Cities that are most different from their hinterlands... (better, compared, metropolitan)

[Trimac20]

Which cities differ MOST from the surrounding/area countryside (outside the immediate city/metro limits)?

My ranking:

1. New York City (the boroughs)
2. San Francisco
3. Chicago
4. Dallas
5. Boston
6. New Orleans
7. Minneapolis
8. Houston
9. Salt Lake City
10. Atlanta

Actually here's a revised ranking:

1. Detroit
2. San Francisco
3. Miami
4. Cleveland
5. Flint, Michigan
6. Chicago
7. New Orleans
8. New York City
9. San Diego
10. Boston

[krudmonk]

Detroit, easily.

[WestbankNOLA]

I agree somewhat. I'm not sure about Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston. Those three appear to blend in and kind of give way slowly to their surrounding environments. NY, SF, Boston, and NO more or less change instantly the second you cross the city or metro line. The rest I'm not familiar with.

[rnc2mbfl]

any fast growing city in the south

[GLS2010]

orlando is a big one

[Southern Soul Bro]

Metro Atlanta isn't THAT dense, and the racial make up of the city limits of Atlanta (and most of it's metro) isnt that much different than other metro cities in GA or even several of the small towns (by that i mean the black/white pop being somewhere between 30-60%..going either way)

I can even be in certain areas of DeKalb and Fulton Counties, and it doesnt feel much different than down here in Macon (like Union City..actually still in fulton county).

With Atlanta being such a large metro, of course there are going to be differences, but I have got to think there are AT LEAST 10 choices that would be better for this topic.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA

I agree somewhat. I'm not sure about Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston. Those three appear to blend in and kind of give way slowly to their surrounding environments. NY, SF, Boston, and NO more or less change instantly the second you cross the city or metro line. The rest I'm not familiar with.

This.

Like the mindset and politics are different, but the atmosphere and visually; they look like the surrounding areas.

[garmin239]

wouldn't most decent sized cities fit the criteria?

[Trimac20]

I should have specified I mean more in a socio-cultural way. (e.g. NYC's distinct metropolitan accent is an example, or Austin being an island of liberality). Obviously cities will differ physically from surrounding countryside/towns/suburbia. Some cities, like Oklahoma City, are probably socially similar to the surrounding countryside.

[john_starks]

9. San Diego?

compared to what?