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There was an interesting thread started a day or two ago about what city is most like Indy, and it seems like the consensus came down to Charlotte and Columbus. I've never been to either of the three, (but will be going to Indy for work in a few months) and was wondering how they compare. So, of the three, which one is the best in terms of the following:
Economy and Infrastructure
Food
Arts and Culture
Sports and Recreation
Diversity
Education
Friendliness Toward Transplants
Economy and Infrastructure - Charlotte (Bigger airport, fast growing metro)
Food - Charlotte (Was Paula Dean from North Carolina? Anyway I love that sour and tangy Carolina-style BBQ!)
Arts and Culture - Columbus (Seems like there's more going on)
Sports and Recreation - Charlotte (Two pro sports teams, plus it's relatively close to the mountains, though Columbus has a hockey team)
Diversity - Inconclusive Charlotte has a bigger black community, Columbus has a bigger LGBT community, but as far as international presence, I don't know.
Education- Columbus (Ohio State > UNCC)
Friendliness Toward Transplants - Inconclusive I'd guess probably Columbus, but I'm not sure.
Charlotte is a tier above Columbus and Indianapolis. There's a 10 metropolitan area gap between Charlotte and Indianapolis/Columbus. Charlotte is a Gamma+ city, it has a larger economy, growing faster, ect.
Charlotte is a tier above Columbus and Indianapolis. There's a 10 metropolitan area gap between Charlotte and Indianapolis/Columbus. Charlotte is a Gamma+ city, it has a larger economy, growing faster, ect.
Columbus is Indianapolis' best match.
But Cleveland is "Beta-," Portland and Cincinnati are "Gamma +," while Phoenix and Kansas City are regular "Gamma." I still don't understand how they came up with this criteria, nor am I particularly convinced that this Alpha-Beta-Gamma +/- system is the best ranking system we have.
Charlotte is a tier above Columbus and Indianapolis. There's a 10 metropolitan area gap between Charlotte and Indianapolis/Columbus. Charlotte is a Gamma+ city, it has a larger economy, growing faster, ect.
Columbus is Indianapolis' best match.
Don't put too much stock in the whole GAWC rankings. For the most part, all three of these cities are in the same league. Charlotte's MSA is 2.3 million, while Columbus's and Indy's are close to 2 million.
I agree that Columbus and Indy match up quite well, but throwing Charlotte into the mix makes for an interesting comparison.
Don't put too much stock in the whole GAWC rankings. For the most part, all three of these cities are in the same league. Charlotte's MSA is 2.3 million, while Columbus's and Indy's are close to 2 million.
I agree that Columbus and Indy match up quite well, but throwing Charlotte into the mix makes for an interesting comparison.
I was just using it as an example.
The population gap will only get larger if current growth rates continue and Charlotte leads in everything other than education and maybe arts.
Shouldn't Kansas City, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Sacramento, San Antonio, Portland, or Pittsburgh all also be worthy of comparison to Indianapolis? What exactly would you say is comparable between Charlotte and Indianapolis?
The population gap will only get larger if current growth rates continue and Charlotte leads in everything other than education and maybe arts.
Shouldn't Kansas City, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Sacramento, San Antonio, Portland, or Pittsburgh all also be worthy of comparison to Indianapolis? What exactly would you say is comparable between Charlotte and Indianapolis?
Well the OP is basing the comparison on comments made in another thread, so I'd ask him about that. Either way, practically all of those cities have already been compared to Indy. Charlotte was even thrown into the mix in a thread comparing pretty much all of them. This is City Data where any number of combinations of comparisons are possible, so I see nothing awkward about this particular one:
I said this in the other thread, so I guess I will say it here too.
A person I know who is from Charlotte, says Charlotte is Indianapolis with light rail and better weather.
Honestly; while Indianapolis is a city I sometimes have a love-hate relationship with........the sound of Indianapolis with light rail and better weather doesn't sound so bad (better is relative, I prefer winter). Couple that with the fact that Charlotte is growing faster, maybe Charlotte is a place I could enjoy.
Quick look up on Wiki for metro size, urban area size and city size. Take it for what's it worth in Wiki.
2012 Metro ranking, size and growth rate since 2010.
#23 Charlotte 2,296,589. % 3.59
#32 Columbus 1,944,002. % 2.21
#33 Indianapolis. 1,928,982. % 2.18
2010 urbanization areas pop. land area, density
#33 Indianapolis 1,487,483. 705.7sq 2,107.7 per sq
#36 Columbus. 1,368,035. 510.5sq. 2,680 per sq
#38 Charlotte. 1,249,442. 741.5sq. 1,685 per sq
2012 city estimate size, growth rate, area and density
#13 Indianapolis. 834,852. +1.76%. 361sq. 2,270 per sq
#15 Columbus. 809, 798. +2.89 %. 217sq. 3,624 per sq
#17 Charlotte. 775,202. +5.99%. 297sq. 2,457 per sq
All very similar. Charlotte has the best growth, Indy seems to be the largest and Cbus seems to be the most dense.
Economy and Infrastructure - Charlotte (Bigger airport, fast growing metro)
Food - Charlotte (Was Paula Dean from North Carolina? Anyway I love that sour and tangy Carolina-style BBQ!)
Arts and Culture - Columbus (Seems like there's more going on)
Sports and Recreation - Charlotte (Two pro sports teams, plus it's relatively close to the mountains, though Columbus has a hockey team)
Diversity - Inconclusive Charlotte has a bigger black community, Columbus has a bigger LGBT community, but as far as international presence, I don't know.
Education- Columbus (Ohio State > UNCC)
Friendliness Toward Transplants - Inconclusive I'd guess probably Columbus, but I'm not sure.
So: Charlotte 3, Columbus 2, Indy 0
Food: None are exceptional but I'll give the edge to Charlotte. Btw Paula Dean is from Savannah, GA.
Economy and Infrastruture: Charlotte
Arts and Culture: I give the edge to Indianapolis because it has more monument, museums, galleries, and better convention center. Indy is host to the nation's largest African American celebration (Black Expo)
Sports and Recreation: goes to Indianapolis because because not only does it have two major pro sports teams but it is headquarters to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations. The national offices of the USA Gymnastics, USA Diving, US Synchronized Swimming and USA Track & Field are located in Indianapolis. Indy is also home to three NCAA athletic conferences (Horizon League, Great Lakes Valley Conference and Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Plus Indianapolis is a world automobile racing center hosting both open wheel and NASCAR racing events.
Diversity: Columbus
Education: Columbus
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