So which city is really the biggest? (Columbus, Cleveland: vs, suburbs)

[jbcmh81]

So I got into a debate about this on the general forum, and there seems to be some disagreement on this. Out of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, which city do you think deserves to be called the biggest, and perhaps best? Make your case.

[Cleveland_Collector]

It depends how you look at it.
If you're discussing the "city proper," the order is Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati.
If you're discussing metropolitan areas, the order is Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus.
If you're discussing population density, the order is Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus.

I think the title goes to Cleveland on both accounts. However, the latter is certainly subjective.

[czb2004]

Cleveland because Akron MSA is close by and if you ad it to Cleveland then you have a metro of 2.9 million. Plus NEO is a larger media market than Central Ohio and SW Ohio, so it is the biggest city in the most populous region of the state. It has to attract people from Akron, Canton, and Youngstown for sports and other forms of entertainment. Cincy next, then Columbus.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by czb2004

Cleveland because Akron MSA is close by and if you ad it to Cleveland then you have a metro of 2.9 million. Plus NEO is a larger media market than Central Ohio and SW Ohio, so it is the biggest city in the most populous region of the state. It has to attract people from Akron, Canton, and Youngstown for sports and other forms of entertainment. Cincy next, then Columbus.

Except that's not true. MSAs from the Census Bureau have Cleveland at just under 2.1 million. Cincy is actually the biggest with about 2.17 million and Columbus with 1.8 million. I don't know why you would even include Akron. It's 40 miles away and it's not a part of Cleveland in any way. The Census site even lists it as it's own separate area.

Anyway, that's why I don't like using the MSA, because they include areas that have no real connection. Just because both Akron and Cleveland are in the northeast section of the state does not mean that they are just parts of each other.

I brought up in the other thread that in the city limits only, the populations for the 3 cities are:

Columbus: 769,000
Cleveland: 431,000
Cincinnati: 333,000

The argument was brought up that those numbers are dishonest because Columbus' total area is 213 square miles vs Cleveland's 83 and Cincy's 80. That's a fair point, and let's assume that Columbus' area was the same as Cleveland's. With a population density of about 3,610 people in Columbus, if you multiplied that by the average density per square mile, you'd come out with a figure just under 300,000 for Columbus, which would make it the smallest city and more in line with its position of the MSA.

However, another point is this. The rates of growth for the 3, even with trying to make them the same area size, are still heavily in favor of Columbus, followed by Cincy, and distantly, by Cleveland. Eventually, Columbus would still come out on top if the rates continued as is or close to them.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Cleveland_Collector

It depends how you look at it.
If you're discussing the "city proper," the order is Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati.
If you're discussing metropolitan areas, the order is Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus.
If you're discussing population density, the order is Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus.

I think the title goes to Cleveland on both accounts. However, the latter is certainly subjective.

Again, the official numbers do not have Cleveland as the largest metro area. Population density, yes, Cleveland is still at the top, with both Cincy and Columbus pretty close to each other.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Yes, they most certainly do.

Greater Cleveland-Akron ranks 16th for population, largest metro area in Ohio | cleveland.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_ce...tistical_areas

I know people in Cincy can't handle the fact that Akron and Cleveland are a combined metro (same sports teams, television/radio market, international airport, etc.). I don't know why that is when their metro goes into 2 other states and covers more combined area. Akron IS part of the metroplex and has been for over a century.

Also, the distance between the two is not "40 miles" (38.4 - that's downtown to downtown; Middletown is 5 miles farther from Cincy). The distance from city limit to city limit along I-77 is less than 25 miles. The direct suburbs of Cleveland reach far into Summit County and virtually eliminate any demarcation.

[abr7rmj]

Cincinnati is the 24th largest metro in the U.S. and the largest in Ohio. It is gaining population at an 8.07% clip.

Cleveland is the 26th largest metro in the U.S. and the second largest in Ohio. It is losing population at a 2.65% clip.

Columbus is the 32nd largest metro in the U.S. and the third largest in Ohio. It is gaining population at an 11.73% clip.

Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Other metros of interest:

No. 1 New York City
No. 2 Los Angeles
No. 61 Dayton
No. 72 Akron
No. 79 Toledo

[czb2004]

Here is a picture of Cincinnati MSA:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4f/Greatercincinnaticounties.PNG (broken link)

It covers a large number of counties that surround it, some of them are largely rural. And Akron is in a neighboring county to Cleveland so I think it is fair to include it.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Cincinnati is the 24th largest metro in the U.S. and the largest in Ohio. It is gaining population at an 8.07% clip.

Cleveland is the 26th largest metro in the U.S. and the second largest in Ohio. It is losing population at a 2.65% clip.

Columbus is the 32nd largest metro in the U.S. and the third largest in Ohio. It is gaining population at an 11.73% clip.

Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Other metros of interest:

No. 1 New York City
No. 2 Los Angeles
No. 61 Dayton
No. 72 Akron
No. 79 Toledo

Cincinnati's MSA and CSA are considered as being virtually the same. Cleveland's CSA is almost 1 million larger and is STILL a smaller defined land area than the Cincy MSA. Cleveland is bigger, period. Akron has long been considered part of the Cleveland area.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Cleveland_Collector

Yes, they most certainly do.

Greater Cleveland-Akron ranks 16th for population, largest metro area in Ohio | cleveland.com

Ohio census statistical areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I know people in Cincy can't handle the fact that Akron and Cleveland are a combined metro (same sports teams, television/radio market, international airport, etc.). I don't know why that is when their metro goes into 2 other states and covers more combined area. Akron IS part of the metroplex and has been for over a century.

Also, the distance between the two is not "40 miles" (38.4 - that's downtown to downtown; Middletown is 5 miles farther from Cincy). The distance from city limit to city limit along I-77 is less than 25 miles. The direct suburbs of Cleveland reach far into Summit County and virtually eliminate any demarcation.

I'm pretty sure I'm able to handle a population figure, lol (and I'm not even in Cincy). That's pretty silly to even suggest otherwise. But I'm also pretty sure I'm going to trust the actual US Census over Wikipedia or Cleveland.com. Take it up with the US Government.

If Akron is part of Cleveland, why not Erie PA, for god's sake. Why not Youngstown? Why not Pittsburgh? Geeze, and people were talking to me about area sizes of city limits! Some of you want to add an entire gd region to your city and call it a suburb. It's ridiculous. Can Columbus add Dayton, Delaware, Marion, and Mansfield? Let's just all stake our claims now and **** in the snow.