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Barely though. I think MSP has a metro of about 3.5 million and Denver has about 3 million. Then you have to figure that it doesn't include the other Front Range cities like Boulder, Colorado Springs, Loveland, Fort Collins, and Pueblo.
Minneapolis doesn't really have any other cities closeby other than Saint Cloud. MSP is more dense and urban in the center, but the surrounding area is pretty sparse. It's kind of a trade-off.
The Minneapolis - St. Paul - St. Cloud CSA is 3,538,781 while the Denver - Aurora - Boulder CSA is 2,998,878. Denver's CSA also includes the Greeley MSA.
As far as Minneapolis not having any other cities nearby? Have you ever heard of St. Paul? It's more of a "city" than anything surrounding Denver. Also, when you refer to the surrounding area of Minneapolis, I think of it's inner-ring suburbs. Those suburbs aren't exactly sparse as they all have average density.
The Minneapolis - St. Paul - St. Cloud CSA is 3,538,781 while the Denver - Aurora - Boulder CSA is 2,998,878. Denver's CSA also includes the Greeley MSA.
As far as Minneapolis not having any other cities nearby? Have you ever heard of St. Paul? It's more of a "city" than anything surrounding Denver. Also, when you refer to the surrounding area of Minneapolis, I think of it's inner-ring suburbs. Those suburbs aren't exactly sparse as they all have average density.
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are treated as one city, technicalities aside. Beyond them, the closest city of any size worth spending an hour and a half in is Duluth. Beyond that, you have to get to Madison. Neither is particularly close.
That's kind of good to know. Minneapolis traffic is always so congested so hopefully these new lines will clear some of it up. In Denver, I've never come to a complete standstill in traffic. It happens everytime I visit Minneapolis. The Twin Cities have more freeways than the entire Front Range and still they seem to get backed up so much more easily.
Why is that???
My guess is that Denver, being a newer city (and more planned) has more options in terms of surface streets. Try getting to Eden Prairie or Maple Grove from downtown on a city street. This problem is compounded by the fact that Minneapolis is a multi-nuclear city and the street systems don't really lend themselves to each other. Minneapolis streets, Saint Paul streets. Western Dakota and Scott Counties that get the benefit of neither.
Both cities are about the same age. 1858 is when both were founded. Denver incorporated in 1861, Minneapolis in 1867. That in response to "Denver being a newer city".
The Minneapolis - St. Paul - St. Cloud CSA is 3,538,781 while the Denver - Aurora - Boulder CSA is 2,998,878. Denver's CSA also includes the Greeley MSA.
As far as Minneapolis not having any other cities nearby? Have you ever heard of St. Paul? It's more of a "city" than anything surrounding Denver. Also, when you refer to the surrounding area of Minneapolis, I think of it's inner-ring suburbs. Those suburbs aren't exactly sparse as they all have average density.
Denver and Boulder are only 25 miles apart and completely developed in between. Between Denver and Greeley is pretty much scattered development without ever fully leaving town.
Minneapolis and St. Cloud are over 70 miles apart. If you went 70 miles out of Denver, you'd have to add Colorado Springs (another 600,000+) and Fort Collins (another 280,000).
Both cities are about the same age. 1858 is when both were founded. Denver incorporated in 1861, Minneapolis in 1867. That in response to "Denver being a newer city".
Except that is when they were little hamlets. For instance, Houston was founded in 1837, but I would consider Minneapolis to be an older city.
When the cities grew into regional centers with hinterlands, Minneapolis and Saint Paul did it much faster than Denver. By 1950, the Cities were twice the size of Denver. That is the era when the highways came through and the regional network of roads began to come into place.
One thing un-commented on thus far is the lower taxes in the Denver area which enhance an otherwise fairly similar cost of living between the two areas.
Otherwise, I certainly prefer the more abundant sunshine in Denver, the ability to consistently hit temps in the 40s, 50s, 60s and even a sprinkling of 70s in the winter, the Rockies semi-nearby, the more arid air / lack of rain / humidity, lesser mosquitoes, cooler summer nights, etc.
Denver has crazier and less predictable weather patterns than Minneapolis (or most cities for that matter), but the winters are far more broken up and the summers are relatively brief.
One thing un-commented on thus far is the lower taxes in the Denver area which enhance an otherwise fairly similar cost of living between the two areas.
But to make up for that, we have 7-8% (and higher) sales tax on everything, while Minnesota has 0% sales tax on clothes and most food items.
One thing I really miss about Denver and the Front Range is the considerably smaller number of theatres and other artistic outlets. The Twin Cities has the second highest number of theatre seats in the country after New York City.
Denver and Boulder are only 25 miles apart and completely developed in between. Between Denver and Greeley is pretty much scattered development without ever fully leaving town.
Minneapolis and St. Cloud are over 70 miles apart. If you went 70 miles out of Denver, you'd have to add Colorado Springs (another 600,000+) and Fort Collins (another 280,000).
No reason to try to educate me on this as I moved from Denver to Minneapolis. DannyBanany had made the comment that MSP has a metro of about 3.5 million and Denver has about 3 million, which isn't right as those numbers represent the cities' combined statistical areas (CSA). I pointed out that Boulder is part of Denver's CSA. Whatever the case, the numbers have to do with commuting patterns and obviously people are driving from all over the place in the Minneapolis area.
Last edited by BlackOut; 04-13-2009 at 11:06 AM..
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