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What other town in the USA do you feel Raleigh is similar to?
I think that depends on what metics you are inclined to compare.
*fast growing state capitals and college towns?
*The gently rolling hills and forested land?
*The types of people who live in Raleigh?
*The costs of living?
*The politics?
I think everyone looks at the world through their own lense. Also, people will only be able to compare Raleigh with other cities that they've visited.
That said, I am reminded on Raleigh by Austin due to the fact they are both fast growing capitals with their respective state's largest university. They both have economies that are driven by the technology industries. They both have rapidly growing burb attached to them (Round Rock and Cary). Of course, they have many differences as well. But, upon my first visit to Austin, there was an immediate familarity to it for me that I didn't experience in the other Texas cities.
In a different way, I found Atlanta to also have a familiarity to me. In Atlanta, I feel as if I am in Raleigh 40 years from now in terms of size and see it as a good roadmap of what to do and what not to do as Raleigh grows.
When I went to Madison WI, I immediately felt like I was in a city that would be the offspring of Raleigh and Chapel Hill.
In the end, all 3 cities above are both state capitals and college towns. In Atlanta, those two realities have less impact due to its size.
I've never been there but I think Columbus, Ohio and Raleigh share some similarities.
1. State Capitol
2. Large State University
3. NHL team, and no other major league sports (San Jose is the only other US city with this)
4. High-tech jobs
5. Growing population
Austin as mentioned above also has:
1. Large State University
2. High-tech jobs
3. State capitol
4. Always in the top ten in growth and educated people
5. Only one interstate running through the city
Rochester NY but not Rochester's downtown. And the Rochester suburb of Greece as North Raleigh.
Interesting. Very interesting.
Are you calling Greece similar to North Raleigh because they are both the first and largest suburban areas to develop (even though N. Raleigh is actually part of the city of Raleigh whereas Greece is it's own town).
I've thought of Greece as a slightly older/denser version of Cary, being built up mostly in the 60's-80's vs Cary being built up mostly in the 90's/early 2000's. They are both very large suburban towns of around 100k (Greece being a little under 100k and Cary being a good bit over 100k by now) that have both consistently been ranked among safest cities in the nation numerous times.
As far as the regions as a whole though; I don't see much of a similarity between the two. Rochester is a city that has surrounding suburbs where a great deal of the residents of those suburbs commute to the city for work. The towns around Raleigh are less suburbs of Raleigh and more suburbs of RTP. Also, most of the people who live in the suburbs of Rochester either grew up in the city of Rochester or their parents/grandparents did; also not the case in Raleigh. Sounds kind of trivial but it makes a noticeable difference in the dynamics of the two areas.
Nashville and Richmond seemed the most similar to Raleigh amongst cities I have been to. Never been to Austin but from what I've heard it sounds fairly Raleigh-esque too. I've heard the same thing about Columbus, Ohio as well.
Last edited by just_sayin'; 02-26-2011 at 11:30 PM..
And North Raleigh is often compared to Cary (and seen as similar), so it all makes sense, then, doesn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by I'minformed2
Interesting. Very interesting.
Are you calling Greece similar to North Raleigh because they are both the first and largest suburban areas to develop (even though N. Raleigh is actually part of the city of Raleigh whereas Greece is it's own town).
I've thought of Greece as a slightly older/denser version of Cary, being built up mostly in the 60's-80's vs Cary being built up mostly in the 90's/early 2000's. They are both very large suburban towns of around 100k (Greece being a little under 100k and Cary being a good bit over 100k by now) that have both consistently been ranked among safest cities in the nation numerous times.
As far as the regions as a whole though; I don't see much of a similarity between the two. Rochester is a city that has surrounding suburbs where a great deal of the residents of those suburbs commute to the city for work. The towns around Raleigh are less suburbs of Raleigh and more suburbs of RTP. Also, most of the people who live in the suburbs of Rochester either grew up in the city of Rochester or their parents/grandparents did; also not the case in Raleigh. Sounds kind of trivial but it makes a noticeable difference in the dynamics of the two areas.
Nashville and Richmond seemed the most similar to Raleigh amongst cities I have been to. Never been to Austin but from what I've heard it sounds fairly Raleigh-esque too. I've heard the same thing about Columbus, Ohio as well.
Are you calling Greece similar to North Raleigh because they are both the first and largest suburban areas to develop (even though N. Raleigh is actually part of the city of Raleigh whereas Greece is it's own town).
I've thought of Greece as a slightly older/denser version of Cary, being built up mostly in the 60's-80's vs Cary being built up mostly in the 90's/early 2000's. They are both very large suburban towns of around 100k (Greece being a little under 100k and Cary being a good bit over 100k by now) that have both consistently been ranked among safest cities in the nation numerous times.
As far as the regions as a whole though; I don't see much of a similarity between the two. Rochester is a city that has surrounding suburbs where a great deal of the residents of those suburbs commute to the city for work. The towns around Raleigh are less suburbs of Raleigh and more suburbs of RTP. Also, most of the people who live in the suburbs of Rochester either grew up in the city of Rochester or their parents/grandparents did; also not the case in Raleigh. Sounds kind of trivial but it makes a noticeable difference in the dynamics of the two areas.
Nashville and Richmond seemed the most similar to Raleigh amongst cities I have been to. Never been to Austin but from what I've heard it sounds fairly Raleigh-esque too. I've heard the same thing about Columbus, Ohio as well.
I can see the Greece reference. Definitely not downtown Rochester. When I lived in Buffalo, the only time I would go to downtown Rochester is if I had to argue an appeal at the Appellate Division. At least there are other things going on in downtown Raleigh.
The geography around here does remind me a little of Western PA, east of Pittsburgh, where I grew up.
I've thought of Greece as a slightly older/denser version of Cary, being built up mostly in the 60's-80's vs Cary being built up mostly in the 90's/early 2000's. They are both very large suburban towns of around 100k (Greece being a little under 100k and Cary being a good bit over 100k by now) that have both consistently been ranked among safest cities in the nation numerous times.
Being the inquisitive geek that I am, I immediately had to find out about Greece. I had never heard of the place but, then again, I have never been to far Western New York.
It's interesting that your perception is that Greece is an older/denser version of Cary. I can't make any comment about it feeling older but the statistics don't support the denser at all. Cary is both larger in population and smaller in physical size and, therefore, much more densely populated than Greece. A possible driver for this could be that Cary has more young families and that houses that are there are filled with more children while Greece has more empty nesters. But, who knows?
I'll agree with the poster that suggested Raleigh is similar to Austin, TX.
I have friends that left Raleigh to move to Austin, due to a job transfer, and this is exactly what she told me.
We actually visited Austin for a few days and it LOOKED very similar to Raleigh, to me. However, we were not there during the summer months and my friend complains about the heat.
Being the inquisitive geek that I am, I immediately had to find out about Greece. I had never heard of the place but, then again, I have never been to far Western New York.
It's interesting that your perception is that Greece is an older/denser version of Cary. I can't make any comment about it feeling older but the statistics don't support the denser at all. Cary is both larger in population and smaller in physical size and, therefore, much more densely populated than Greece. A possible driver for this could be that Cary has more young families and that houses that are there are filled with more children while Greece has more empty nesters. But, who knows?
idk, I was speaking merely from my perceptions. Greece is on street grid which has always given a "denser" feeling to me. Also most of the major thoroughfares in Greece are largely lined with houses/buildings right on the street vs in Cary they are surrounded by trees (something I still miss about NC) so even-though there are neighborhoods or shopping centers built right behind those trees, it often gives feeling that you are in a less developed area.
As far as Raleigh itself and surrounding areas go though, I'd actually think that the closest thing to it in NY state is Albany. Albany is also the capital, and has a more high-tech/government based economy as the triangle does. And it also has more in the way of satellite cities that make it more of a "region" than a strictly city/suburb dynamic with Troy and Schenectady (though Troy and Schenectady are decidedly more industrial and less educational based than Durham or Chapel Hill)
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