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Which of the combination of large cities nearby each other (let's say up to a distance around 100 miles) do you think have the strongest bonds and are most linked to each other...maybe to a sense that they really are well connected and that their nearby relationship really influences each other.
I'm eliminating cities in the same metro area. The following, based on my distinction of "same metro" are not included:
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Minneapolis/St. Paul
San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
and even, though it is a stretch:
Washington/Baltimore
(because they are very close and are virtually overlapping metro areas and arguably even one (Baltimore-Washington, for an example, being an airport)
I'm including the following:
Los Angeles/San Diego
Chicago/Milwaukee
New York/Philadelphia
Philadelphia/Baltimore
Not sure if this would qualify but I think Seattle-Portland-Vancouver would be in the top 10. Also not as close but Seattle-San Francisco is very connected
I've been to Chicago dozens of times and both sides of my family are from the area. I've never been to Milwaukee. So, I'd probably take that one off the list.
Of the list, I'd probably say NYC & Philadelphia since they both have New Jersey in common as their burbs and are well connected by NJTransit.
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New York/Philadelphia, easily. Separated by only ~90 minutes and ~50 miles at their closest points, the exchange in terms of people, goods and services is quite massive. The entire state of New Jersey is essentially broken down into "New York", "Philadelphia" and The Shore. People can (and do) live in one city and work in the other. And unlike the other pairings on this list (besides Packers/Bears), there are actual fierce rivalries in sports between the two (Eagles/Giants, Phillies/Mets, Flyers/Rangers and 76ers/Knicks).
Chicago and Milwaukee are pretty connected. I've lived in both, and everyone I knew, went back and forth between the two cities, depending on what was going on. They usually drove, but sometimes took the train. I had a couple of friends in Milwaukee who commuted to Chicago for work (via the train), and I knew of some privately owned businesses that opened a location in Milwaukee, because of the close proximity. Their metros meet, and some day, I'm sure, they'll be a part of the same CSA.
Which of the combination of large cities nearby each other (let's say up to a distance around 100 miles) do you think have the strongest bonds and are most linked to each other...maybe to a sense that they really are well connected and that their nearby relationship really influences each other.
I'm eliminating cities in the same metro area. The following, based on my distinction of "same metro" are not included:
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Minneapolis/St. Paul
San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
and even, though it is a stretch:
Washington/Baltimore
(because they are very close and are virtually overlapping metro areas and arguably even one (Baltimore-Washington, for an example, being an airport)
I'm including the following:
Los Angeles/San Diego
Chicago/Milwaukee
New York/Philadelphia
Philadelphia/Baltimore
Baton Rouge and New Orleans are very closely linked and are not considered the same metro area since they are separated by extensive swampland but there are many family and other connections between the two areas. This has only increased since Katrina since many New Orleans area residents have relocated to Baton Rouge and stayed. Everyone in both cities cheer for both the Saints and LSU. Some of the news media also overlaps between the two regions. And it seems most people in Baton Rouge use the New Orleans airport because of the much cheaper airfares and more direct flights.
Los Angeles and Las Vegas are heavily linked by migration and by business connections.
And as to be expected, New York and Washington DC have many connections.
I've been to Chicago dozens of times and both sides of my family are from the area. I've never been to Milwaukee. So, I'd probably take that one off the list.
Of the list, I'd probably say NYC & Philadelphia since they both have New Jersey in common as their burbs and are well connected by NJTransit.
I agree, while definitely different places and retain their identities the two have really grown into one another and share a middle space that is sort of burbs of both. they also share a lot of job markets, transit etc.
They are also only 46 miles apart at their closest city borders and have about 6-7 million people that reside in the space in between the two cities
Balt/Philly while pretty close don't have as much overlap and Chicago and Milwaukee while some connect are pretty far and have less development in the middle based on my experience north of Chicago
many parts of Jersey will have both cities sports teams on as their clientele can be split in many areas if that is any marker
Mets and Phils or Giants and Eagles fans living in harmony, jersey is a strange place
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