.

[birminghamster]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

Greenville-Spartanburg doesn't have the name recognition of Birmingham...that's one factor that makes Birmingham national to me. It's the largest city in the state plus it's known for a few different things.

Perhaps name recognition rather than population is the determining factor?

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by birminghamster

Perhaps name recognition rather than population is the determining factor?

I would think a little of both.

[nature's message]

Birmingham is a regional powerhouse, but as mentioned earlier, it is not a major national city.

[raj kapoor]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

Greenville-Spartanburg doesn't have the name recognition of Birmingham...that's one factor that makes Birmingham national to me. It's the largest city in the state plus it's known for a few different things.

The Carolina's cities are clustered. The US census shows Greenville metro at over six hundred thoursand, not a million. (Birmingham metro is just under one million two hundred thousand) So by official figures Birmingham is twice the size of Greenville. I know people on their forum argue this a lot but even their CSA does not raise their numbers much. They push the number to a million by including Ashville N.C. but it is an economically self supporting MSA.

In 2012 census Birmingham's CSA was expanded and it is headed to 1,500,000. That is significant and I would say it is the point at which one begins to see the economic and cultural maturity of the city forming. For instance we all know that banking , insurance and bio-research and health care are our big eco-engines along with distribution. We are also a wholesale/retail magnet for the central south. This is quite different from the reference by a previous poster who compared Birmingham to fading steel city of the midwest. Ironically when one thinks steel now it would be more likely that they would think of the steel going into the Mercedes built on our west and the Hondas on our east.
People do choose to have the attitude and deductions they embrace and don't usually base them in reality. Our medical center was named one of the top ten in the country by two sources this year. This would imply most doctors would clearly respond to Birmingham in a positve way. I deduct that we become more national by what we are known for than mere numbers alone. I tend to think of Atlanta as Delta and Coke, Nashville and country music/entertainment and Memphis at FedEx. So one can reduce any place to a common denomanator. Btw I find good in every place I have ever been but some are like soul mates.

There are a little over one hundred metros of a million or more. When you think Boston and New York do you really think of one as a third as big as the other. Eventually content is more important that quantity. I believe we are now showing some progress in our quality content. We are a wonderful city with great promise and a unique historical begining.
Sorry for the long rant. QUATRO DE MAYO.........tequilla.........lol.

raj

[urbanologist]

Originally Posted by mwruckman

Birmingham is a fading steel town and no more a major city than Youngstown Ohio, Gary-Hammond Indiana or Wheeling WVa.

Birmingham has a more diverse economy than those places and it is larger with more development. The city is also a major financial banking center with Regions locations nationwide. It may have rust belt like characteristics of the past but that's about it.