Tiers of US cities

[monsoon]

Its a good list. I would agree with it.

[PghUSA]

. . . said "maybe" Seattle. My only reasoning on that one is that Seattle is a stronger regional hub in the Pacific Northwest, more technology, and is as big or maybe even a bigger player in global trade. As I mentioned with Atlanta it being a hub for BellSouth and the Fed Branch, my list would have it Seattle and the other "superregionals" in the same tier. Just my two cents Benjamin, doesn't mean I'm right. I like your pathos for your hometown thats admirable.

[jolive]

Guys,

We are not talking about which cities we LIKE or DON'T LIKE. We are talking facts. Economy, population and recognition define the tiers of a city. From what I have read, Atlanta is up there with the Tier 1 cities. NY is ahead of the pack the way Lance Armstrong was in the Tour.

Charlotte is far from a Tier 1 city. I don't feel it is even a tier 2 city after thinking about it.

For what it is worth, it is the 2nd fastest growing city in the Nation, has a few fortune 500 companies along w/ having active offices for 300 of the fortune 500 companies in the city and has the second most active Chamber of Commerce in the Nation.

It has a long way to go, but it will be in the Tier 2 cities in the next 10 years. People and businesses are relocating to Charlotte like mad.

[mjcatl2]

I agree with the comments being about facts, not about like or dislike. Charlotte is not the 2nd fastest growing city though it is a very fast growing city with the momentum to propel as a job leader for years to come. That it just is not there yet, as far as the cosmopolitan well rounded aspects that come with a top tier city. I don't mean to single out Charlotte, but it seems to be almost the real topic here (ie, what tier is Charlotte). You can add Columbus, Jacksonville, Nashville, Vegas and a host of other hot growing cites, that leave a lot to be desired other than a job....

[PghUSA]

I think we all agree on the importance of facts here BUT . . .

it is how you prioritize these facts if you think climate, tourism and job growth make a city #1 then Orlando is tier one and NYC is tier 2 or 3. I think there are only about a dozen "reasonable" criteria when judging these but if you think about it everything from AAA to Forbes to Esquire ranks metros and cities each coming out with a slightly different ranking. It really is up to which 2 or 3 criteria you think is most important, and then fine tuning the rank. I think a lot of the disagreements don't concern the rank within a criteria but a misunderstanding of each others criteria, thats why I love to read why posters rank them the way they do.

[sleepy]

  The Federal Reserve bank has its southern hub in Atlanta, it looks after the rest of the south (including Miami) on the CPI and other economic issues, ensuring the value of the money in your bank account. 

There is no Federal Reserve southern hub. Large chunks of the South--South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, west Tennessee, north Louisiana, and north Mississippi are in different districts than Atlanta.

[benjamin]

There is no Federal Reserve southern hub.  Large chunks of the South--South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, west Tennessee, north Louisiana, and north Mississippi are in different districts than Atlanta.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes but the district that most makes up "the south" is Atlanta's 6th federal reserve distrcit.

[monsoon]

Actually you mean there is one district that is totally located in the South. Big difference.

[benjamin]

Actually you mean there is one district that is totally located in the South.  Big difference.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is the big difference?

[DrumCorpsAlum]

Houston is definately a tier 2, so is Atl.

[sleepy]

Yes but the district that most makes up "the south" is Atlanta's 6th federal reserve distrcit.

It doesn't make up most of the South. It includes Georgia, Alabama, Florida, southern Mississippi, eastern Tennessee, and southern Louisiana. That's hardly most of the South.

[benjamin]

It doesn't make up most of the South.  It includes Georgia, Alabama, Florida, southern Mississippi, eastern Tennessee, and southern Louisiana.  That's hardly most of the South.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i didn't say it makes up most of thye south, I said it most makes up the south. There is a difference between those.

[monsoon]

i didn't say it makes up most of thye south, I said it most makes up the south. There is a difference between those.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh God-damn, stop with the Atlanta Boosterism. If you think Atlanta is a tier 2 city fine, but don't sit here and mince words trying to convince the rest of the unbelieving world that it is.

[benjamin]

Oh God-damn, stop with the Atlanta Boosterism.  If you think Atlanta is a tier 2 city fine, but don't sit here and mince words trying to convince the rest of the unbelieving world that it is.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not. Think whatever you want

[Dougw]

If you think Atlanta is a tier 2 city fine, but don't sit here and mince words trying to convince the rest of the unbelieving world that it is.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Depends on how you want to define Tier 1, Tier 2, etc.

Personally, I think it's no fun to only have one city in Tier 1 (NYC). So if you also include LA, Chicago etc in Tier 1, then Atlanta does belong in Tier 2. However you slice it, Atlanta is definitely in the same middle tier with Detroit, Boston, Philly, etc.

So, my list would be something like this:

Tier 1A:

New York City

Tier 1:

Los Angeles

Chicago

Washington DC (?)

Tier 2:

San Fran

Phillly

Boston

Detroit

Altanta

Houston

Dallas

Seattle

Minneapois/St Paul (?)

San Diego (?)

Miami (?)

Tier 3:

St. Louis

New Orleans

Portland

Pittsburgh

Cleveland

Denver

Las Vegas

Cincinatti

Charlotte

Kansas City

Phoenix

San Antonio

San Jose

Orlando

...and a dozen or so other mid-size cities

Earlier in this thread I saw someone in the US put Houston in a separate tier above Detroit, which is a bit ridiculous. Then I noticed someone from the UK put Detroit in a separate tier above Houston. Personally, I think they're in the same tier. Detroit gets shunned a bit within the US because of its well-known urban problems, but Detroit is culturally very well known in Europe & the UK, definitely top 5. Heck, there is a club in London called "Detroit".

[mjcatl2]

I currently live in Atlanta and would not put it the same league as Boston or Philly. Atlanta has its pluses, but in an effort to grow fast n' easy, they never really cared to grow well or beyond getting the latest chain for Buckhead or Perimeter.

I think that I posted a list before, but give or take, here's my list

1:

NYC

LA

Chicago

2:

Boston

DC

Philly

SF

3:

Atlanta

Baltimore

Detroit

Cleveland

Denver

Pittsburgh

San Diego

Miami

Tampa

Houston

Dallas

Minneapolis

Phoenix

Seattle

St Louis

Tier 4:

Columbus

Indianapolis

New Orleans

Portland

Cincinatti

Charlotte

Kansas City

San Antonio

Sacramento

[NorthStar]

This list isn't exact, but I think it's fairly accurate. Here's the link: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/projects/projec32.html

Premier global city

NEW YORK

Global cities

CHICAGO

LOS ANGELES

Major specialist world cities

SAN FRANCISCO

MIAMI

ATLANTA

WASHINGTON

Minor specialist world cities

BOSTON

DALLAS

HOUSTON

Important regional-global centers

SEATTLE

DENVER

PHILADELPHIA

MINNEAPOLIS

Secondary regional centers

ST LOUIS

DETROIT

SAN DIEGO

PORTLAND

Minor regional-global centers

CHARLOTTE

CLEVELAND

INDIANAPOLIS

KANSAS CITY

PITTSBURGH

Unimportant regional-global centers

BALTIMORE

PHOENIX

CINCINNATI

[Loughlin]

Tier 1

NYC

Chicago

Boston

LA

Tier 2

Detroit

San fran

Atlanta

Seattle

Houston

Dallas

Tier 3

Minneapolis

Milwaukee

[mjtinmemphis]

Here is my list

Tier 1a

New York

Los Angeles

Tier 1

Chicago

Boston

Philly

San Francisco

DC metro

Tier 2

Seattle

Minneapolis

San Diego

Miami

Tier 2b

Atlanta

Dallas

Houston

Tier 3

St. Louis

Denver

Detroit

Baltimore

Pheonix

Cleveland

Pittsburgh

Portland

Tier 4

Nashville

Charlotte

Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill

Orlando

Tier 4b

Birmingham

Memphis

Louisville

[Viper]

The lack of Jacksonville mentions doesn't surprise me though it far deserves it more so than many of the listings in the lower tiers.. I'll create a list soon and it will be quite comprehensive, detailed and fair.

[cheeriokid61]

I'm kinda new w/ this stuff so I'll let y'all fix anything you think should be fixed.

Tier 1

New York

Chicago

LA

Tier 2

Boston

Philadelphia

San Fran

DC

Tier 3

Detroit

Houston

Atlanta

Seattle

Miami

San Diego

Minneapolis

St. Louis

Tier 4

Charlotte

Denver

Nashville

Baltimore

Phoenix

Cleveland

Raleigh

Kansas City

Indianapolis

Pittsburg

Tampa

Dallas

San Antonio

Jacksonville

Tier 4b

Portland

Louisville

Orlando

Austin

Oklahoma City

Birmingham

Memphis

[cheeriokid61]

Whoops... forgot Jacksonville in Tier 4. Sorry Viper.

[Viper]

Whoops... forgot Jacksonville in Tier 4. Sorry Viper.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a problem. It's been the largest unkown city in the US for a long time and even with the superBowl it is still unkown to so many.

[Spades]

Cheeriokid. The only thing i question about your list is Dallas. It should be in the same with Atlanta, Houston, Detroit and so forth. Other than that. It's pretty good.

Major specialist world cities

SAN FRANCISCO

MIAMI

ATLANTA

WASHINGTON

Miami and Atlanta above Houston , Dallas, and Boston?? and they are in the same league with Washington and San Francisco??

[Viper]

No specific order within tiers.

Tierless:

NYC

Tier I:

LA

Chi

Philly

SF

Boston

DC

Miami

Atl

Houston

Dallas

Detroit

Tier II:

Phoenix

Seattle

Minn

San D

St Louis

Baltimore

Tampa

Pitts

Denver

Cleveland

Cincy

Portland

Sacramento

KC

San Antonio

Orlando

Indy

Tier III:

Columbus

Charlotte

Las Vegas

Hampton Roads

Providence

Milwaukee

Austin

Jacksonville

Nashville

New Orleans

Memphis

Louisville

Buffalo

Hartford

Richmond

OK City

Birmingham

Tier IV:

500,000 to 1,000,000 in metro population.