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.
One of the things I find most confusing about this website is why people care so much about how the city they live in "ranks" compared to other cities.
Every forum has people arguing about the significance of "their" city. My city has, this, this and this....your's doesn't.
Is it a badge of honor to reside in a certain city? Does it give you cool points? It sounds like the city is the pimp you will defend to the death.
I mean, really, if a city has some cool buildings, you may stand in orgasmic awe a few times. If there is some nice artwork, you may go look at that a few times in your life too. Other than that, who cares? Live in a place that suites your needs, but don't think your needs make the area you live in better than another. /rant
One of the things I find most confusing about this website is why people care so much about how the city they live in "ranks" compared to other cities.
Every forum has people arguing about the significance of "their" city. My city has, this, this and this....your's doesn't.
Is it a badge of honor to reside in a certain city? Does it give you cool points? It sounds like the city is the pimp you will defend to the death.
I mean, really, if a city has some cool buildings, you may stand in orgasmic awe a few times. If there is some nice artwork, you may go look at that a few times in your life too. Other than that, who cares? Live in a place that suites your needs, but don't think your needs make the area you live in better than another. /rant
That's strange: I haven't read a single post in this thread that intonates anything remotely like "My city has, this, this and this....your's doesn't." Not one. I have read some thoughtful posts about the vibrancy of second tiered cities, though.
IMO, your first tier cities are the "command centers" of their respective regions, with CA/TX being large and significant enough to have two. You also have "top" cities, which are not only first tier and regionally significant, but nationally significant.
1) NYC (finance, media, largest metro, international relations) 2) LA (Hollywood, entertainment, largest metro of largest state) 3) Chicago (not familiar with national cultural implications, but anchor for entire Midwest region 4) San Francisco (Silicon Valley, tech) 5) DC metro (federal government)
These to me are the rest of the first tier. These are all regional economic anchors and very large, productive metros themselves. Boston and Philly get overshadowed by NYC, but they are still tremendously significant. Denver may not be as "significant" culturally as the others, but it does anchor a vast (though lightly popualted) region.
5) Dallas 6) Houston 7) Atlanta 8) Miami 9) Denver 10) Seattle 11) Boston 12) Philadelphia
Second tier cities usually anchor a smaller region or a state. Sometimes they have a national cultural impact (Nashville) or are just a fairly large metro (KC) Like this...
13) Charlotte 14) Nashville 15) Orlando 16) Portland 17) Kansas City 18) Indianapolis 19) Detroit
Third tier cities may anchor a small local economy..
20) Columbia SC 21) Knoxville TN 22) Des Moines IA 23) Birmingham AL
That's strange: I haven't read a single post in this thread that intonates anything remotely like "My city has, this, this and this....your's doesn't." Not one. I have read some thoughtful posts about the vibrancy of second tiered cities, though.
Perhaps I read a few too much of the Charlotte vs Raleigh vs Atlanta threads last night and some of my glances in here made me assume it was another one of those threads.
... why people care so much about how the city they live in "ranks" compared to other cities.
Is it a badge of honor to reside in a certain city? Does it give you cool points? ...
Not to impute this or that sentiment to particular threads on this Forum, but the operative concept is tribal identity. It's tribal identity to prefer one's village (or city, or state, or nation) as being superior, more sophisticated, more genuine, with better resources, better opportunities and so forth. These feelings may or may not be based on rational considerations such as economic output or ranking of local universities or swiftness of the local river.
Most people hold as part of their self-conception a group identity, a feeling of local belonging. To view the city of one's residency as just another place to get a job, buy a house, raise a family, retire and be buried - well, that's too prosaic and too anodyne. One would like to think that one is smart for choosing where to reside, or maybe even where to be born. And if there is any doubt - maybe my city is slipping, maybe my civic leaders have mismanaged our resources and allowed the place to whither and decline - the natural reaction is a defensive boosterism, extolling the cool buildings and gentrified couple of blocks downtown. It's a coping mechanism.
Not to impute this or that sentiment to particular threads on this Forum, but the operative concept is tribal identity. It's tribal identity to prefer one's village (or city, or state, or nation) as being superior, more sophisticated, more genuine, with better resources, better opportunities and so forth. These feelings may or may not be based on rational considerations such as economic output or ranking of local universities or swiftness of the local river.
Most people hold as part of their self-conception a group identity, a feeling of local belonging. To view the city of one's residency as just another place to get a job, buy a house, raise a family, retire and be buried - well, that's too prosaic and too anodyne. One would like to think that one is smart for choosing where to reside, or maybe even where to be born. And if there is any doubt - maybe my city is slipping, maybe my civic leaders have mismanaged our resources and allowed the place to whither and decline - the natural reaction is a defensive boosterism, extolling the cool buildings and gentrified couple of blocks downtown. It's a coping mechanism.
Thanks for the explanation! That's very interesting and cuts to the basic building blocks of how we form our identity/perceptions.
IMO, your first tier cities are the "command centers" of their respective regions, with CA/TX being large and significant enough to have two. You also have "top" cities, which are not only first tier and regionally significant, but nationally significant.
1) NYC (finance, media, largest metro, international relations) 2) LA (Hollywood, entertainment, largest metro of largest state) 3) Chicago (not familiar with national cultural implications, but anchor for entire Midwest region 4) San Francisco (Silicon Valley, tech) 5) DC metro (federal government)
These to me are the rest of the first tier. These are all regional economic anchors and very large, productive metros themselves. Boston and Philly get overshadowed by NYC, but they are still tremendously significant. Denver may not be as "significant" culturally as the others, but it does anchor a vast (though lightly popualted) region.
5) Dallas 6) Houston 7) Atlanta 8) Miami 9) Denver 10) Seattle 11) Boston 12) Philadelphia
Second tier cities usually anchor a smaller region or a state. Sometimes they have a national cultural impact (Nashville) or are just a fairly large metro (KC) Like this...
13) Charlotte 14) Nashville 15) Orlando 16) Portland 17) Kansas City 18) Indianapolis 19) Detroit
Third tier cities may anchor a small local economy..
20) Columbia SC 21) Knoxville TN 22) Des Moines IA 23) Birmingham AL
This is an interesting take on things. When I referred to Denver as a second tier city, it was because I believe the first tier cities to be more global in nature. Cities like NYC, DC, LA, Chicago, Miami, Houston, LA, and SF have significant connections inside and outside of America. They are the gateways to other parts of the world, they are the bases for major multinational corporations, they have the wealth and prestige that other cities don't have.
Second tier cities have some connections to other parts of the globe, but their most significant connections are inside of a certain region of the United States. These cities have world class facilities, but everything is done on a smaller scale. This is where I would put Denver, Baltimore, Philly, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Charlotte, Detroit, Atlanta, etc.
Below that you get to the subregional (3rd tier) cities. Many of these cities reside at this level because they are often overshadowed by larger neighbors like: San Diego, Tampa-St. Pete, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Providence, etc. Some are in this tier because they are one-trick ponies like: Las Vegas, Orlando, OKC, and SLC. Some are here because they are slowly dying and haven't found a way back to the top: New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, etc. Others are on their way up: Raleigh, Austin, Columbus, Portland, etc.
For the record, Denver's cultural significance is small but influential. Denver is the embodiment of the West and its open spaces, beautiful vistas, and rugged individualists. And that is what draws people here.
I consider Tier 1 cities basically those LARGE metropolitan areas.....that anchor a region. You know the ones with professional sports teams at the highest level.
Tier 2 would be the rest of the metropolitan areas as defined by the Census Bureau. Here is their list:
hhttp://www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/List4.txt
.
Tier 3 would be the micro-metropolitan areas as defined by the Census Bureau. Here is the list from Wilkipedia, I cannot find the "official" census list.
My personal definition is Tier 1 cities are those that I avoid if possible, Tier 2 cities I might visit for shopping, Tier 3 cities and below are the only ones I would consider living in. I was not pleased when we became a micropolitan area.
This is an interesting take on things. When I referred to Denver as a second tier city, it was because I believe the first tier cities to be more global in nature. Cities like NYC, DC, LA, Chicago, Miami, Houston, LA, and SF have significant connections inside and outside of America. They are the gateways to other parts of the world, they are the bases for major multinational corporations, they have the wealth and prestige that other cities don't have.
Second tier cities have some connections to other parts of the globe, but their most significant connections are inside of a certain region of the United States. These cities have world class facilities, but everything is done on a smaller scale. This is where I would put Denver, Baltimore, Philly, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Charlotte, Detroit, Atlanta, etc.
Below that you get to the subregional (3rd tier) cities. Many of these cities reside at this level because they are often overshadowed by larger neighbors like: San Diego, Tampa-St. Pete, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Providence, etc. Some are in this tier because they are one-trick ponies like: Las Vegas, Orlando, OKC, and SLC. Some are here because they are slowly dying and haven't found a way back to the top: New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, etc. Others are on their way up: Raleigh, Austin, Columbus, Portland, etc.
For the record, Denver's cultural significance is small but influential. Denver is the embodiment of the West and its open spaces, beautiful vistas, and rugged individualists. And that is what draws people here.
Pittsburgh is considered second tier, and it is definitely not dying. It's frequently named one of the most livable cities in the country by Forbes and the Economist.
Not sure what tier we are in. Oxnard now has 204,000 people. Affordable homes are in the high $300,000 range. My neighborhood of homes is in the low $400,000 range. We are about 60 miles from down town Los Angeles.
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.
