Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This isn't a "MOST URBAN" thread. I just want to know about cities that you would describe as a good urban environment that may be unknown. Portland and NY come to mind as obvious answers. Anyone out there live in a good area we may not think of as urban?
I think usually the densest most walkable cities are the most urban.
I also think cities with a lot of unique neighborhoods with individual personalities make a great urban atmosphere. I think NY, SF, DC, Philly, Baltimore, Chicago, Boston are some great ones. There are a lot of cities with great atmospheres but they are kind of sprawly and have restaurants in strip malls and are less walkable. They are great cities in their own right but cities like LA, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Charlotte are all kind of suburban and urban mixed and less urban overall IMO.
I think LA is at the top of the list when it comes to misunderstood cities. I've far too often seen it described as "suburban," but I bet most of the city is nothing what like what most Americans think of as suburban. It's not walkable in the sense that there's one single compact urban core that you can walk in one burst, but that's not true of most cities.
I know people are going to hate this, but I would never place NYC and Portland together in the same sentence when talking about urban cities. Portland is nice and it is urban, but it's nothing like LA. It's not even that dense. A nice city, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't put it at the pinnacle of "urban" cities, either.
I guess it also means by what one means by urban. A city doesn't have to look like Manhattan to be truly urban, walkable, and where I can easily live without a car. Many cities fit that criteria, beyond the obvious choices like the biggest cities.
Pittsburgh was a city that surprised me. I didn't know much about modern Pittsburgh before visiting, but it seems like an exciting, vibrant city that was urban and very livable.
I think LA is at the top of the list when it comes to misunderstood cities. I've far too often seen it described as "suburban," but I bet most of the city is nothing what like what most Americans think of as suburban. It's not walkable in the sense that there's one single compact urban core that you can walk in one burst, but that's not true of most cities.
I know people are going to hate this, but I would never place NYC and Portland together in the same sentence when talking about urban cities. Portland is nice and it is urban, but it's nothing like LA. It's not even that dense. A nice city, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't put it at the pinnacle of "urban" cities, either.
I guess it also means by what one means by urban. A city doesn't have to look like Manhattan to be truly urban, walkable, and where I can easily live without a car. Many cities fit that criteria, beyond the obvious choices like the biggest cities.
Pittsburgh was a city that surprised me. I didn't know much about modern Pittsburgh before visiting, but it seems like an exciting, vibrant city that was urban and very livable.
I am not a big fan or Portland and I don't see it as all that urban. They have done a great job with mass transit and walkability. There is a good restaurant scene, but that is about it IMO. LA has walkable areas and definite neighborhoods but I do not see it as urban. It is in a middle category if possible like Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas that are really large and have walkable areas but overall are not and are more sprawl oriented.
I almost put Pittsburgh in my list but I have less experience with it.
I hate when people put Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas in the same category. Houston is the most urban out of the 3! NOT ATLANTA!
How so?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
