U.S. Cities By Tiers

I know I probably left some cities off, but I tried to get the big ones!

I’d switch Pittsburgh and Vegas

New Orleans is trash outside of the French Quarter

No way is Charlotte a Tier 2 city.

Not a gringo and even I know Vegas is too low on that list. It has A-list global name recognition, for that factor alone it can't be lower than the likes of fucking Tulsa or Syracuse.

Asheville, Burlington, Lexington, and Syracuse are too small to be in any of those tiers.

"Pittsburg" is in California. Or Kansas. Presumably you meant PITTSBURGH.

You're really talking about metro areas, so Dallas and Ft. Worth are one, and San Jose (which is larger than San Francisco) needs to be included with SF.

What are the criteria for these supposed Tiers, OP?

R7 Criteria:

Tier 1: The "movers and shakers" of the US. They lead in industry, health, technology, education, amenities, and have worldwide recognition.

Tier 2: The same as Tier 1, but generally smaller and not as refined as Tier 1.

Tier 3: Cities were once Tier 2 or have the potential to be Tier 2. Smaller and average to above average.

Tier 4: They are OK. Decent place to settle down and raise a family. Not on anyone's radar.

Tier 5: Good luck. High crime, high poverty, low education, and poor infrastructure. Few opportunities.

New Orleans has some shithole areas, but there are fine areas outside of the French Quarter, especially in the CBD and along the St. Charles area.

Las Vegas and New Orleans are major tourist destinations and that matters a lot.

R10 But besides the tourist areas, but do the cities have to offer? Not much.

New Orleans is also one of the most culturally important American cities.

What, no mention of San Jose?

Denver? Stupid exercise anyway

r13 see r6

This will end in tiers.

Where is Orlando?

Burlington?

At least everyone agrees with the Tier 1 cities

I'm surprised no one from Austin has petitioned for a higher ranking yet, or a special tier unto itself.

I love it when some baby-taste, suburbanite rube like OP deigns to teach us about her myopic and limited perceptions.......how very vivid.

Atlanta is Tier 1 now, not Houston.

R11

A tourist destination does not an Orlando make. It just means that travellers both international and domestic consider these cities worth visiting.

I would say the birthplace of Jazz pretty significant. Likewise, I can't see why anyone would want to step foot in times square.

That's just me though.

R22 I don't think so. Houston has the largest medical center in the world. The city also hosts the largest museums and city parks outside of New York City. Houston is an industry-heavy city, too, housing many Fortune 500 countries (Exxon, Baker Botts, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Hewett-Packard, Vinson & Elkins, CenterPoint, etc.).

Atlanta, on the other hand, has a lot of crime and not as many opportunities. The city did not start growing until the state gave tax breaks for filming. The city does house the headquarters for Coca-Cola, CNN, Delta, and Chick-fil-A, which also help.

I suppose that makes sense if those are criteria but as a non-american, I can tell you that you that when you say 'Houston, Texas' nothing comes to mind, whereas the other tier one cities bring up immediate images in our heads.

R25 Really? Not even oil? Or the international law firm Baker Botts? It was also the home city of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush.

New Orleans isn’t a shithole and is the birthplace of jazz. There wouldn’t be much to America without New Orleans. It is also beautiful and the inspiration for classic literature and drama. Getta outta here with your soulless Charlotte and Atlanta and Denver. Whoever wrote a song about Charlotte?

Kansas City tier 4? Its every bit the shithole tier 5 city and cross state rival St. Louis. Its just puts a glossier veneer on all the crime and poverty than STL. But all you have to do is scratch the very thin surface for the real stench to start stinking up the joint.

Sorry, OP, but any city that has the world's busiest airport is NOT a 2nd tier city.

You and a lot of other may not think so, but Atlanta is now a first tier city.

San Diego is a 10-tier city.

Op you should find better use for your time. Volunteer for a worthwhile organization or help someone less fortunate than you instead of judging.

[quote]Dallas and Ft. Worth are one

Wrong.

Minneapolis/Saint Paul didn’t make it after all?

Austin - which has over a million inhabitants - is the same tier as Burlington, VT, population 45,000?

Richmond? Raleigh/Durham? Nashville? Portland? Detroit? There are many lower tier cities in the US. I’d stick to just ranking the top 3 tiers.

Op is Tier -10

This should have been a poll!

R33 Minneapolis is a Tier 3 city. It is listed

Here's a list based on economic function.

Poor Austin, still languishing alongside Peoria and Allentown.

No, Houston brings up nothing, except for it being Trash Central.

Trash trash trash trash trash

Houston floods every time it rains.

No it doesn't...

r26 to the rest of the world Dallas is oil. Baker-what-now? There are many presidential birthplaces and most are inconsequential. I'm sure Houston matters greatly and is probably lovely but it's not on an average person's radar.

OP, you list is so wrong that I'm not sure where I should even start.

I think a city needs to be economically AND culturally important to be a first tier city. Are people flying in from Asia and Europe to take pictures in front of Houston's hospitals and office buildings? No, I don't believe they are. Only a maniac would put Houston in the same category as NYC. DC is a center of government but so is Ottawa. SF has a lot industry and some nice art museums but it's not LA's equal by any means. Boston? Please. The US has three first tier cities and they are NYC, Chicago and LA.

The rest of your tiers seem completely random and not worth analyzing on an individual basis (except for the fact that 7/8 of your bottom tier cities are extremely black, interesting pattern). As someone who is from Seattle and recently visited Phoenix, I can tell you that they are even close to being on the same level.

[quote]I have been thinking about this a lot.

The DL condoles you.

I like that Ranally city rating system - OP's, not so much.

But I think we can all agree that the largest cities in the US are currently beset by problems, ranging from a crisis in commercial real estate, lack of affordable housing, to relatively high crime and homelessness, traffic and commuting woes, etc They will still be destinations for businesses and finance and tourists - but are increasingly challenging for average income residents.

So I'm going to strongly advocate for the Ranalla 2-AA cities. They are simply much more livable for the middle class, and yet are still large enough to offer cultural amenities of larger cities - symphonies, theaters, opera companies, ballet companies, museums, art galleries, nice park systems - and with affordable housing and shorter commutes, middle class residents are more likely to take advantage of these cultural amenities. They are not anywhere close to OP's tier 1 and most don't aspire to be on that list, and that's ok.

While I agree 100 % with r44, his Ottawa-bashing is unbelievably cruel!

R43

Dallas is oil? Because of the 40 year old TV show? Houston is the US center of the international oil business, no question. I grew up there and have family there and still can’t keep up with the international oil and oil-adjacent firms.

Dallas is prettier and more fashionable but Houstonians are more diverse and friendlier. Not a lovely city, but mostly lovely people. And it’s home to the Johnson Space Center.

R49 Good. Maybe people will stop moving here.

[quote] What, no mention of San Jose?

R13, Do you know the way to San Jose?

Tier 1: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles Tier 2: DC, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston

After that it really doesn't much matter.

[quote] I have been thinking about this a lot.

Why?

"It was also the home city of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush."

This is an absurd criterion. Mentor, Ohio was James Garfield's home city. Who gives a shit?

Some of these cities are important economically but don't have a lot of reach culturally. New Orleans is big in American minds because of music and food, among other reasons. . Dallas and Houston are places we change planes.

I'm European born and bred and I wouldn't say that Houston is 'internationally recognised'. I can't think of anything when Houston is mentioned.

Boston too... to be honest.

I've lived DFW and Houston and agree they are not culturally important compared to other US cities. They're stopovers. Before etail blew up, both would get an influx of wealthy Middle Eastern high-end shoppers. That's the only time either were culturally significant, and from a very limited standpoint.

New Orleans and Dallas are places most Europeans will have heard of in my (European) opinion.

Anyone who doesn’t think of universities when Boston is mentioned is suspect.

[quote]Anyone who doesn’t think of universities when Boston is mentioned is suspect.

Most people have heard of Harvard. But because the town isn't also called Harvard almost nobody gets what Boston is (outside of American citizens).

R59

Ian Faith: The Boston gig has been cancelled...

David St. Hubbins: What?

Ian Faith: Yeah. I wouldn't worry about it though, it's not a big college town.

Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Tufts, Wellesley, Brandeis, Northeastern, etc.

[quote]Harvard, MIT

Non-Americans will probably have heard of these universities but will NOT be aware that they are in Boston.

[quote]Boston University, Boston College, Tufts, Wellesley, Brandeis, Northeastern, etc.

Non-Americans will not typically have heard of these universities.

R60 Educate yourself.

r31 What can I do for you?

There is a VERY invested Houstonian on this thread

Houston is, I repeat, trash.

Houston is nowhere near tier 1. Why would one even go there to visit? I’m sure there are nice areas and places and all but it has no cultural relevance what-so-ever.

R29 Keep dreaming. Atlanta Olympics (the “coca-cola olympics”) were considered the worst of all time because Atlanta is such an uninspiring destination.

Hartsfield is the busiest airport because it is within 2 hours of 80% of them he US population and it’s Delta’s hub. Very few of those passengers are actually leaving the airport and going to Atlanta. Why would they? What world-class sights or experiences does Atlanta offer? The Georgia Aquarium? (yes yes, the works largest, oooh)

Atlanta is a booming bedroom city. It’s a nice place to live if you can stand the summer weather. Tier 1 city? That’s laughable.

Harvard isn't in Boston either.

New York stands in its own tier. There no other American cities on par with NY.

No mention of Madison? Has been rated Best Place to Live in US numerous times.

Houston is a Tier 1 if you are factoring in business. Oil, medical, space program and shipping. Very diverse. Anyone who says it's not on anyone's mind is delusional.

It really depends on criteria. For financial output Houston is important. Cultural influence? None. No one goes there on vacation. Tourists who want “Texas” cowboys and ranches go to Dallas or maybe San Antonio.

I’ve frequently heard Houston described as ugly. I’m curious to see… it can’t be THAT bad.

I've been to 45 states and almost every major city in the US. The only one I haven't been to? Houston. (Except to change planes.) Never found a compelling reason to go there.

R75 - Agree about Houston's lack of appeal to visit - but IIRC San Antonio doesn't have a lot to offer either. I also have no urge to go to Salt Lake City.

Major second/third tier cities that are totally lackluster that I've visited: Jacksonville, Sacramento, Las Vegas (yes - besides the tacky strip, there's nothing), Detroit, Birmingham (AL), Greensboro, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Memphis.

I also don't see what's so special about Minneapolis/St. Paul. I've been many times (my brother used to live there) - I don't get it. It gets so much press about being a great place to live - and maybe it's true if you're white and straight.

Of course, being gay, I have a higher standard for a city - culture, restaurants, gay scene, beauty, vibrancy. There are a LOT of boring large cities in the US.

For such a large country, I guess you can expect that. I have to think the US is still better than many countries where everything is centered in their one capital city.

Tier 1- New York

Tier 2- Los Angeles, Chicago

Tier 3- San Francisco/Bay Area, DC, Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas

Tier 4- Seattle, Miami, Philadelphia

After that comes the rest which are not truly important major cities.

I generally agree with R77, but no way is a tech center like Seattle the same level as Miami, a city that since 1970's owes its prosperity and growth mainly to the growth of the international illegal drug trade.

I'm not a huge Miami fan, but it functions as the unofficial capital of Latin America r78. Multinational companies put their Latin America headquarters in Miami which is what puts it there

According to the 2020 ranking of world cities undertaken by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) based on the level of presence of global corporate service organizations, Miami is considered a Beta+ level world city, along with Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston.

One level down are the Beta cities of Denver, Philadelphia, and Seattle. At least, according to the methodology of this organization.

R76

I love San Antonio - it’s very pretty downtown and has gracious neighborhoods (Alamo Heights, Monte Vista, King William), beautiful old missions, excellent food, and pretty solid art museums. I have a lot of family from SA so I’m biased but I love all the live oaks and the stone mansions.

Where is Bakersfield?

R82 Busy looking for her next hit.