Midpoint 2020s: Top 50 US Cities...

[murksiderock]

We are 50 months into the 120-month 2020s, the period ranging from January 2020 to December 2029. Kinda crazy to believe we're almost halfway thru this decade...

But halfway thru a convo with me and @Bryan Danielson got me thinking about what the top cities are in the country, if I was creating an ad about the 50 most relevant, important, heavyweight cities, in a nation of thousands of interesting places and arguably the most popular and powerful country on the planet (certainly Top 3 by most respects), what would those 50 cities be?

If I was just ordering them 1-50 I'd rank them like this:

1 New York
2 Los Angeles
3 Chicago
4 Washington
5 San Francisco
6 Boston
7 Houston
8 Atlanta
9 Philadelphia
10 Miami
11 Dallas
12 Seattle
13 Phoenix
14 Detroit
15 Minneapolis
16 Denver
17 San Diego
18 Charlotte
19 Baltimore
20 Austin
21 St Louis
22 Tampa
23 Orlando
24 Portland
25 Pittsburgh
26 Las Vegas
27 San Jose
28 Nashville
29 Cincinnati
30 Oakland
31 Sacramento
32 San Antonio
33 Cleveland
34 Indianapolis
35 Kansas City
36 Columbus
37 Fort Worth
38 Newark
39 Salt Lake City
40 Milwaukee
41 Raleigh
42 Jacksonville
43 Richmond
44 New Orleans
45 Providence
46 Oklahoma City
47 Memphis
48 Louisville
49 Buffalo
50 Hartford

If I was sorting them into tiers, though, there is some separation between cities even if one after the other. For instance I think Charlotte ranks right after San Diego and Denver but I do think there's a gap between those cities and Charlotte, as currently stands:

I.
NY, (gap), LA
(gap)
II.
Chi, DC, SF
(smaller gap)
III.
Bean, HTX, ATL, Philly, Miami, DTX, Seattle
(Notable gap)
IV.
Phx, Motown, MSP, Denver, SD
(Gap)
V.
Clt, Bmore, ATX, StL, Tampa, Orlando, Pdx, Pgh, LV, SJ, Nash, Cincy, Oakland, Sac, SA
(Small gap)
VI.
Cleveland, Indy, KC, Cbus, FW, Nwk, SLC
(Small gap)
VII.
Mke, Rgh, Jax, RVA, Nola, PVD
(Small gap)
VIII.
OKC, Memphis, Lou, Buff, Hartford

Thoughts?

 

[Roger king]

Nothing beats NY and LA people from all over the world in millions journey to the US solely to see those cities, you cant compare it to anything else

 

[Premeditated]

Nothing beats NY and LA people from all over the world in millions journey to the US solely to see those cities, you cant compare it to anything else

actually, Miami has unfortunately taken that second spot from LA, as far as the city that people from around the world come to see and live.

even Vegas is starting to rival LA now

for as much as LA is vein and gets called fake, them two cities are worse

 

[buzzkill]

Is this for visiting or living? In 2024 LA and NY are not the top 2 in my opinion. Maybe if you are rich as hell (ive heard even the rich folks are moving). People from there moved to Vegas TX GA and FL or somewhere cheap in the midwest. NYers will tell you themselves NY has went to shyt.

 

[DonB90]

NYers will tell you themselves NY has went to shyt.

Only white conservative snowbirds say goofy shyt like this from what i noticed. The city is unreasonably expensive housing though but that's mostly everywhere now

 

[King Harlem]

I think San Francisco and Detroit have taken a hit and should be slightly lower so far this decade.
Cities like Las Vegas and Dallas should be slightly higher. Overall good list.

 

[buzzkill]

Only white conservative snowbirds say goofy shyt like this from what i noticed. The city is unreasonably expensive housing though but that's mostly everywhere now

No I'm in atlanta... i meet black NYers almost everyday. A lot say they would never move back, its too expensive and they fukked the city up.

 

[murksiderock]

actually, Miami has unfortunately taken that second spot from LA, as far as the city that people from around the world come to see and live.

even Vegas is starting to rival LA now

for as much as LA is vein and gets called fake, them two cities are worse

Miami ain't Top 2 in anything relevant it's a Top 10 city though...

Is this for visiting or living? In 2024 LA and NY are not the top 2 in my opinion. Maybe if you are rich as hell (ive heard even the rich folks are moving). People from there moved to Vegas TX GA and FL or somewhere cheap in the midwest. NYers will tell you themselves NY has went to shyt.

This is Top 50 cities based on a combination of both livability + visitor experience, as well as quality of life metrics of city life...

 

[Slic Ric]

Maybe a Philly breh can educate me, but how can you put it over about I see 9 cities in the #10-20 rankings?

 

[T-K-G]

Nothing beats NY and LA people from all over the world in millions journey to the US solely to see those cities, you cant compare it to anything else

So we're going off of marketing and just # of people? Bet.

Looking at that list OP I already seen some spots that are obscenely white and not the spot for black ppl so this is already based on some follower mentality shyt about numbers and size waste of time

Cost of living vs. the wages of the main industry in the area doesn't matter apparently

Neither does # of racist cacs and people that hold back the development of the cities. You got central Florida spots filled with old people in the same tier as an extremely white/racist Portland and a spot with heavy black culture in Oakland do you know how night and day the differences are in these spots???




One day y'all gonna realize marketing and tradition is why y'all keep ranking the same old shyt in your top "whatever" lists people Flock to NY/LA primarily in a desperate search for fame and riches, NOT because the living conditions are top notch there's context and nuance behind this stuff man, some of these cities are big solely because the other options in the state are abysmal, not because the shyt is dope

 

[Sir Richard Spirit]

Dallas is a top 5 city.

 

[murksiderock]

I think San Francisco and Detroit have taken a hit and should be slightly lower so far this decade.
Cities like Las Vegas and Dallas should be slightly higher. Overall good list.

Who would you put above Detroit and SF that aren't above them?

Vegas isn't a complete city yet, being a Top 30 city is indicative of its rise because it wasn't that 10+ years ago...

Dallas I'd borderline Top 10, I wouldn't debate someone who has Dallas Top 10. But it has a small downtown and central city core for a city it's size, and it is way, way, way too spread out. They have light rail but it isn't extensive or elite. They are developing the core but I just think the cities above it, outperform it there. Seattle has closed the gap on them, too...

 

[DonB90]

You got central Florida spots filled with old people in the same tier as an extremely white/racist Portland and a spot with heavy black culture in Oakland

Orlando and Tampa aren't exactly filled with old people.

Also Orlando and Tampa>Oakland and its not even close.

 

[murksiderock]

Maybe a Philly breh can educate me, but how can you put it over about I see 9 cities in the #10-20 rankings?

You think Philly should be lower based on what?

So we're going off of marketing and just # of people? Bet.

Looking at that list OP I already seen some spots that are obscenely white and not the spot for black ppl so this is already based on some follower mentality shyt about numbers and size waste of time

Cost of living vs. the wages of the main industry in the area doesn't matter apparently

Neither does # of racist cacs and people that hold back the development of the cities. You got central Florida spots filled with old people in the same tier as an extremely white/racist Portland and a spot with heavy black culture in Oakland do you know how night and day the differences are in these spots???




One day y'all gonna realize marketing and tradition is why y'all keep ranking the same old shyt in your top "whatever" lists people Flock to NY/LA primarily in a desperate search for fame and riches, NOT because the living conditions are top notch there's context and nuance behind this stuff man, some of these cities are big solely because the other options in the state are abysmal, not because the shyt is dope

I've made separate threads about the best cities for black people. This is a greatest cities list overall, the best cities for us would be markedly different...

Do you even know what youre talking about? Oakland aint making no best city for black people list...

Dallas is a top 5 city.

Man hellllllllllll nooooo. Dallas is cool but nah. Make the case though, I'm interested in your perspective. What are the only four cities you have over Dallas and what are its merits as a Top 5 city?

 

[Slic Ric]

You think Philly should be lower based on what?

If this list is based on living/wanting to vacation/importance in 2024, there are quite a few listed in that #10-20 range i'd put above in 2024.

Miami
Dallas
PHX
Denver
SD (Philly is VASTLY cheaper so if that is why it is above ok)
Charlotte

I'd need to be explained what Philly has to offer more than them, not even a slight to Philly either why I said needed an answer