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Dorney Park is a legitimate amusement park with a full water park. It's a Peanut's character themed park so you can hangout with Snoopy and Charlie Brown.
The annual Allentown Fair is a pretty big deal. Looks like Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith are headlining it this year.
Allentown is home to the Leigh Valley Iron Pigs, which is the Phillies AAA team. It's home to the Leigh Valley Phantoms which is the AHL team of the Flyers.
Allentown is along I-78 which turns into the Holland Tunnel going into Manhattan. I-476 connects the city to Philadelphia.
The Appalachian trail passes close by Allentown and through the Leigh Valley. There are some very pretty areas. The most popular spot is probably the Delaware Water Gap about 35-40 min drive north from Allentown: https://www.nps.gov/dewa/index.htm
Yea I think because the region is technically three separate cities of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton that all also border each other and together comprise about 250,000 people makes it pretty much unknown.
The Lehigh Valley metro was about 825,000 in 2010 and once the 2020 census data is released I am sure it will be over 1 Million....
The area has tons of history and character and lots of big city assets and access to nature and two major cities NYC and PHL. Im actually shocked it has scored so low in this poll... my guess is because it is a "best kept secret"....
Downtown Bethlehem is absolutely gorgeous. And the area is home to 8 universities and two are quite renowned.
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rowhomecity: In addition to PA's small city sizes (excluding PHL and Pitt) which can cause disjointed urban areas, I think there is something to be said about being #1 flagship city in your state as is the case with Albuquerque. Whereas Allentown is the clear #3 by far. When you are the flagship you somehow get a major boost relative to your size. Does not put you in a new tier, but it does sort of elevate you a bit above your peers.
Allentown and Albuquerque tie in most metrics. But, there is a key difference in their branding and recognition largely related to the previous statement.
Boise, Anchorage, Sioux Falls, Fargo all get boosts relative to their size. Charleston, WV and Billings, MT yeah kinda do too, idk not quite as clear cut with those two. Wyoming is the only oddball in the whole country, its largest city is really quite small - Cheyenne. I'd argue ultra-wealthy and very small Jackson WY is the flag bearer.
Edit: Also, Lehigh as you mentioned is one of the top ranked Universities in the entire country (top 20), which I agree is quite a bit deal.I
I think ABQ and ABE should be ranked closer in the poll, but again it doesn't always shake out that way.
The Lehigh Valley area seems pretty cool, but I prefer Albuquerque. Despite all of its problems, the city has so much character and charm. There's the beautiful architecture, Native American culture, local cuisine, sweeping vistas, and the Balloon Fiesta. Among metros that are in the 800K - 900K, ABQ stands out quite a bit.
The Lehigh Valley metro was about 825,000 in 2010 and once the 2020 census data is released I am sure it will be over 1 Million....
Allentown would have to have had one heck of a growth spurt and be greatly underestimated to cross 1 million in population in the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau doesn't even have it above 850,000 by 2019. It grew by only 2.79 percent from 2010-2019, according to the estimates. And I know that Pennsylvania was underestimated, but you really believe Allentown was actually an incredibly underestimated boomtown that grew by over 179,000 people in 10 years? Besides, Pennsylvania still only grew by 2.3% over the last decade. Pennsylvania's April 1, 2020 official Census count was off by 219,446 people versus its July 1, 2020 estimate. In order for Allentown's July 1, 2019 population estimate of 844,052 to actually be at 1 million by the April 1, 2020 Census count it would mean that Allentown itself accounted for 155,948 people out of the 219,446 that Pennsylvania's estimate was miscalculated. That would be 71% of the Pennsylvania underestimation. I don't buy it.
BTW, the possibility exists that Albuquerque and Santa Fe could be combined into one MSA when they are next re-aligned. Santa Fe is already slated to lose its MSA status under the new proposed criteria for defining a metro area. That may make it easier and more acceptable to combine it with Albuquerque. I know Santa Fe's city leaders aren't at all happy about the prospect of Santa Fe losing its MSA status. Albuquerque and Santa Fe also already share many tangible links. Many people live in the Albuquerque northern suburbs like Rio Rancho and commute to Santa Fe for work, including state cabinet secretaries and agency heads. Some of them famously take the Rail Runner commuter train between the two areas, which is one of those tangible links between the two cities. And most people that live in southern Santa Fe County communities like Edgewood commute into Albuquerque for work. The interchange of people between the two areas is already sufficient for a CSA, and the commuting between the two is only growing.
Here's some of Albuquerque's Native history that ties into the beginning of its Spanish Colonial history. The several ruins of Pueblo Indian villages scattered around the metro area and in the valley where the city now exists. These were some of the most advanced and prosperous settlements in North America that Europeans first encountered. Tiguex Park in Old Town Albuquerque is named for the Tiguex Province of several villages that occupied this valley at the time of first European contact in the 1500s. This isn't even getting into the history of the several Pueblo Indian villages that survived and surround Albuquerque. Albuquerque is home to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that preserves, explores and celebrates this rich history. It's a must see for anyone who visits the city.
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Albuquerque 101:
Idk if Santa Fe and Albuquerque may be combined for MSA, but I would never combine them for urban area at 64.2 miles core to core. Though my thread did not specify urban area pairings in the OP. So! That is interesting, I would think that is more of a CSA. Dayton and Cincinnati as well as Akron and Cleveland are separate MSA's and are only 54.2 and 39.4 miles apart, respectively. Cleveland and Cincinnati are also heavier cores than Albuquerque.
Pennsylvania growth is probably focused on the SE quadrant since many areas of far northern and western PA had posted estimated population losses, some quite substantial (see Cambria County - Johnstown PA). Question is: will those losses hold? If they do hold, coupled with NY and NJ's large gains, I think SE quadrant of PA - Philadelphia, Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading may actually fare quite well in 2020 county revision.
Or, maybe the loss areas won't be so bad after all the dust settles.
Either way, when it comes to GDP and IRS taxable income, ABQ and ABE are quite similar. I had pointed this out in our exchange on a previous thread but felt it was relevant here again for all to see:
2020 GDP in billions
Allentown $42.4
Albuquerque $41.81
2016 Personal Taxable Income (IRS) by MSA in thousands (most recent year of reliable data that was grouped properly)
Allentown $3,808,168.00
Albuquerque $3,010,727.00
I think the difference really lies in their name recognition and notoriety as ABQ has a much, much larger city proper, cohesion, identity and is the leader in its state. I'm definitely going with ABQ for overall influence, but it's also easy to overlook the quieter influence of ABE and many of PA's cities outside of PHL and PBG. Many are only a dozen or so square miles, which is quite tiny, then surrounded by numerous (and quiet populous) townships and boroughs. Allentown is 17.55 square miles (small), Whereas ABQ is 187.19 square miles (a more reasonable land area).
Also, ABE is Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton. Lehigh Valley is the far better known pseudonym.
Again I'm def giving the nod to Albuquerque here. They are similar in economic metrics but by name brand, Albuquerque is easily, clearly better known, referenced, recognized. So that is what I would have to base it on. I think the poll votes reflect that fact.
The biggest problem with Albuquerque is nobody can remember how to spell it! (:
Edit: I might also add that Allentown's performance probably is also a function of its proximity to our nation's major megalopolises and location within the NE corridor. You would be surprised how many people commute from Allentown to the outer nodes of PHL/NYC.
I think the region really needs to rename and market itself as the Lehigh Valley...
The Lehigh Valley 100% has the competitive and economic advantage over Albaqurque, it has higher quality education and universities and a higher QOL and its geographic proximity is superior... and as you provided evidence the Lehigh Valley has a larger economy and larger median income than ALBQ... The Lehigh Valley is just 60 minutes to PHL and 90 minuets NYC and the Atlantic Beaches and only 40 minutes to the Pocono Mountains...
It just does not have the name recognition....
Albequrque101:
The Lehigh Valley was projected at 850,000 pre the census release. And the census release has been underestimated for all of Pennsylvania and the whole Eastern part of Pennsylvania has been growing at an impressive rate. I would not be shocked if the Lehigh Valley is at about 975,000 - 1,099,000 when they release the metro numbers.....
Pennsylvania is a state of over 13,000,000 and I am aware of which regions grew significantly and one area is the Lehigh Valley.. New Mexico has less than 2.5 million in the entire state. The Susquehanna Valley alone in Pennsylvania is 1.2 million and after the 2020 Census is released I see the Susquehanna Valley growing to about 1.45 million. I think you are underestimating a lot here....
As G500 said... Albaquerque has a lot of name recognition... because it is the only larger population center in NM... not because it is doing anything better.
Rawhimecity: Nope, sorry, not buying it at all. Alantown was not a high growth area in the last decade. 179,000 is simply not achievable. Good lord, now you'd like to push that to as high as 278,000 people that it was underestimated in 2019? Over 300,000 that it grew total in the last decade? On par with cities in the Sunbelt??
Alantown may be special and notable in Pencilvania but it isn't even a blip on the national radar.
Rawhimecity: Nope, sorry, not buying it at all. Alantown was not a high growth area in the last decade. 179,000 is simply not achievable. Good lord, now you'd like to push that to as high as 278,000 people that it was underestimated in 2019? Over 300,000 that it grew total in the last decade? On par with cities in the Sunbelt??
Alantown may be special and notable in Pencilvania but it isn't even a blip on the national radar.
Albuquerque101.... some things to notate and put things into perspective.
Pennsylvania is one of the original colonies in the United States and is considered the founding state where the entire Declaration and Constitution, was drafted & signed for the USA....
With that.. Pennsylvania (and many Northeast States) never were into annexation of the original small cities and areas surrounding those settlements.
Meaning most cities in the Northeast are very very small in square miles (less than 10 square miles)... Therefore in modern terms the area seems smaller than they are, and you really need to compare an area on a metro wide level known as MSA.
For example. The Lehigh Valley and the Allentown MSA has nearly an identical population to Albuquerque and Allentown has a higher Median income and quite measurable higher GDP than Albuquerque.
Allentown is the largest city of the Lehigh Valley...
Lehigh Valley consists of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton which all border one another. Those three cities are about 275,000... the surrounding metro is nearly identical to Albuquerque in size and most definitely in the 950,000 - 1,095,000 range.
The Lehigh Valley is a stronger economic center, it has more universities especially of national recognition. It is only 90 minutes away from NYC and the Atlantic beaches and 60 minutes to Philadelphia and 40 minutes to the Pocono Mountains...
And the history in terms of colonial and industrial America is quite profound... the first business school in the USA and one of the top business schools in the world, was started by Joseph Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania and the Bethlehem Steel Company... and Wharton still today ranks with Harvard and London School of Economics as one of the top three best business schools in the world. This is all from the Lehigh Valley legacy...
The area is also home to Lehigh University and Lafayette which are top ranked schools and 6 other schools that are highly regarded.
ALBQ is cute, I have been. As G500 noted... it is the only larger area in NM which overall NM is consistently ranked as one of the poorest states in the nation... The Lehigh Valley outranks ALBQ in every metric... it just does not have the name recognition outside of PA, NJ and NY who are all very familiar with it.
Honestly a more appropriate comparison would of been Tuscon, AZ and Albuquerque, NM... which I believe Tuscon would pull ahead. Unfortunately NM is a below average state in most metrics.
Here is a link on the Lehigh Valley.. which is about the urban size and population as metro Albq. All facts. I actually think the Lehigh Valley is more urban than Albq by most metrics on scales such as walkability, downtown cores and transit use....
Lehigh Valley ranks in the top 80th percentile in growth nationally.. so yes I believe the metro population actually surpassed ALBQ and is approximately 1,050,000 million. The Census will release the metro data in about 6 weeks so we will know the official numbers then.
Many many people from NY and NJ have relocated to the LV for its high QOL, accessibility and lower COL so you are vastly underestimating how quickly it has grown. And its economy as provided with evidence by G500 is larger than ALBQ and its wealth is also larger... provided by the higher median income the LV has...
I think the Harrisburg - Lancaster corridor, known as the Susquehanna Valley.. also will surpass ALBQ in the next decade in GDP, Wealth and Growth... That area is also growing at a very healthy clip and combined that CSA area is over 1,000,000 people.
Last edited by rowhomecity; 04-30-2021 at 05:44 PM..
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