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How would you rank cities in this category. Mid-Sized cities between 125, 000 up to 250, 000, not a suburb of a larger city( irrespective of metro; metro size for smaller cities balances it out). Rank top 5 in terms of vibrancy, things to do, culture, shopping, education, urbanity, transportation, natural beauty, and just plain personal preference.
Salt Lake City
Providence
Hartford
New Haven
Rochester, NY
Syracuse
Grand Rapids
Madison, WI
Durham, NC
Boise, ID
Des Moines
Chattanooga
Knoxville
Columbia, SC
Little Rock
Richmond, VA
Norfolk
Birmingham, AL
Spokane, WA
Tacoma
Mobile, AL
Worcester, MA
Springfield, MA
Akron, OH
Shreveport, LA
Columbus, GA
Jackson, MS
Dayton, OH
Savannah, GA
My Rank (Top 5)
1. Salt Lake City
2. Madison, WI
3. Providence
4. Chattanooga
5. Richmond, VA
Why wouldn't you include Bellevue, WA? It's an amazing city with a great skyline for it's size.
It has a population of 133,000, a very impressive skyline for a city of it's size, and if you're rich, the perfect blend of city-amenities with all the benefits of a suburb.
Location: Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs), by way of Macon, GA
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I don't know about this. Some of these cities have much larger metros than others. Some are just 1 city in MSAs and CSAs that are much larger with 2+ hub cities.
Huntsville, AL should have been in there somewhere.
Wow I thought SLC had more people..
These are just my preferences of what I like better. I am only doing the top 5 and only places that I have been to to be fair.
1. Tacoma. I live here and really love it. It has been a great place to grow up and I feel like I fit in perfectly. There is always something to do whether it be exploring the beach at Pt Defiance, walking around the creative artsy downtown, exploring new neighborhoods, and all the little things in the nooks and crannies that you would never expect to find. I have spent the most time in this city so I've had more time to find new places to go and people to meet so maybe it's not everyone's cup of tea but I think it is amazing.
2.So my next choice is Spokane. Everytime I go to Spokane I just get a good feeling. The people are sunny and feel good to be around. Not peppy but just like calm and happy. The scenery is beautiful and although similar to Seattle with the evergreens, Spokane is not as waterlogged and grey blue green. It's more orange brown green with blue skies. The downtown could be more lively but really it's not bad. And the near by Coeur D'alene really brings Spokane up about 35 notches.
3.Salt Lake City. It might have been the time of year I went (January) but everything was really brown, and the skies were grey. It was a little depressing for me. The Mountains however were stunning across the Salt Lake and I also enjoyed how close the city and suburbs were to the Mountains! I didn't feel like I was in "Mormonville" like I expected either and it wasn't a pro or con. Their downtown I think should be bigger and I hope it grows. The geography of the place is very unique and I think overall the city has a lot going for it. I would like to visit again during the Spring maybe but I don't think I would want to live there based on my first visit.
4.Madison was a really neat and interesting place to visit. It reminded me of a larger Olympia. It is hippie central which I like a lot of aspects about that culture but then there are things that I'm not really into. Health food, bike riding, and the organic nature of the place I really enjoyed, but Madison could be a very overwhelming place for someone who is not used to the hippie lifestyle. I guess for me it lacked a variety of people. Also for me it lacked the geography I prefer which is in the West.
5. Lastly Grand Rapids. I was surprised by some of the architecture and the feel of the city. It had a museum kind of feel for me. I liked that about it, because I wasn't expecting them to have a culture like that, one I had never experienced. I had a very simple pasta dish there at a restaurant in a rural type of suburb and it was one of the best I've ever had. I would recommend a visit for sure but I would not want to live there because of the cold winters and lack of the geography I favor.
My interest has been perked by Akron and it's burbs. Seems like a great hub city for all there is to do in Ohio. Go figure. Besides, Akron NEVER shows up on the trendy lists. I am so sick of the same old same old.
Why wouldn't you include Bellevue, WA? It's an amazing city with a great skyline for it's size.
It has a population of 133,000, a very impressive skyline for a city of it's size, and if you're rich, the perfect blend of city-amenities with all the benefits of a suburb.
OP, one spot above you:
Quote:
Originally Posted by gladt
How would you rank cities in this category. Mid-Sized cities between 125, 000 up to 250, 000, not a suburb of a larger city
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon
Tyler, Texas should DEFINITELY be on that list. I can't believe it's not - and I also agree that Huntsville, AL should be on there as well.
Needless to say, I haven't been to all the cities on the OP's list. But I'd say my personal top five are:
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