If Your State Could Annex 5 Adjacent Counties, Which Would You Choose? (castle, suburban)

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by citidata18

I don't believe Duval County is adjacent to Georgia.

I lumped/lump it with Nassau.

[Tusco]

I don't want Ohio to annex any counties from other states, though I wouldn't mind Tuscarawas and Ashland counties being split into two (the northern and southern halves of both counties are culturally different) so our state's county amount amount goes from 88 to 90.

[LINative]

Originally Posted by Natural510

Ohio is basically encapsulated by the Ohio River and Lake Erie, leaving mostly Rural Indiana, so I’d pass.

Originally Posted by Tusco

I don't want Ohio to annex any counties from other states, though I wouldn't mind Tuscarawas and Ashland counties being split into two (the northern and southern halves of both counties are culturally different) so our state's county amount amount goes from 88 to 90.

I take it you both like the look of the state now, from the natural boundaries of Lake Erie and the Ohio River, to the straight line boundaries with Indiana and Pennsylvania.

I can see that. Some states have such perfectly formed boundaries that any additions to the state would look weird on the map, unless you evenly shifted the whole boundary but that might take more then 5 counties.

Other states, like Maryland for instance, have weird boundaries on the map already so that a few additions don't really matter and might even improve the look of the state.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by speagles84

Yes I would. Camden county, NJ is one of the wealthiest and most populous counties in the country despite having Camden city as the county seat. Chautauqua county adds lake frontage on Lake Erie.

Morgantown and Youngstown are dying. If it weren't for WVU, nobody would know where Morgantown is outside of West Virginia.

Saying they're useless is harsh. Why not annex Brooke and Hancock Counties in West Virginia, and Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana Counties in Ohio? Weirton basically functions like an exurb of Pittsburgh these days, and Youngstown has always been the black sheep among the larger Ohio cities. Those five counties would add over 500,000 more people to Pennsylvania's population and put it comfortably over 13,000,000.

[IowanFarmer]

Iowa here.

Douglas County, NE - Add Omaha. Get a solid, growing metro area.

Houston County, MN - Beautiful country, adds to the state's outdoor recreation portfolio.

Fillmore County, MN - See above

Crawford County, WI - See above

Jo Daviess County, IL - Also a beautiful area, but adds the tourism of Galena.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I lumped/lump it with Nassau.

Nassau is actually part of the Jacksonville MSA, and really at this point neighboring Camden County, GA should be as well. It will be interesting see if the next census will redefine Camden/St. Marys' status as a micropolitan area.

[fezzador]

Originally Posted by IowanFarmer

Iowa here.

Douglas County, NE - Add Omaha. Get a solid, growing metro area.

Houston County, MN - Beautiful country, adds to the state's outdoor recreation portfolio.

Fillmore County, MN - See above

Crawford County, WI - See above

Jo Daviess County, IL - Also a beautiful area, but adds the tourism of Galena.

Good list, but I'd personally replace Douglas Co, NE with Grant Co, WI. I'd take all the extra scenery I could get.

[BrianGC]

For NC:

Virginia Beach - it would give the state a completely different beach than what it already has

Horry County, SC - same as above

Sevier County, TN - the state would get the obvious Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg Smoky Mtn tourist mecca which is noticeably stronger than Cherokee/Maggie Valley

York County, SC - simply because of being in Charlotte's MSA

Greenville County SC - well why not add on another cool city?

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by BrianGC

For NC:

Virginia Beach - it would give the state a completely different beach than what it already has

Horry County, SC - same as above

Sevier County, TN - the state would get the obvious Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg Smoky Mtn tourist mecca which is noticeably stronger than Cherokee/Maggie Valley

York County, SC - simply because of being in Charlotte's MSA

Greenville County SC - well why not add on another cool city?

I've always thought that a combined Carolina would make an interesting superstate(The US's 5th largest at 15.3M).

Imagine a state with mountains, the Piedmont, the Outer Banks and the Low Country. Talk about a variety of cultures.

[IndieIndy]

For Indiana:

Cook County, IL - Add over 5 million people and a world-class city, not to mention more lake shore.

Hamilton Co, OH - Add over 800,00 people plus a historic river city.

Jefferson Co, KY - Add almost 800,000 plus another historic river city.

Will County, IL - An additional 650,000+ people, plus some nice suburbs.

Berrien Co, MI - 150,000+ more people, plus miles of lake shore.

Overall IN would gain over 7.5 million, add miles of natural lake shore, gain 3 major cities (1 world-class) and some nice suburbs.

Indiana would more than double to become the 5th largest state by population at over 14 million.