Dayton+Cincinnati=Good? (Columbus, Cleveland, Akron: statistics, moving, suburbs)

[Daytonnatian]

In 2010, according to the government census bureau, Dayton and Cincinnati's MSAs will merge. The merge will, on paper, create more population and industry for both Cincinnati and Dayton, and it will also form our country 15th largest metro area, I think, putting us ahead of Cleveland . But, do you think this will be beneficial or harmful?

[GraniteStater]

It could definitely be good. However, both cities should continue to redevelop portions of their urban cores and inner ring suburbs. Cincinatti tends to have more of a suburban sprawl problem overall.

[Cincy-Rise]

Our metro passed up Cleveland's already.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by Plains10

It could definitely be good. However, both cities should continue to redevelop portions of their urban cores and inner ring suburbs. Cincinatti tends to have more of a suburban sprawl problem overall.

Every city does, but Dayton being so close doesn't help. I'm sure a lot of residents can't even tell you which county belongs to what city.

[BelieveInCleve]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

Our metro passed up Cleveland's already.

It only passed up Cleveland because it takes up a lot more land area, and also recently on the census they stopped counting a whole county near Cleveland. If it was still included we would have around 2.3 million people in the immediate metro area still putting us ahead of Cincinnati. The merger will bring the Cincinnati-Dayton metro around 3.1 million putting it ahead of the Cleveland CSA of 2.9 million. However I am still kind of annoyed that they dont even county Canton in our CSA, which is connected to Akron and 1 county over. If Canton was added we would have around 3.5 million. the Cincinnati-Dayton area is going to take up huge land area though. If Cleveland did that we would have all of NE Ohio and then some and over 4.6 million people. I guess it doesnt matter though.

[hillside]

Originally Posted by Cle440

It only passed up Cleveland because it takes up a lot more land area, and also recently on the census they stopped counting a whole county near Cleveland. If it was still included we would have around 2.3 million people in the immediate metro area still putting us ahead of Cincinnati. The merger will bring the Cincinnati-Dayton metro around 3.1 million putting it ahead of the Cleveland CSA of 2.9 million. However I am still kind of annoyed that they dont even county Canton in our CSA, which is connected to Akron and 1 county over. If Canton was added we would have around 3.5 million. the Cincinnati-Dayton area is going to take up huge land area though. If Cleveland did that we would have all of NE Ohio and then some and over 4.6 million people. I guess it doesnt matter though.

sw ohio is hilly. it has to sprawl more.

[hillside]

dayton+cincinnati is good, but it's a weird situation. dallas-ft. worth and the twin cities have one forward moving major cities with a mid-sized city in decent shape next to them. cinti and dayton are both doughnuts, so how will that affect the cities over time?

[BelieveInCleve]

I see this as kind of a bad thing for Dayton, or at least its kind of sad. I remember all the headlines from a long time ago that showed Dayton as such a large and important city and now look at it. Whats the population now? Barely 140k. Its just on paper though, its not like its going to help out Dayton since we are now calling it Cincinnati/Dayton when nothing else has changed in reality.

Also, NE Ohio has a lot of hills too. It only gets flat when you get west of Lorain County which is then considered NW Ohio. To me, I will always see Cleveland as the largest city in Ohio, in central city and metro area along with the region. I guess it still really is with there being 4.6 million in NE Ohio or something like that. These statistics are saying differently though, now supposedly Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and Cincinnati is the largest metro area. It sounds weird to say that. It doesnt sound true and I could never get used to it.

[hillside]

Originally Posted by Cle440

I see this as kind of a bad thing for Dayton, or at least its kind of sad. I remember all the headlines from a long time ago that showed Dayton as such a large and important city and now look at it. Whats the population now? Barely 140k. Its just on paper though, its not like its going to help out Dayton since we are now calling it Cincinnati/Dayton when nothing else has changed in reality.

Also, NE Ohio has a lot of hills too. It only gets flat when you get west of Lorain County which is then considered NW Ohio. To me, I will always see Cleveland as the largest city in Ohio, in central city and metro area along with the region. I guess it still really is with there being 4.6 million in NE Ohio or something like that. These statistics are saying differently though, now supposedly Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and Cincinnati is the largest metro area. It sounds weird to say that. It doesnt sound true and I could never get used to it.

i see where you're coming from on dayton, interesting point. ne ohio isn't chicago flat, but it's not on the level of southern ohio either. as for perception, it's all in where you're from. cleveland was the face of the state since the 70's, so you naturally see it that way, but here in columbus, folks see columbus as the big fish. being from cincinnati, i've always felt that cincinnati was the first, and the "real" city based on the urbanity and big corporations.

[the_pines]

I don't understand how this would be a good thing or change anything for that matter. Dayton is sixty miles away from Cincinnati. Its just about as close to Columbus as it is to Cincinnati. If things allow, Dayton and Columbus would surely start growing nearer to each other. Then what? Initially without hearing any good reasons I don't like the idea one bit. Dayton was always its own city. There might be one percent of people who drive to Cincinnati for work. Dayton has as much history as Columbus even though its much smaller. This doesn't seem realistic in anyway. Dayton is a full fledged city, and always has been. Its not suburb or town.

Is the reasoning to stimulate growth? I understand very well Ohio cities have been decaying for a long time, and Dayton is definitely one of those. I still haven't lost hope. Shrinking isn't necessarily a death sentence. The area was bound to see a lot of shrinking as newer areas and new infrastructure sprung up. I'm very peculiar about the city. Also I don't know that Daytonians and Cincinnatian's are all that similar. Dayton has always had liberal undertones, and its traditionally a very moderate city. Cincinnati needs to resolve some ethnic problems and prove to itself it can be a better city overall before thinking about another city.

And quite frankly, Cincinnati has never had the influence or power to absorb Dayton. Maybe a small town like Middletown, but theres no way Cincinnati has never had any great amount of influence on Daytonian's. Most Daytonian's avoid Cincinnati. Or periodically go there for the Fourth of July fireworks show, or Kings Island, or a sports game. That's about it. Cincinnati is very alien to some Daytonian's.