Is Houston a world class city (Miami, Spade: Vietnamese, cities, location)

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

The diversity of Houston was often exaggerated by residents and some 'experts'. If we define diversity in culture of ethnic terms then Houston is not top 3, even among large cities. I think one of the regular posters here had a thread that dug deep into this issue earlier this year.

Most of the other world class cities mentioned here are places where people would like to move to if they could afford it, while Houston is more like a place where people move to BECAUSE they can afford it. In the twenty years I spent in Houston I know exactly 1 person who dreamt of moving to Houston and he's from Midlands.

Well, being super diverse isnt a qualification of being world class. Look at Tokyo.

I have been through the stats many times on the topic of diversity. Objectively, Houston is between the 4th and 6th most diverse metro area in the US. The metro areas that are objectively more diverse are NYC, DC, and LA. Then you have the Bay Area which I would give the edge them. The other two in this grouping would be Chicago and Miami. Miami is more diverse on paper but its much more concentrated so I actually give an edge to Houston. Chicago was more multicultural 20 years ago, but right now Houston is.

When we take this to a global level, places like Toronto, London, Paris, Brussels, and Sydney would be more diverse than Houston. However, Houston is still easily top 20 in diversity worldwide.

Were right to be proud of the diversity here because if there is a such things as world class diversity, we have it.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

The diversity of Houston was often exaggerated by residents and some 'experts'. If we define diversity in culture of ethnic terms then Houston is not top 3, even among large cities. I think one of the regular posters here had a thread that dug deep into this issue earlier this year.

Most of the other world class cities mentioned here are places where people would like to move to if they could afford it, while Houston is more like a place where people move to BECAUSE they can afford it. In the twenty years I spent in Houston I know exactly 1 person who dreamt of moving to Houston and he's from Midlands.

I think ethnically, Houston is top 10 in diversity and rising imo but it's in the top 2 or 3 racially.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by mkwensky

The diversity of Houston was often exaggerated by residents and some 'experts'. If we define diversity in culture of ethnic terms then Houston is not top 3, even among large cities. I think one of the regular posters here had a thread that dug deep into this issue earlier this year.

Most of the other world class cities mentioned here are places where people would like to move to if they could afford it, while Houston is more like a place where people move to BECAUSE they can afford it. In the twenty years I spent in Houston I know exactly 1 person who dreamt of moving to Houston and he's from Midlands.

There’s a difference between ethnic and racial diversity. Houston isn’t top tier in racial diversity but it is in ethnic diversity.

Basically, there’s NYC, and then Houston along with others such as LA, DC and others play the tug of war game after that.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by Nuclear Bear

I'd been going to Houston for 30 years, and had never had any issues with the air quality.
I was on a business trip to Houston after I had visited the Pacific Northwest.

For the first time in my life I realized how bad Houston smelled.
For full disclosure I was staying near Hobby Airport.

If you have lived in Houston your entire life you are most likely used to the smell of the oil refineries. I had always heard people complain about the smell, but I was in my mid 30's before I realized they were correct.

I’ve lived here and even in Louisiana where it’s worse and I still smell oil refineries when I’m anywhere southeast. I don’t smell it on the north and west side though. There’s a reason that’s where the growth is.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Spade

BWI airport is Baltimore, not DC. It is in the Baltimore MSA.

And MSA population
1 NYC 20,140,470
2 Los Angeles 13,200,998
3 Chicago 9,618,502
4 DFW 7,637,387
5 Houston 7,122,240
6 DC 6,385,162
7 Philadelphia 6,245,051
8 Miami 6,138,333
9 Atlanta 6,089,815
10Boston 4,941,632
11Phoenix 4,845,432
12SFO 4,749,008

[Spade]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

There’s a difference between ethnic and racial diversity. Houston isn’t top tier in racial diversity but it is in ethnic diversity.

Basically, there’s NYC, and then Houston along with others such as LA, DC and others play the tug of war game after that.

Is that not the other way around? Because Houston is well represented racially but ethnically it's a bit different. Most of Houston's Black population is AA whereas a city like Miami and NYC has a more diverse Black population. Same example with Latinos. NYC is above and beyond everyone ethnically and racially IMO.

[bu2]

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/l...-by-population

Not sure how this list comes up with its population numbers, but it shows Houston 61st largest in the world and 20th outside Asia.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by Spade

Is that not the other way around? Because Houston is well represented racially but ethnically it's a bit different. Most of Houston's Black population is AA whereas a city like Miami and NYC has a more diverse Black population. Same example with Latinos. NYC is above and beyond everyone ethnically and racially IMO.

Ethnically, Houston is around the number 5 spot. Racially, its around the 3 spot.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by Spade

Is that not the other way around? Because Houston is well represented racially but ethnically it's a bit different. Most of Houston's Black population is AA whereas a city like Miami and NYC has a more diverse Black population. Same example with Latinos. NYC is above and beyond everyone ethnically and racially IMO.

Houston’s born African population is much lower than NYC but it’s well represented as compared to other 5 million+ metros particularly those on the Western side of the country. Arabics, East Asian, South Asian, etc are all missing from Miami for example which is why I wouldn’t call Miami many tiers below.

Miami I wouldn’t call anywhere near as diverse as Houston because it doesn’t pull ethnicities as globally as Houston. Most of their foreigners come from Latin America or Europe to a much lesser degree. Houston, Dallas, Chicago, etc. are well represented by all continents. That’s diversity. Miami certainly more international than all of these but when they all come from the same continent, I wouldn’t call this diverse. Having a little bit of everything is by definition more diverse than having a lot of a few things.

Yes, NYC is definitely above and beyond everyone else. The fight for 2-5, is where Houston stands.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Houston’s born African population is much lower than NYC but it’s well represented as compared to other 5 million+ metros particularly those on the Western side of the country. Arabics, East Asian, South Asian, etc are all missing from Miami for example which is why I wouldn’t call Miami many tiers below.

Miami I wouldn’t call anywhere near as diverse as Houston because it doesn’t pull ethnicities as globally as Houston. Most of their foreigners come from Latin America or Europe to a much lesser degree. Houston, Dallas, Chicago, etc. are well represented by all continents. That’s diversity. Miami certainly more international than all of these but when they all come from the same continent, I wouldn’t call this diverse. Having a little bit of everything is by definition more diverse than having a lot of a few things.

Yes, NYC is definitely above and beyond everyone else. The fight for 2-5, is where Houston stands.

I agree with you about Miami but I will say they have a slightly diverse black and white population, and a more diverse latino population than Houston. Houston does have a more diverse and large Asian population though. I would also put Houston above Miami in diversity myself.