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I've never, ever heard anyone refer to Phoenix as "hip." Never. Not once. And I'm not denigrating it at all, it does many categories well. Just...isn't at all hip.
I've never, ever heard anyone refer to Phoenix as "hip." Never. Not once. And I'm not denigrating it at all, it does many categories well. Just...isn't at all hip.
A lot of young people love the idea of going to college in Arizona. It's for sure seen as a cool place to be at the moment (maybe not for everyone).
I'd say Denver. That it already has a larger, denser, more walkable downtown gives it a clear advantage, as that's the type of build environment I believe will be much more popular over the next several decades than the suburban and sprawling Phoenix build environment. That's not to say that Denver doesn't sprawl. Also, I read that Denver was going to start taking regional rail connectivity more seriously, and build several more lines. Also, Denver is certainly the more hip city these days among young people because of marijuana legalization, it's natural setting, and frankly, it's just got that vibe.
Did you? Because your comment only makes sense if you mistakenly thought the population of Greater Denver was less than 3 million. If you correctly knew it was greater than 3 million, then what did your comment mean?
Ive never run into a young person who thinks Denver is "more hip" than Phoenix. Unless theyre a pasty, heat-hating, Starbucks-type hipster, they wont choose Denver over Phoenix. I dont see tons of kids running to Denver to go to college. Im pretty sure 9 out of 10 would take ASU any day over Denver, as its youthful, extremely hip, and has much more mild weather, which most people prefer.
ASU is a pretty bad school - I wouldn't be proud that you can suck up large numbers of C-students and leave the better educated to Denver (84% ASU acceptance rate!). But the world needs bartenders too.............
Did you? Because your comment only makes sense if you mistakenly thought the population of Greater Denver was less than 3 million. If you correctly knew it was greater than 3 million, then what did your comment mean?
It means I know as well as many others that Denver feels and is a small city, especially compared to large cities such as Phoenix.
It means I know as well as many others that Denver feels and is a small city, especially compared to large cities such as Phoenix.
I don't think that is what you originally meant. I think you are reframing it since you didn't know Greater Denver was larger than 3 million. But let's go with it.
Phoenix makes Denver seem small measured how? By skyline? Nope. Denver has a much better skyline.
By density? Nope. Denver has a higher population density in both the city and the entire urban area.
Thriving downtown neighborhoods where people want to live? Denver > Phoenix there too.
Both cities have pro sports teams in all four major sports so it is not that either.
Fortune 500 companies based in the metro areas? Denver leads there too.
So how exactly does Phoenix seem like a large city and Denver small in comparison? Sprawl?
It means I know as well as many others that Denver feels and is a small city, especially compared to large cities such as Phoenix.
I really don't think you're going to find an outrageous difference in the way the two "feel" when it comes to size, especially when talking about the central areas. In fact, if you were to expand Denver's borders to equal those of Phoenix's, it would be larger.
Phoenix is 517 square miles with an estimated population of 1,537,038.
Denver is only 153 square miles, but if those borders were expanded to include the surrounding cities, the new city would be 519 square miles with an estimated population of 1,721,568. Once you leave that central area, I understand Phoenix continues for longer, but the size difference isn't astounding.
Population matters little, I think. Cities should be more focused on quality growth, meaning density, transit infrastructure, education, and economic development. While Phoenix may lead in quantity, I believe Denver leads in quality.
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