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I'm curious why there are 10 (and counting) Phoenix votes, since not one of them has spoken up about their position. Denver is its own thing, but it's obviously quite a bit closer to Minneapolis than Phoenix.
i would say it is more like minneapolis at the core , outside of the core well i have never been to Minneapolis but have lived in both phoenix and Denver and it to me is typical suburbia . As for weather i would say Denver is in the middle maybe a tad closer to Phoenix , it can get pretty toasty along the front range in the summer and the winters in Denver are not all that bad it has its moments.
I'd say more like Phoenix. Denver is a "Western" city, and a Sunbelt city that's mostly grown in the decades from the 80s onward. I think most Colorado people would identify more with a state like AZ than a Midwestern state like MN; they tend to look down on the Midwest for some reason, even though Denver itself is borderline Midwestern.
I think demographically and in terms of religion Denver is more like Phoenix too, in the sense it's quite Hispanic and the white population is largely non-religious.
As a native Phoenician and a resident of Denver for 4 years with many trips to Minneapolis I chose Phoenix.
They're both in deserts, both are suburban in feel, both have mountains on short distances, both have a lot of mid western transplants of whom locals dislike, and last year both are finally realizing that a vibrant downtown is the correct way to move forward.
I've done business trips to Minneapolis and the feel of the city is much different.
I don't think Denver is anything like Phoenix. It just looks different, feels different. Even the light is different there, less intense, more modulated. And it has a very good downtown where Phoenix downtown is still fairly dead despite recent improvements. Phoenix can be quite pretty though in many parts, palm trees, cacti, oleander, bougainvillea, etc.
I'll be visiting Denver for the first time later this year to visit my old college roommate. Geographically, it seems to be about halfway between Minneapolis and Phoenix. In terms of layout, density, nightlife/entertainment, culture, demographics/ethnic enclaves, economy, politics, and transportation, which city does Denver resemble more closely?
Perhaps Denver more like Dallas or Seattle, but I haven't spent significant time in either city, so that comparison wouldn't mean much to me.
I spent ten years in Minneapolis and have only visited Denver and Phoenix, although on many occasions for each. Here is my take:
Layout: probably Phoenix as Phoenix and Denver are less of a grid than Minneapolis, it seems. But...in terms of footprint Minneapolis is a heckofalot smaller than both.
Density: Minneapolis. Phoenix has a population that is more than Denver and Minneapolis combined.
Nightlife/entertainment: most likely Phoenix, but it really depends on what you are into. Outside of bars and a few venues, Minneapolis seems to be lacking in my opinion.
Culture: Probably Phoenix. Minneapolis is largely white with a mostly Scandinavian influence. But...I think it is a toss up as all three cities are "landlocked" and generally separated from other large cities by a great distance, thus they tend to have a little bit of everything each. Minneapolis is probably the most self-congratulatroty of the three, though.
Demographics/ethnic enclaves: see above.
Economy: Minneapolis.
Politics: Minneapolis.
Transportation: I'd go with Minneapolis as well.
To be honest, I think Denver most resembles Seattle than it does either Minneapolis or Phoenix.
People in Denver b*tch more about transplants from California than they do about those coming from the Midwest.
Yet another similarity to Phoenix!
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