How do YOU define metro Pittsburgh? (Philadelphia, York: live, suburban, areas)

[alastad]

According to Wikipedia the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area consists of Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Butler, Beaver, Armstrong and Fayette Counties.

[Paul2421]

Originally Posted by gladhands

That's why we have prepositions like "near". It's preposterous, and frankly dishonest to say that you're from Pittsburgh, when you're from a rural community. It's reasonable when you live in a suburb.


I may be wrong, but I feel like it's a relatively new phenomenon, for people to say they live in the nearest city, when that city is an hour away. People used to just say they were from Pennsylvania, Ohio or Texas, and if you asked, they'd say " about 45 minutes outside of Houston"

are you seriously that concerned that people associate themselves with a well known city to strangers? the things that keep some people up at night...

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Paul2421

are you seriously that concerned that people associate themselves with a well known city to strangers? the things that keep some people up at night...

This is literally the worst argument on the internet, yet people continue to make it. It's especially disingenuous from someone who spends her free time on a message board discussing cities.

[eschaton]

I grew up in Connecticut close to NYC. If I was talking to someone from the area, I'd say I was from Fairfield County. If I was talking to someone from elsewhere, I'd say I was from Southwestern Connecticut (or just Connecticut). I'd never, ever say I was from NYC. I never knew anyone from Long Island, Northern New Jersey, or even Westchester County say they were from NYC either.

Similarly, people who live in northern Virginia don't say they live in DC. People in the South/East Bay don't say they live in San Francisco. On the other hand, people from the suburbs of Boston and Philly often do claim to be from the city.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by g500

http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10...C10UA69697.pdf

this is a map offered by the US Census which defines the "urban area" or labor market of Pittsburgh. Most people who live in the outline would say they are "from or live near Pittsburgh". Not sure if we can share links. Looks like it encompasses 95% of Allegheny County with some decent spill into Beaver County and some spill into Butler and Westmoreland County. It encompasses over 1.7 million.

The map is a bit arbitrary with its divisions, but in general, I agree with it.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I grew up in Connecticut close to NYC. If I was talking to someone from the area, I'd say I was from Fairfield County. If I was talking to someone from elsewhere, I'd say I was from Southwestern Connecticut (or just Connecticut). I'd never, ever say I was from NYC. I never knew anyone from Long Island, Northern New Jersey, or even Westchester County say they were from NYC either.

Similarly, people who live in northern Virginia don't say they live in DC. People in the South/East Bay don't say they live in San Francisco. On the other hand, people from the suburbs of Boston and Philly often do claim to be from the city.

Yes, it's a very local thing. People in Adams, Arapahoe, and Jefferson Counties all tend to say they're in "Denver". People in Boulder County say "Boulder", though many live as close to Denver as some of those in the above counties.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Katarina Witt

Yes, it's a very local thing. People in Adams, Arapahoe, and Jefferson Counties all tend to say they're in "Denver". People in Boulder County say "Boulder", though many live as close to Denver as some of those in the above counties.

I remember pretty soon after I got married talking with my father-in law. Although they are locals to the area, they lived in Michigan for some time during the late 1960s when he was going to school at GMI. When he found out I lived in Detroit for awhile, he started quizzing me on where. I told him on the Southwest side near Mexicantown. He looked flummoxed for awhile, because he wasn't assuming when I said I lived in Detroit, I had actually lived in Detroit.

[youngabe]

I grew up between Apollo and Murrysville. My little neighborhood was (and still is) as yinzer as they come. Horse-shoes games, beer, DVE, steel workers, Steelers everything, you name it. Everyone speaks Pittsburgh'ese beyond fluently.

So, growing up, if someone asked where I was from, I said, "Pittsburgh." If by chance I encountered someone who that sparked a conversation with and was then asked, "What part?". I would say just northeast, near Murrysville.

I now live in Crafton Heights, so I physically live IN Pittsburgh.

[UKyank]

To pittsburghers: 'I live in the southside'
To ex western PA Americans: 'I live in Pittsburgh'
To Western Europeans: 'I live in Pennsylvania' (still confused looks 70% of the time) 'That's south of New York' (oh, ok)
To everyone else: 'I'm from the United States'

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I remember pretty soon after I got married talking with my father-in law. Although they are locals to the area, they lived in Michigan for some time during the late 1960s when he was going to school at GMI. When he found out I lived in Detroit for awhile, he started quizzing me on where. I told him on the Southwest side near Mexicantown. He looked flummoxed for awhile, because he wasn't assuming when I said I lived in Detroit, I had actually lived in Detroit.

I have had similar conversations when I told people we used to live in Denver, in the Sloan's Lake area. "Oh, did you live in Arvada?" No, Denver. "Wheat Ridge?" No, Denver. "Edgewater?" NO, DENVER! We lived in Denver, east of Sheridan, near the lake.

Originally Posted by UKyank

To pittsburghers: 'I live in the southside'
To ex western PA Americans: 'I live in Pittsburgh'
To Western Europeans: 'I live in Pennsylvania' (still confused looks 70% of the time) 'That's south of New York' (oh, ok)
To everyone else: 'I'm from the United States'

To Pittsburghers: 'I lived in Beaver Falls, also in Oakland both while at Pitt and for a little while thereafter.'
To ex western PA people: 'Oh, I'm from Pittsburgh, too.' Where? 'Beaver Falls.' Oh, I'm from (insert name of muni or neighborhood).
To Coloradans, including the many transplants from the midwest and California: 'Pittsburgh'. Again, like you, sometimes confused looks. 'It's in Pennsylvania'. Occasional response: "I knew a guy from Phildadelphia." Me: 'That's on the other side of the mountain.'