Well, Houston slated to pass up Chicago in 2050 (Dallas, Austin: 2015, to move)

[cBach]

Well, Houston boosters, you were wondering if/when Houston would pass up Chicago. The metro area just passed up the Philadelphia metro area a couple of years ago (DFW beat you to it though). The estimates are that BOTH DFW and Houston will surpass Chicago around 2050.

That's still a long time, but I guess the boosters were right!

Special Report: 2013 Metropolitan Area Population Estimates | Newgeography.com

[cBach]

Quote from article posted:

"Los Angeles and Chicago continued to retain the second and third positions, which they seem likely to maintain for decades. Population projections by the National Conference of Mayors indicates strong growth in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston over the next three decades could have them by pass Chicago by 2050. The challenge could be even more immediate, since Chicago's growth rate over the first three years of the decade is approximately one half the annual rate projected by the US Conference of Mayors between 2012 and 2042.
Late in the last decade, Dallas-Fort Worth passed Philadelphia to become the fourth largest metropolitan area. Then, Philadelphia was passed by Houston in 2011. The result is that, for the first time since the nation's founding, two of the five largest cities (which are functionally defined as metropolitan areas) are in a single state (Texas)."

[xsatyr]

Small moral victory considering how big Houston is. Anyone who actually boasts about this will look foolish imho.

[usc619]

Originally Posted by cBach

Well, Houston boosters, you were wondering if/when Houston would pass up Chicago. The metro area just passed up the Philadelphia metro area a couple of years ago (DFW beat you to it though). The estimates are that BOTH DFW and Houston will surpass Chicago around 2050.

That's still a long time, but I guess the boosters were right!

Special Report: 2013 Metropolitan Area Population Estimates | Newgeography.com

Great news, I'll be celebrating in my grave.

[Augiec]

DFW shouldn't count as it's really two podunk towns. No point in projecting out to 2050, at the rate SoCal is quaking, LA might not be around by then.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by cBach

Well, Houston boosters, you were wondering if/when Houston would pass up Chicago. The metro area just passed up the Philadelphia metro area a couple of years ago (DFW beat you to it though). The estimates are that BOTH DFW and Houston will surpass Chicago around 2050.

That's still a long time, but I guess the boosters were right!

Special Report: 2013 Metropolitan Area Population Estimates | Newgeography.com

Lol, so you're prediction in the Austin thread didn't come through, so you had to come here and make this thread.

[MathmanMathman]

A lot can happen in 36 years. Things look good for Austin too.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by xsatyr

Small moral victory considering how big Houston is. Anyone who actually boasts about this will look foolish imho.

And estimates are just that: estimates. I don't see what there is to get excited about. Honestly, part of me wishes Houston were a bit smaller.

[timtemtym]

This assumes Houston can keep growing out and up. While there may be endless buildable land, the infrastructure to move people around by means other than a car needs some heavy work in Houston or else we will just see an endless swath of suburban office parks surrounded by their workers which is just fine if the air quality stays ok and people can afford it.

[ipuck]

Originally Posted by timtemtym

This assumes Houston can keep growing out and up. While there may be endless buildable land, the infrastructure to move people around by means other than a car needs some heavy work in Houston or else we will just see an endless swath of suburban office parks surrounded by their workers which is just fine if the air quality stays ok and people can afford it.

Isn't that what Houston is now???

BTW, I think the city of Houston (not metro) will suppress Chicago within 5 years.