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Aesthetically, I think the easy and obvious answer is Philly, but the disparity in population density is too great for any other city to have quite the same "feel."
Brooklyn - 38K ppsm (71 sq. mi.)
North Beach (SF) - 38K ppsm (0.49 sq. mi.)
Columbia Heights (DC) - 37K ppsm (0.85 sq. mi.) Greater Center City - 32K ppsm (7.7 sq. mi.)
Back Bay/Beacon Hill - 31K ppsm (0.9 sq. mi.)
Your numbers for Greater Center City Philly are inaccurate. Here is the data below:
Philly Zipcode 19106
Population Density: 16,717.7 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.9 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19107
Population Density: 27,543.3 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.5 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19102
Population Density: 27,365.6 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.2 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19103
Population Density: 39,300.3 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.6 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19146
Population Density: 23,772.8 people per square mile
Land Area: 1.7 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19147
Population Density: 29,403.2 people per square mile
Land Area: 1.3 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19130
Population Density: 23,740.2 people per square mile
Land Area: 1.2 square miles
Philly Zipcode 19123
Population Density: 14,328.1 people per square mile
Land Area: 1.3 square miles
Total Land Area
Population Density: 24,343 people per square mile
7.7 square miles
Your numbers for Greater Center City Philly are inaccurate. Here is the data below:
It's weird how the censusreporter.org includes water in its calculation. I noticed this happen in Philadelphia and Boston when I checked. So I'm not saying it just messes with Philadelphia, but they should change that.
The impression I've always had is that the downtowns of Chicago, Boston, and San Fransisco have a higher ppsm than Center City Philadelphia, but that the ppsm in their urban cores falls off quicker than in Philadelphia. In other words, these cities achieve higher peak ppsm in a small area, but Philadelphia maintains a more uniform high ppsm over a larger area of land. I don't quite have time to look into it right now, but I may cross-check this impression of mine later.
PS- IMO, "Greater" Center City is not a great measure against other downtown areas. You can see how much more square miles Bajan Yankee covered compared to the other cities (besides of course Brookyln). South of Washington Avenue is squarely "South Philadelphia," and north of Fairmount is squarely "North Philadelphia." The idea of "Greater Center City" is a push for further revitalization our Center City-adjacent neighborhoods.
Last edited by Muinteoir; 08-12-2023 at 08:10 AM..
Reason: typo
It's weird how the censusreporter.org includes water in its calculation. I noticed this happen in Philadelphia and Boston when I checked. So I'm not saying it just messes with Philadelphia, but they should change that.
The impression I've always had is that the downtowns of Chicago, Boston, and San Fransisco have a higher ppsm than Center City Philadelphia, but that the ppsm in their urban cores falls off quicker than in Philadelphia. In other words, these cities achieve higher peak ppsm in a small area, but Philadelphia maintains a more uniform high ppsm over a larger area of land. I don't quite have time to look into it right now, but I may cross-check this impression of mine later.
PS- IMO, "Greater" Center City is not a great measure against other downtown areas. You can see how much more square miles Bajan Yankee covered compared to the other cities (besides of course Brookyln). South of Washington Avenue is squarely "South Philadelphia," and north of Fairmount is squarely "North Philadelphia." The idea of "Greater Center City" is a push for further revitalize our Center City-adjacent neighborhoods.
It doesn’t really change the number for Center City, but I don’t think they count water. I have seen it to a greater degree for the zip code in DC where the Wharf is located. Half the zip code appear to be water because they even include the water between East Potomac Park.
I don’t know if they count that water as land though, that zip code in DC would confirm it. It seems like they aren’t using it.
Yeah, it doesn’t really change the number for Center City, but I have seen it greater impact the zip code in DC where the Wharf is located. Half the zip code appear to be water because they even include the water between East Potomac Park.
Yep, that's not great. But it does impact Center City. Look at 19106 in particular.
I haven't been able to find an area of Philly that can match the population density of this area in DC.
DC Zipcode 20009
Population Density: 38,911.6 people per square mile
Land Area: 1.3 square miles
DC Zipcode 20010
Population Density: 33,825.9 people per square mile
Land Area: 1 square miles
DC Zipcode 20005
Population Density: 31,013 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.4 square miles
DC Zipcode 20001
Population Density: 22,249.8 people per square mile
Land Area: 2 square miles
Total Land Area
Population Density: 30,625 people per square mile
4.7 square miles
Um, you did find one:
Philly Zipcode 19103 (Rittenhouse Square, Logan Square, Fitler Square – the western half of Center City proper)
Population Density: 39,300.3 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.6 square miles
Rittenhouse Square itself is ringed with high-rise apartment towers; it's Ground Zero for the city's urban cliff dwellers.
Muinteoir is correct about the significance of "Greater Center City," which is a term first injected into the language by the Center City (business improvement) District. Its boundaries include areas not even considered "Center City adjacent" the way Northern Liberties, Poplar, Spring Garden, Queen Village, Bella Vista, Hawthorne, Graduate Hospital and Schuylkill are. But since you can't separate out the non-Center City neighborhoods from the Center City ones based on the ZIP codes, the CCD and everyone else uses the ZIP code boundaries themselves.
To make matters a little worse, ZIP codes 19146 and 19147 include the southernmost two streets in Center City proper.
Last edited by MarketStEl; 08-12-2023 at 08:22 AM..
Philly Zipcode 19103 (Rittenhouse Square, Logan Square, Fitler Square – the western half of Center City proper)
Population Density: 39,300.3 people per square mile
Land Area: 0.6 square miles
Rittenhouse Square itself is ringed with high-rise apartment towers; it's Ground Zero for the city's urban cliff dwellers.
Muinteoir is correct about the significance of "Greater Center City," which is a term first injected into the language by the Center City (business improvement) District. Its boundaries include areas not even considered "Center City adjacent" the way Northern Liberties, Poplar, Spring Garden, Queen Village, Bella Vista, Hawthorne, Graduate Hospital and Schuylkill are. But since you can't separate out the non-Center City neighborhoods from the Center City ones based on the ZIP codes, the CCD and everyone else uses the ZIP code boundaries themselves.
To make matters a little worse, ZIP codes 19146 and 19147 include the southernmost two streets in Center City proper.
I was pointing out that I didn’t find an area covering a significant distance that matches the urban core of DC. That single zip code is only 0.6 sq. miles. Really, DC is headed in a completely different direction than all these cities because DC is the only city with an even larger area of development than the 4.7 sq. miles I listed that will be even denser than that area.
NOMA, Union Market, Northwest One, H street, Eckington/Rhoad Island Avenue, Navy Yard, Buzzard Point, and SW Waterfront will dwarf the 4.7 miles I listed in population density very soon. Add in downtown DC after that with all the office-to-residential conversions and DC may have a 20 sq. mile core that only trails NYC. Only time will tell.
I was pointing out that I didn’t find an area covering a significant distance that matches the urban core of DC. That single zip code is only 0.6 sq. miles. Really, DC is headed in a completely different direction than all these cities because DC is the only city with an even larger area of development than the 4.7 sq. miles I listed that will be even denser than that area.
NOMA, Union Market, Northwest One, H street, Eckington/Rhoad Island Avenue, Navy Yard, Buzzard Point, and SW Waterfront will dwarf the 4.7 miles I listed in population density very soon. Add in downtown DC after that with all the office-to-residential conversions and DC may have a 20 sq. mile core that only trails NYC. Only time will tell.
Densest slab of near contiguous 20 sq/mi of land (4km radius circle = 19.7 sq/mi) I could find that included each cities CBD(s).
NYC (circle center is located in south Bronx) - 1.13 million
Philly - 379k
Boston - 359k
DC - 325k
Baltimore - 249k
DC isn't as dense as you think
Last edited by Joakim3; 08-12-2023 at 11:40 AM..
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