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Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: webny99 on September 23, 2022, 02:20:19 PM

Title: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 23, 2022, 02:20:19 PM
A spin-off of the thread for geographic oddities... what are some population related facts or stats that you find odd, crazy, or otherwise surprising?

Here's one I've never been able to wrap my head around: The District of Columbia (2020 pop. 689,545) is more populous than the state of Vermont (2020 pop. 643,077).

My home county, Monroe County, NY (2020 pop. 759,443) is also more populous than Vermont, which seems odd too because Rochester isn't even a very big metro area on a national level.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on September 23, 2022, 02:35:50 PM
Colorado's most populous county is not in the Denver metro area. El Paso County (Colorado Springs) outranks the City and County of Denver by about 20,000.

The two most populous countries in the world (China & India) have about as many people as the next 20 in population (USA, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Philippines, Ethiopia, Egypt, Vietnam, DRC, Iran, Turkey, Germany, France, UK, and Thailand).
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on September 23, 2022, 02:45:32 PM
There are over 20 metro areas just in the US with larger populations than the entire state of Wyoming. 

A local one for me that I never understood: Cattaraugus County, NY has 30,000 more people than neighboring Allegany County. Both counties are of a similar size and both are quite rural. The largest municipality in Cattaraugus County (Olean) is about 13,500 population-wise. For Allegany County the largest municipality (Wellsville) has a population of ~7,000. But that's 6,500 people. That doesn't explain the other 23,500 extra people in Cattaraugus County.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on September 23, 2022, 09:36:10 PM
^ I suspect Wellsville is more of an outlier in its county than you think.  Allegany county is one of the most desolate parts of the entire state (especially if factoring out the Adirondacks).  Plus Olean is a bigger area than the population comparison to Wellsville suggests.  Olean actually has suburbs.

This map is interesting: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/New_York_Population_Map.png
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: SkyPesos on September 23, 2022, 09:41:44 PM
City limit population in general is weird and highly inconsistent, and sometimes defy conventional wisdom. Two of my favorite cases:

- Jacksonville is the largest in FL by city limit population, but most people would think that Miami, Tampa, and/or Orlando are larger (and they are for metro area population).
- San Jose is more populous than San Francisco, even though the latter is considered the "primary" city of the Bay Area.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: thspfc on September 24, 2022, 12:36:09 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 23, 2022, 02:45:32 PM
There are over 20 metro areas just in the US with larger populations than the entire state of Wyoming. 
There's 99. (Which is over 20, so you're not wrong  :-D.) Jackson, MS (587k) is the smallest that is still bigger than Wyoming.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 24, 2022, 01:03:31 PM
Quote from: vdeane on September 23, 2022, 09:36:10 PM
^ I suspect Wellsville is more of an outlier in its county than you think.  Allegany county is one of the most desolate parts of the entire state (especially if factoring out the Adirondacks).  Plus Olean is a bigger area than the population comparison to Wellsville suggests.  Olean actually has suburbs.

This map is interesting: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/New_York_Population_Map.png

Concur with this. The Town of Allegany (pop. 8004) in Cattaraugus County is basically a suburb of Olean, and it's more populous than anything in Allegany County. Cattaraugus County also has the city of Salamanca, which is itself similar in size to Wellsville. Then there's the difference in area, with Cattaraugus County being roughly 20% larger.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on September 24, 2022, 01:34:44 PM
The city of Indianapolis is 1.6% more populous than the city of San Francisco.

The San Francisco MSA is 125.5% more populous than the Indianapolis MSA.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on September 24, 2022, 01:39:53 PM
New Zealand entire country's population has the same amount of people that lives in the City of Los Angeles and Singapore respectively.


Canada has the same amount of people that lives in California and


Australia has the same amount of people that lives in Texas.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on September 24, 2022, 01:45:27 PM
Fresno has more people than Sacramento for most populated city in the Central Valley of California.


However Sacramento Metro area has more people overall than Fresno. Note Sacramento Area may sometime include parts of Solano County, CA given that the Southwest corner of the Sacramento Valley and Delta regions go all the way to areas like Dixon and Rio Vista.




Also the State of Wyoming has the same amount of people as Sacramento and Fresno have.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on September 24, 2022, 04:29:23 PM
Both Vermont and West Virginia don't have any cities more populated than my hometown. As of the latest estimates Burlington VT has a population of 44,743; Charleston WV has 48,018; and Huesca, Spain has 53,429.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: dlsterner on September 24, 2022, 05:30:13 PM
More than half of Canada's population lives south of Seattle (using a line drawn at Seattle's latitude).
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Road Hog on September 24, 2022, 05:53:13 PM
Anchorage, Alaska (pop. 292k) is a bigger city than many other states' biggest cities, including Birmingham, Little Rock, Bridgeport, Wilmington, Boise, Des Moines, Portland (ME), Jackson, Billings, Manchester, Newark, Fargo, Providence, Charleston (SC), Charleston (WV), Sioux Falls, Salt Lake City, Burlington and Cheyenne.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on September 24, 2022, 07:47:23 PM
If we look specifically at city limit populations (not MSA populations) then here's one of the craziest (at least to me): Phoenix is #5! Phoenix is so much larger than you would think.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kurumi on September 24, 2022, 10:16:12 PM
City populations vs metro populations etc. etc. and maybe not defying CW but interesting:

8 out of the top 10 cities in the 1950 census peaked at that census (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_populous_cities_in_the_United_States_by_decade#1950).

Since then:
* NYC and LA have increased (though NYC did see declines before recovering)
* Chicago: 3.6M -> 2.7M today (25%)
* Philly: 2.0M -> 1.6M (20%)
* Detroit: 1.85M -> 623K (66%)
* Baltimore: 949K -> 576K (39%)
* Cleveland: 914K -> 372K (59%)
* St. Louis: 856K -> 301K (65%)
* DC: 802K -> 689K (14%)
* Boston: 801K -> 675K (16%)

Suburbanization and transportation changes have had an effect.

Also: NYC has been the #1 city since 1790, wire to wire. The longest-lived city in the top 5 otherwise: Philadelphia. It stayed there in every census until Phoenix knocked it to #6 in 2020.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: CtrlAltDel on September 24, 2022, 11:16:35 PM
Cook County, Illinois, has a greater population than the 98 smallest counties of the state, combined.

I mean, it's no surprise that Cook County is the biggest, but that's all but three counties in the state, which is a lot.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range. This state needs more medium sized cities.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 07:48:43 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range. This state needs more medium sized cities.
Why?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on September 25, 2022, 07:49:51 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range. This state needs more medium sized cities.
You might get your wish given telecommuting and other factors causing people to flee to upstate NY, but keep in mind that cities in this state can't annex their suburbs, so they'll never be on the size that they could be in a state with unrestricted annexation.  It's also a double-edged sword, and more people means more congestion.  I don't think people in upstate NY (me included) have tolerance for the levels of congestion that are routine in larger metro areas.

Also, NYC is big because it's a conglomerate of five counties.  It would be smaller if it only contained Manhattan.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on September 25, 2022, 10:01:52 AM
Hempstead, New York if it was an incorporated city would have the same amount of people as Indianapolis City proper and San Francisco.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempstead,_New_York (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempstead,_New_York)
Manhattan, NY if it was it's own city it would in the same range as with San Jose, CA and Philadelphia, PA.
Brooklyn, NY if it was its own city it would be tied with Chicago

Bronx, NY would be tied with San Francisco, CA

Staten Island would be in the same range as Sacramento, CA, Long Beach, CA and Fresno, CA.

Queens would get the same amount of people as Houston.


Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on September 25, 2022, 04:55:34 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range.

Perhaps not surprisingly, New York also has the biggest percentage drop between first and second largest cities:
Buffalo's population is only 3.3% of New York's.

Chicago is #2: Aurora's population is 6.6% of Chicago's.

The smallest drop is West Virginia: Huntington's population is 95.8% of Charleston's.

The average is 51.2%, which just happens to be Kentucky: Lexington's population is 51.2% of Louisville's.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: andrepoiy on September 25, 2022, 06:18:55 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 23, 2022, 09:41:44 PM
City limit population in general is weird and highly inconsistent, and sometimes defy conventional wisdom. Two of my favorite cases:

- Jacksonville is the largest in FL by city limit population, but most people would think that Miami, Tampa, and/or Orlando are larger (and they are for metro area population).
- San Jose is more populous than San Francisco, even though the latter is considered the "primary" city of the Bay Area.

The Canadian version would be this:

Ottawa and Hamilton ON city limits include the city centre, suburbs, and large swaths of rural land. Population ~1 mil and 500k respectively.

Vancouver BC city limits include the city centre and inner suburbs. Population ~600k. Metro population is 2.6 mil

Another interesting difference if I recall correctly is that the Canadian census does not count students at university as living in that city. Thus, municipalities with a large student population's official population count may not reflect the reality during school years. Example is Kingston, Ontario, where the official population is 130k, but probably is more like 150k when students are there.



Another thing: Ontario cities (by city limit population) are often larger than the most important cities in other provinces.

E.g. Mississauga, Ontario (700k), and Brampton Ontario (600k), both considered suburbs of Toronto, are the 7th and 9th largest cities in Canada. Bigger than Quebec City (500k) and Halifax (400k), both of whose city limits contain almost all of their suburbs and also adjoining rural lands. Mississauga also has almost the same number of people as New Brunswick.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: dvferyance on September 25, 2022, 08:39:23 PM
Wakesha WI population around 72,000 the county seat of my home county has more people than Burlington VT, Charleston WV Cheyenne WY and Portland ME which are the largest cities in their states.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Dirt Roads on September 25, 2022, 09:07:49 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on September 25, 2022, 08:39:23 PM
Wakesha WI population around 72,000 the county seat of my home county has more people than Burlington VT, Charleston WV Cheyenne WY and Portland ME which are the largest cities in their states.

For that matter, the nearby "quaint little college town" of Chapel Hill (62,906) has more residents than Burlington VT and Charleston WV (but it's not as big as Wakesha).
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 09:44:11 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 07:48:43 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range. This state needs more medium sized cities.
Why?

It's just economically important. Buffalo and Rochester have their fair share of destinations, but they're just too small to drive true out-of-state tourism like other states do. People come to Florida for Miami, but they also come for Orlando. Same with Los Angeles and San Francisco. Same with Houston and Dallas. Atlanta and Savannah. The list goes on. If BUF and ROC were both a bustling metropolis, let's say 500k+ each, it would completely revitalize upstate tourism as well as bring newfound economic growth to towns along the Thruway. New York is such a beautiful state and it's sad that so many only come here for NYC and not all the trees, parks, lakes, and great roads we have to offer. Plus, as a downstate resident, I personally would like another city in this state to visit that feels like an actual city and not just a small downtown area surrounded by miles of suburbs and insignificant towns.

Quote from: vdeane on September 25, 2022, 07:49:51 AM
You might get your wish given telecommuting and other factors causing people to flee to upstate NY, but keep in mind that cities in this state can't annex their suburbs, so they'll never be on the size that they could be in a state with unrestricted annexation.  It's also a double-edged sword, and more people means more congestion.  I don't think people in upstate NY (me included) have tolerance for the levels of congestion that are routine in larger metro areas.

Also, NYC is big because it's a conglomerate of five counties.  It would be smaller if it only contained Manhattan.

Eh, the type of change I'm referring to happens over a century or so. I'm actually glad about the lack of annexation, because I wouldn't want something like the problem Houston and other cities have with uncontrolled urban sprawl. The thing is, no one really has tolerance for congestion, upstate or not. I don't know about the Albany area (assuming that's where you are) but I think Buffalo and Rochester are theoretically more than equipped to handle a couple tens of thousands more people, if not hundreds with new construction. The interstates in the Rochester area, at least when I was there, were way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings.

Yes, but Manhattan still has a population of 1.629 million, which is still incomparable to NY's #2 city.

Quote from: bing101 on September 25, 2022, 10:01:52 AM
Hempstead, New York if it was an incorporated city would have the same amount of people as Indianapolis City proper and San Francisco.

Hempstead is a town, not a city, though. Even if it was made a technical city it wouldn't have any of the features of one.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: SkyPesos on September 25, 2022, 10:26:25 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 25, 2022, 04:55:34 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range.

Perhaps not surprisingly, New York also has the biggest percentage drop between first and second largest cities:
Buffalo's population is only 3.3% of New York's.

Chicago is #2: Aurora's population is 6.6% of Chicago's.

The smallest drop is West Virginia: Huntington's population is 95.8% of Charleston's.

The average is 51.2%, which just happens to be Kentucky: Lexington's population is 51.2% of Louisville's.
Guessing that Tennessee and Alabama are somewhere in the smallest drop as well, considering that Nashville passed Memphis and Huntsville passed Birmingham between the 2010 and 2020 censuses?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 09:44:11 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 07:48:43 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range. This state needs more medium sized cities.
Why?

It's just economically important. Buffalo and Rochester have their fair share of destinations, but they're just too small to drive true out-of-state tourism like other states do. People come to Florida for Miami, but they also come for Orlando. Same with Los Angeles and San Francisco. Same with Houston and Dallas. Atlanta and Savannah. The list goes on. If BUF and ROC were both a bustling metropolis, let's say 500k+ each, it would completely revitalize upstate tourism as well as bring newfound economic growth to towns along the Thruway. New York is such a beautiful state and it's sad that so many only come here for NYC and not all the trees, parks, lakes, and great roads we have to offer. Plus, as a downstate resident, I personally would like another city in this state to visit that feels like an actual city and not just a small downtown area surrounded by miles of suburbs and insignificant towns.

I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

And the Buffalo area has Niagara Falls, which is a big draw and almost certainly more well-known nationwide than Savannah, GA... but in terms of large-scale revitalization and/or major growth, I don't really see that happening.


Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 09:44:11 PM
The thing is, no one really has tolerance for congestion, upstate or not. I don't know about the Albany area (assuming that's where you are) but I think Buffalo and Rochester are theoretically more than equipped to handle a couple tens of thousands more people, if not hundreds with new construction. The interstates in the Rochester area, at least when I was there, were way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings.

Of course no one likes congestion, but we have it so good in upstate NY that even minor delays annoy us. Things like driving below the speed limit on the freeway, or waiting for two light cycles at a busy intersection.

Yes, both Buffalo and Rochester have road networks that could handle an influx of population, but with some caveats. Buffalo's freeway network functions well overall, but the free section of I-90 is already a problem, especially between Walden Ave and I-290. Rochester is even better off because most thru traffic stays on the Thruway, so there's hardly ever any issues on the freeways aside from a few minor slowdowns at rush hour. The bigger issues would actually be off the freeway network, since the freeways are hard to access and inconvenient from some areas (Fairport, Pittsford) so navigating the eastern suburbs can be painstaking even outside rush hour.  Also, some of our major commercial corridors are at or near capacity including some that are still two/three lanes (and unlike Buffalo, six lanes is very rare), so that would have to be addressed.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: J N Winkler on September 25, 2022, 11:14:35 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on September 24, 2022, 11:16:35 PMCook County, Illinois, has a greater population than the 98 smallest counties of the state, combined.

I mean, it's no surprise that Cook County is the biggest, but that's all but three counties in the state, which is a lot.

The population centroid of Illinois is in Mazon, which is in Grundy County.  Grundy is separated from Cook just by Will and all three are part of the Chicago MSA.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 11:50:15 PM
So...we need bigger cities in upstate NY to promote tourism.

Because everyone wants to go to Wichita.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on September 26, 2022, 10:08:16 AM
Quote from: bing101 on September 24, 2022, 01:39:53 PM
New Zealand entire country's population has the same amount of people that lives in the City of Los Angeles and Singapore respectively.

Respective of what?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Chris on September 26, 2022, 10:17:10 AM
San Jose dropped below 1 million in the 2021 estimate.

Wikipedia has a list of U.S. cities formerly over 100,000 inhabitants. The formerly largest city on that list is Flint, Michigan, which peaked at 197,000 but is now at 81,000. The largest percentage drop is Youngstown, Ohio, which dropped from 170,000 to 60,000.

Internationally, there are some countries which are undergoing demographic collapse. Ukraine is currently an obvious example. However there are more in the former USSR. For example: Moldova dropped from 4.36 million in 1990 to 3.15 million today, or even 2.68 million excluding Transnistria. Armenia dropped from 3.6 million in 1991 to 2.9 million today.

There's also been talking about the upcoming demographic collapse of China, which is seemingly much faster than anticipated, as previous census results were manipulated, so China is likely already in decline.

Demographers say that the Chinese collapse is much faster due to the One Child policy, the official census data doesn't match up with the number of births since 1990. And while the One Child policy has been lifted, the cost of living has gotten so high that most people cannot afford to have children, so its birth rate may be closer to 1 than 2.

Also: China's babyboom began in 1962, after it recovered from the 'Great Leap Forward'. China's retirement age is 60 years. Which means that from 2022, there is mass retirement while the number of people entering the job market is far lower, so their labor shortages are going to be much more acutely and severe than Japan or in western countries. China's economic model of being the world's factory is quickly becoming unsustainable.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on September 26, 2022, 10:40:47 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 25, 2022, 10:26:25 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 25, 2022, 04:55:34 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
New York's most populous city is in the 8 million range and its next most populous city is in the 200,000 range.

Perhaps not surprisingly, New York also has the biggest percentage drop between first and second largest cities:
Buffalo's population is only 3.3% of New York's.

Chicago is #2: Aurora's population is 6.6% of Chicago's.

The smallest drop is West Virginia: Huntington's population is 95.8% of Charleston's.

The average is 51.2%, which just happens to be Kentucky: Lexington's population is 51.2% of Louisville's.
Guessing that Tennessee and Alabama are somewhere in the smallest drop as well, considering that Nashville passed Memphis and Huntsville passed Birmingham between the 2010 and 2020 censuses?

True. Tennessee is second and Alabama is fifth. Full table:

STATECity1Pop1City2Pop2Pct
WEST VIRGINIACharleston48,018Huntington46,02595.8%
TENNESSEENashville678,851Memphis628,12792.5%
NEW JERSEYNewark307,220Jersey City283,92792.4%
CONNECTICUTBridgeport148,333Stamford136,30991.9%
ALABAMAHuntsville216,963Montgomery198,66591.6%
SOUTH CAROLINACharleston151,612Columbia137,54190.7%
WYOMINGCheyenne65,051Casper58,65690.2%
NEW HAMPSHIREManchester115,462Nashua91,12478.9%
MINNESOTAMinneapolis425,336St. Paul307,19372.2%
UTAHSalt Lake City200,478West Valley City139,11069.4%
COLORADODenver711,463Colorado Springs483,95668.0%
TEXASHouston2,288,250San Antonio1,481,85364.8%
IOWADes Moines212,031Cedar Rapids136,46764.4%
MONTANABillings117,445Missoula74,82263.7%
NEBRASKAOmaha487,300Lincoln292,65760.1%
OKLAHOMAOklahoma City687,725Tulsa411,40159.8%
LOUISIANANew Orleans376,971Baton Rouge222,18558.9%
NORTH DAKOTAFargo126,748Bismarck74,13858.5%
MISSOURIKansas City 508,394St. Louis293,31057.7%
DELAWAREWilmington70,750Dover38,99255.1%
VIRGINIAVirginia Beach457,672Chesapeake251,26954.9%
KANSASWichita365,699Overland Park197,10653.9%
MAINEPortland68,313Lewiston36,61753.6%
NORTH CAROLINACharlotte879,709Raleigh469,12453.3%
IDAHOBoise237,446Meridian125,96353.0%
KENTUCKYLouisville628,594Lexington321,79351.2%
NEVADALas Vegas646,790Henerson322,17849.8%
VERMONTBurlington44,781Essex22,25149.7%
MISSISSIPPIJackson149,761Gulfport72,10548.1%
WISCONSINMilwaukee 569,330Madison269,19647.3%
FLORIDAJacksonville954,614Miami439,89046.1%
RHODE ISLANDProvidence189,692Warwick83,01143.8%
ARKANSASLittle Rock201,998Fort Smith88,03743.6%
GEORGIAAtlanta496,461Columbus205,61741.4%
OHIOColumbus906,528Cleveland367,99140.6%
SOUTH DAKOTASioux Falls196,528Rapid City76,18438.8%
CALIFORNIALos Angeles3,849,297San Diego1,381,61135.9%
ARIZONAPhoenix1,624,569Tucson 543,24233.4%
MASSACHUSETTSBoston654,776Worcester205,91831.4%
MICHIGANDetroit632,464Grand Rapids197,41631.2%
WASHINGTONSeattle733,919Spokane229,07131.2%
INDIANAIndianapolis882,039Fort Wayne265,97430.2%
OREGONPortland641,162Salem177,72327.7%
NEW MEXICOAlbuquerque 562,599Las Cruces112,91420.1%
PENNSYLVANIAPhiladelphia1,576,251Pittsburgh300,43119.1%
MARYLANDBaltimore 576,498Columbia105,41218.3%
HAWAIHonolulu345,510East Honolulu47,13213.6%
ALASKAAnchorage288,121Fairbanks32,51511.3%
ILLINOISChicago2,696,555Aurora179,2666.6%
NEW YORKNew York8,467,513Buffalo276,8073.3%
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: jeffandnicole on September 26, 2022, 12:27:52 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
And the Buffalo area has Niagara Falls, which is a big draw and almost certainly more well-known nationwide than Savannah, GA... but in terms of large-scale revitalization and/or major growth, I don't really see that happening.

Niagara Falls in general is probably more well known. But it's its the Canadian side that gets the visitors, not the NY side.

Savannah has a LOT more hotel rooms than Niagara Falls, NY.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: hotdogPi on September 26, 2022, 12:32:43 PM
Doesn't upstate NY get tourism in the rural areas, like the mountains and the Finger Lakes?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on September 26, 2022, 12:33:44 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 23, 2022, 09:41:44 PM
City limit population in general is weird and highly inconsistent, and sometimes defy conventional wisdom. Two of my favorite cases:


Older cities have been boxed in by other municipalities for a long time now, so growth in their metro areas has been entirely outside of the city. Newer cities have been able to annex area much more recently so they've had more growth within their cities. That's how San Jose was able to grow bigger than San Francisco, and Houston and San Antonio were able to grow larger than Dallas.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 26, 2022, 12:46:23 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on September 26, 2022, 12:27:52 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
And the Buffalo area has Niagara Falls, which is a big draw and almost certainly more well-known nationwide than Savannah, GA... but in terms of large-scale revitalization and/or major growth, I don't really see that happening.

Niagara Falls in general is probably more well known. But it's its the Canadian side that gets the visitors, not the NY side.

Savannah has a LOT more hotel rooms than Niagara Falls, NY.

Savannah is also much larger than Niagara Falls, NY. I was referring to the Buffalo-Niagara region holistically.

While it's true that the Canadian side gets more visitors, the NY side gets plenty of visitors too. Niagara Falls State Park is one of the busiest parks in the state, and has much more green space with much lighter crowds than what you'll find on the Canadian side, plus Cave of the Winds, which is one of the top attractions on either side. (And of course, the views are better in Canada because they're of the US side :meh:)

Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 26, 2022, 12:53:08 PM
Quote from: 1 on September 26, 2022, 12:32:43 PM
Doesn't upstate NY get tourism in the rural areas, like the mountains and the Finger Lakes?

Yes, but a lot of it is in-state tourism, or international tourism to the extent that it's not limited by the border crossings. Some areas get tourists from PA, but much of the state is out of day-trip range from other states.

Just as two examples...
-Buffalo-Niagara is an easier day trip from southern Ontario than any other US state
-The Adirondacks are are an easier day trip from the Montreal area than any other US state except Vermont, which has its own tourism industry.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on September 26, 2022, 01:10:07 PM
Quote from: kphoger on September 26, 2022, 10:08:16 AM
Quote from: bing101 on September 24, 2022, 01:39:53 PM
New Zealand entire country's population has the same amount of people that lives in the City of Los Angeles and Singapore respectively.

Respective of what?
Population size.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: hotdogPi on September 26, 2022, 01:20:55 PM
Quote from: bing101 on September 26, 2022, 01:10:07 PM
Quote from: kphoger on September 26, 2022, 10:08:16 AM
Quote from: bing101 on September 24, 2022, 01:39:53 PM
New Zealand entire country's population has the same amount of people that lives in the City of Los Angeles and Singapore respectively.

Respective of what?
Population size.

Respectively means you're keeping the order of items the same. You're comparing one item to two, so it can't even apply here.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on September 26, 2022, 04:45:06 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 09:44:11 PM
I don't know about the Albany area (assuming that's where you are) but I think Buffalo and Rochester are theoretically more than equipped to handle a couple tens of thousands more people, if not hundreds with new construction. The interstates in the Rochester area, at least when I was there, were way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings.
The Capital District (Albany/Schenectady/Troy and nearby areas) is similar, if not even less traffic (at least when the tourists aren't going to/from the Adirondacks and Saratoga Springs), especially now that the state and other employers have increased telecommuting over pre-pandemic levels.  Oddly enough, that last sentence actually illustrates my point.  Having grown up around Rochester and now living north of Albany, I wouldn't describe Rochester's freeways as "way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings".  I'm used to being able to flow at at least the speed limit unimpeded for the vast majority of my drive.  Once the traffic level goes from green to yellow (and often even before) on Google Maps, it feels congested to me.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: jeffandnicole on September 26, 2022, 05:18:37 PM
Quote from: vdeane on September 26, 2022, 04:45:06 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 09:44:11 PM
I don't know about the Albany area (assuming that's where you are) but I think Buffalo and Rochester are theoretically more than equipped to handle a couple tens of thousands more people, if not hundreds with new construction. The interstates in the Rochester area, at least when I was there, were way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings.
The Capital District (Albany/Schenectady/Troy and nearby areas) is similar, if not even less traffic (at least when the tourists aren't going to/from the Adirondacks and Saratoga Springs), especially now that the state and other employers have increased telecommuting over pre-pandemic levels.  Oddly enough, that last sentence actually illustrates my point.  Having grown up around Rochester and now living north of Albany, I wouldn't describe Rochester's freeways as "way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings".  I'm used to being able to flow at at least the speed limit unimpeded for the vast majority of my drive.  Once the traffic level goes from green to yellow (and often even before) on Google Maps, it feels congested to me.

It should! Yellow is generally when traffic is moving below the speed limit, moving at about 30- 50 mph, so there's congestion. Red is slow than that. Dark red is about 15 mph and below.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: skluth on September 26, 2022, 06:28:09 PM
Los Angeles County has more people (10,014,009) than all but ten states. It's barely smaller than #10 Michigan (10,050,811) and will probably pass Michigan in population soon if it hasn't already.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on September 26, 2022, 07:22:08 PM
Quote from: skluth on September 26, 2022, 06:28:09 PM
Los Angeles County has more people (10,014,009) than all but ten states. It's barely smaller than #10 Michigan (10,050,811) and will probably pass Michigan in population soon if it hasn't already.
Another (albeit slightly less) surprising fact from this post is that Michigan is in the top 10 population-wise. I would imagine it in top 20 but not top 10.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Dirt Roads on September 26, 2022, 09:26:57 PM
Quote from: skluth on September 26, 2022, 06:28:09 PM
Los Angeles County has more people (10,014,009) than all but ten states. It's barely smaller than #10 Michigan (10,050,811) and will probably pass Michigan in population soon if it hasn't already.

Quote from: kirbykart on September 26, 2022, 07:22:08 PM
Another (albeit slightly less) surprising fact from this post is that Michigan is in the top 10 population-wise. I would imagine it in top 20 but not top 10.

Not sure why that is surprising, as Michigan has been in the Top Ten since the 1880 U.S. Census.  The population loss of Detroit was significant, but overall population declines in two other traditional Top Ten states (Massachusetts and New Jersey) dropped them out completely.  Michigan is still hanging around.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.

Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
And the Buffalo area has Niagara Falls, which is a big draw and almost certainly more well-known nationwide than Savannah, GA... but in terms of large-scale revitalization and/or major growth, I don't really see that happening.

Also up to interpretation. And yeah, most of what I'm saying here is just a pipe dream.

Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 09:44:11 PM
The thing is, no one really has tolerance for congestion, upstate or not. I don't know about the Albany area (assuming that's where you are) but I think Buffalo and Rochester are theoretically more than equipped to handle a couple tens of thousands more people, if not hundreds with new construction. The interstates in the Rochester area, at least when I was there, were way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings.

Of course no one likes congestion, but we have it so good in upstate NY that even minor delays annoy us. Things like driving below the speed limit on the freeway, or waiting for two light cycles at a busy intersection.

Yes, both Buffalo and Rochester have road networks that could handle an influx of population, but with some caveats. Buffalo's freeway network functions well overall, but the free section of I-90 is already a problem, especially between Walden Ave and I-290. Rochester is even better off because most thru traffic stays on the Thruway, so there's hardly ever any issues on the freeways aside from a few minor slowdowns at rush hour. The bigger issues would actually be off the freeway network, since the freeways are hard to access and inconvenient from some areas (Fairport, Pittsford) so navigating the eastern suburbs can be painstaking even outside rush hour.  Also, some of our major commercial corridors are at or near capacity including some that are still two/three lanes (and unlike Buffalo, six lanes is very rare), so that would have to be addressed.

I guess all metro areas with a population increase are doomed to traffic somehow. :spin:

I definitely agree with that though, in areas closer to inner Rochester the connectors, arterials, major streets were moderately congested, even in the later hours. But I didn't see a whole lot of utilization of the major roads even just outside city limits. Yes, if it experienced an influx of population it still technically wouldn't be a part of the city, but that's just the way things are built in this state. I wonder if metro areas matter as much as city areas in terms of tourism, though.

Quote from: 1 on September 26, 2022, 12:32:43 PM
Doesn't upstate NY get tourism in the rural areas, like the mountains and the Finger Lakes?

Yes, but tourism with a lowercase t. Like webny99 said, it's mostly in-staters visiting for the weekend with an insignificant small number of out-of-staters (or out-of-countriers). NY sometimes runs tourism ads showcasing the scenic rural areas of the state, but the reality is it'll never be a major tourist attraction area.

Quote from: vdeane on September 26, 2022, 04:45:06 PM
The Capital District (Albany/Schenectady/Troy and nearby areas) is similar, if not even less traffic (at least when the tourists aren't going to/from the Adirondacks and Saratoga Springs), especially now that the state and other employers have increased telecommuting over pre-pandemic levels.  Oddly enough, that last sentence actually illustrates my point.  Having grown up around Rochester and now living north of Albany, I wouldn't describe Rochester's freeways as "way under capacity and almost empty-feeling in the evenings".  I'm used to being able to flow at at least the speed limit unimpeded for the vast majority of my drive.  Once the traffic level goes from green to yellow (and often even before) on Google Maps, it feels congested to me.

Yes, I don't think you'll need to worry about any major traffic increase for the foreseeable future. I visited Rochester this June, and mostly avoided rush hour and did a lot of my travel on I-390 and I-90, so perhaps I just didn't see the worst of it. Maybe next time I visit I'll do a more extensive tour of the area's freeways, and even volunteer to venture out during rush hour.

Quote from: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 11:50:15 PM
So...we need bigger cities in upstate NY to promote tourism.

Because everyone wants to go to Wichita.

I'm almost offended by your comparison of Kansas and New York!  :pan:

Hey, everyone wants to go to Las Vegas, and that's practically in the middle of a desert. It's what's in the city that counts.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 07:03:28 AM


Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 11:50:15 PM
So...we need bigger cities in upstate NY to promote tourism.

Because everyone wants to go to Wichita.

I'm almost offended by your comparison of Kansas and New York!  :pan:

Hey, everyone wants to go to Las Vegas, and that's practically in the middle of a desert. It's what's in the city that counts.

Which is why I find your focus on city size more than a little headscratching.

Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 08:44:00 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.
St Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are "mid-sized" while El Paso, Mesa AZ and Aurora CO are "large" then?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 09:27:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on September 26, 2022, 09:26:57 PM
Quote from: skluth on September 26, 2022, 06:28:09 PM
Los Angeles County has more people (10,014,009) than all but ten states. It's barely smaller than #10 Michigan (10,050,811) and will probably pass Michigan in population soon if it hasn't already.

Quote from: kirbykart on September 26, 2022, 07:22:08 PM
Another (albeit slightly less) surprising fact from this post is that Michigan is in the top 10 population-wise. I would imagine it in top 20 but not top 10.

Not sure why that is surprising, as Michigan has been in the Top Ten since the 1880 U.S. Census.  The population loss of Detroit was significant, but overall population declines in two other traditional Top Ten states (Massachusetts and New Jersey) dropped them out completely.  Michigan is still hanging around.
It's surprising because very few people would have ever figured Michigan in the  top 10. At any point. I would have figured Michigan to be like #18.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 27, 2022, 09:42:35 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.

I don't disagree with that, but I guess I misunderstood your original point:

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 25, 2022, 04:31:17 AM
This state needs more medium sized cities.

You're saying NY needs more cities the size of Buffalo and Rochester?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 27, 2022, 09:59:01 AM
Here's a fun one: NYC is more populous than all of these states combined:

(https://map1.maploco.com/visited-states/ml/ID-MT-ND-NE-SD-WY-AK.png)


Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 12:45:02 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 07:03:28 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 11:50:15 PM
So...we need bigger cities in upstate NY to promote tourism.

Because everyone wants to go to Wichita.

I'm almost offended by your comparison of Kansas and New York!  :pan:

Hey, everyone wants to go to Las Vegas, and that's practically in the middle of a desert. It's what's in the city that counts.

Which is why I find your focus on city size more than a little headscratching.

Because the larger the city, the more attractions it has, the more hotel rooms, the more tourist destinations, the more visitors, etc, etc, etc. Las Vegas has a population of over 641,000 in case you forgot.

Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 08:44:00 AM
St Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are "mid-sized" while El Paso, Mesa AZ and Aurora CO are "large" then?

Well, obviously when you get closer to the boundaries of my approximation of a "rule" for midsized or large cities, or a lot of "rules" for that matter, the rule gets fuzzy, but I think it's still a good guideline. I admit there can be other factors considered as well, like actual city square mileage and quality of tourist attractions.

Quote from: webny99 on September 27, 2022, 09:42:35 AM
You're saying NY needs more cities the size of Buffalo and Rochester?

Honestly, either that or the larger cities, but I was leaning towards the latter because of the disproportionate population drop between the state's #1 and #2 cities. I guess my main point is I kind of want NY to be known on a national scale for more than just NYC, Buffalo, and Rochester.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 12:50:04 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 27, 2022, 09:59:01 AM
Here's a fun one: NYC is more populous than all of these states combined:

(https://map1.maploco.com/visited-states/ml/ID-MT-ND-NE-SD-WY-AK.png)
Another fun one is that Alaska is more populous than Vermont. When Alaska is seen as so desolate, it actually has some pretty good-sized population centers.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: CtrlAltDel on September 27, 2022, 01:02:18 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 12:50:04 PM
Another fun one is that Alaska is more populous than Vermont. When Alaska is seen as so desolate, it actually has some pretty good-sized population centers.

Well, to be fair, Alaska is 69 times the size of Vermont.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on September 27, 2022, 01:07:50 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on September 27, 2022, 01:02:18 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 12:50:04 PM
Another fun one is that Alaska is more populous than Vermont. When Alaska is seen as so desolate, it actually has some pretty good-sized population centers.

Well, to be fair, Alaska is 69 times the size of Vermont.

Nice.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 01:34:39 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 12:45:02 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 07:03:28 AM
Which is why I find your focus on city size more than a little headscratching.
Because the larger the city, the more attractions it has, the more hotel rooms, the more tourist destinations, the more visitors, etc, etc, etc. Las Vegas has a population of over 641,000 in case you forgot.

Pedantic reminder that, by far, the largest driver of tourism (the Strip) is located outside of the Las Vegas city limits.

The eye test tells us that the relationship of city size to tourist draw is not parallel. Who is getting more tourists:
Charlotte or San Francisco?
San Jose or Boston?
Indianapolis or Washington, DC?
Jacksonville or Miami?

The use of MSA/CSAs probably makes this relationship more parallel, but there are still outliers that "punch above their weight" - Orlando vs. Detroit or Houston; Las Vegas, Nashville, or New Orleans vs. Cleveland, Charlotte, or Sacramento; etc.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 01:37:38 PM


Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 12:45:02 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 07:03:28 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 25, 2022, 11:50:15 PM
So...we need bigger cities in upstate NY to promote tourism.

Because everyone wants to go to Wichita.

I'm almost offended by your comparison of Kansas and New York!  :pan:

Hey, everyone wants to go to Las Vegas, and that's practically in the middle of a desert. It's what's in the city that counts.

Which is why I find your focus on city size more than a little headscratching.

Because the larger the city, the more attractions it has, the more hotel rooms, the more tourist destinations, the more visitors, etc, etc, etc. Las Vegas has a population of over 641,000 in case you forgot.


That's not true.  If what you said was true, even more people would be running to LA than Las Vegas, when in reality, LA receives millions of fewer visitors than Las Vegas.

Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on September 27, 2022, 01:53:31 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 12:45:02 PM
Because the larger the city, the more attractions it has, the more hotel rooms, the more tourist destinations, the more visitors, etc, etc, etc. Las Vegas has a population of over 641,000 in case you forgot.

And, in case you forgot, its population was less than half that just 30 years ago–yet tourists were nevertheless flocking to it in droves.

For what it's worth, the population of Branson (MO) is less than 15k, but there are twice as many hotel rooms in Branson as there are in Wichita (KS).  In fact, there are more hotel rooms in Branson than there are residents.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 27, 2022, 02:17:46 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on September 27, 2022, 01:02:18 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 12:50:04 PM
Another fun one is that Alaska is more populous than Vermont. When Alaska is seen as so desolate, it actually has some pretty good-sized population centers.

Well, to be fair, Alaska is 69 times the size of Vermont.

Yeah, it seems crazier to me when you put it the other way: Alaska is less populous than Rhode Island or Delaware.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 02:46:37 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 01:34:39 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 12:45:02 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 07:03:28 AM
Which is why I find your focus on city size more than a little headscratching.
Because the larger the city, the more attractions it has, the more hotel rooms, the more tourist destinations, the more visitors, etc, etc, etc. Las Vegas has a population of over 641,000 in case you forgot.

Pedantic reminder that, by far, the largest driver of tourism (the Strip) is located outside of the Las Vegas city limits.

The eye test tells us that the relationship of city size to tourist draw is not parallel. Who is getting more tourists:
Charlotte or San Francisco?
San Jose or Boston?
Indianapolis or Washington, DC?
Jacksonville or Miami?

The use of MSA/CSAs probably makes this relationship more parallel, but there are still outliers that "punch above their weight" - Orlando vs. Detroit or Houston; Las Vegas, Nashville, or New Orleans vs. Cleveland, Charlotte, or Sacramento; etc.

I know that. I wasn't referring to tourism strictly within city limits. As a ***general*** rule, a city with a larger population will have more tourism in its own limits and/or within its surrounding region, or MSA/CSA like you said. Walt Disney World isn't within Orlando, but that doesn't mean the two have nothing to do with each other. Yeah, the Strip isn't within Vegas limits, but I'm sure if you just plucked it out and placed it in some random location in a Nevada desert it would cease to exist. Also, you can't just draw these comparisons without considering other factors. Weather? Reason for tourism? Even more crucially: in state tourism or out of staters? Sure, Jacksonville or San Jose may not matter that much to people not in their respective states, but for those that are, it's a different story.

Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 01:37:38 PM
That's not true.  If what you said was true, even more people would be running to LA than Las Vegas, when in reality, LA receives millions of fewer visitors than Las Vegas.

Why do you all love to assume that when I, or anyone really, say something, I am speaking in the strictest and most specific terms possible? Of course there will be exceptions, that's basic human (geo)anthropology.

Also, you're joking me, right?

(https://i.ibb.co/sCnT96v/IMG-9808.png) (https://i.ibb.co/MfpDb1P/IMG-9809.png)

Quote from: kphoger on September 27, 2022, 01:53:31 PM
And, in case you forgot, its population was less than half that just 30 years ago–yet tourists were nevertheless flocking to it in droves.

Love the combined bold and italic to address me. Really nice touch.  :thumbsup:

Of course, but what you're forgetting is that the area's population has grown along with its tourism numbers. In 1989, there were about 18.1 million visitors with a metro area population of about 673,000. In 2019, there were more than double that number of tourists, with about 42.5 million visitors and a metro area population of 2.621 million. Take a look for yourself (https://res.cloudinary.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1657124125/clients/lasvegas/Las_Vegas_Historical_1970_to_2021_6daf7d31-5fd3-44b2-ad99-427bf62454ba.pdf).
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 03:28:12 PM
Pfft.  Instead of "Discover California," go with the CEO of Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, who claimed only 31m visitors in 2019 -- 11m less than Las Vegas.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: doorknob60 on September 27, 2022, 06:24:36 PM
I know this is a result of the classic MSA vs city population thing, but I find it weird that Boise has a higher population than Salt Lake City. As I've spent plenty of time in both, SLC feels way more like the "big city".

But even Salt Lake City's MSA is pretty weird. The city of North Salt Lake, directly bordering the city limits of Salt Lake City, is not in the same MSA. All of Davis County is part of the Ogden MSA. While I do see justification of having separate SLC and Ogden MSAs, splitting at the county lines creates this silly situation, to the point where I'd probably just make it one MSA (there is of course a CSA containing both, as well as Provo). If you could split it more granularly, I would split the MSAs at Farmington. This also means SLC's MSA population is pretty misleading and punches kinda above its weight.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 06:30:21 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 03:28:12 PM
Pfft.  Instead of "Discover California," go with the CEO of Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, who claimed only 31m visitors in 2019 -- 11m less than Las Vegas.

The Discover Los Angeles website is run by the L.A. Tourism and Convention Board, so they can't even get their own statistics consistent...

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 02:46:37 PM
Yeah, the Strip isn't within Vegas limits, but I'm sure if you just plucked it out and placed it in some random location in a Nevada desert it would cease to exist.

Would it? Assuming you're also taking infrastructure and services for workers, wouldn't you just have a larger Branson, but with a gambling focus?

That said, Las Vegas was a random location in a Nevada desert when it was founded in 1905. Even by 1940 when the Strip really started to grow, there were only 16,000 people in Clark County. Had the strip happened in Winnemucca (another mid-desert railroad stop along a cross-country US highway) would it now be Vegas-sized? Possibly not, as additional factors for Las Vegas include its relative proximity to Los Angeles, and the Hoover/Boulder Dam project in the 1930s. But certainly for thirty to fifty years, the Strip was the primary driver of growth in Clark County.

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 02:46:37 PM
Why do you all love to assume that when I, or anyone really, say something, I am speaking in the strictest and most specific terms possible? Of course there will be exceptions, that's basic human (geo)anthropology.

My apologies, I'm not trying to raise anyone's hackles here. But you made an assertion (city size drives tourism numbers), gave a statistic (Las Vegas city population) but then used additional information (the Strip, 42 million visitors) that includes the metro area - I am a little pedantic about city vs. metro when it comes to these types of conversations.

For the assertion itself, I was trying to make the counter-assertion that population is not the primary driver of tourism, and that it's more than "there will be exceptions."

To support that, I give you the 25 US metro areas with the largest number of foreign visitors in 2019, compared with the metro areas' population rank.
I am sure that including domestic visitors as well might change these numbers, but in 20 minutes of Googling I could not find a consistent source for domestic tourism.


METRO AREATourism RankPopulation RankDifference
New York110
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale297
Los Angeles-Anaheim321
Orlando42319
San Francisco5138
Las Vegas62923
Honolulu75649
Washington862
Boston9112
Chicago1037
San Diego11176
Houston1257
Seattle13152
Flagstaff14291277
Atlanta1587
Philadelphia1679
Dallas17413
Tampa18180
San Jose193617
New Orleans214726
Phoenix221012
Denver23194
Riverside241212
Buffalo254924
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/now/30-most-visited-cities-u-145000465.html (https://www.yahoo.com/now/30-most-visited-cities-u-145000465.html)
Note that I combined the metropolitan divisions on this list (Los Angeles and Anaheim, Miami and Fort Lauderdale) so that the list was consistently metropolitan areas.


Even taking out the outlier (Flagstaff), the average difference between tourism and population rank is 11. Seven of the top 25 metro areas by population (Detroit, Minneapolis, Baltimore, St. Louis, Charlotte, San Antonio, Portland) don't make the top 25 of tourism.

I'm happy to see additional statistics that support or disprove either side of this discussion.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on September 27, 2022, 06:55:54 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 06:30:21 PM

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 02:46:37 PM
Yeah, the Strip isn't within Vegas limits, but I'm sure if you just plucked it out and placed it in some random location in a Nevada desert it would cease to exist.

Would it? Assuming you're also taking infrastructure and services for workers, wouldn't you just have a larger Branson, but with a gambling focus?

That said, Las Vegas was a random location in a Nevada desert when it was founded in 1905. Even by 1940 when the Strip really started to grow, there were only 16,000 people in Clark County. Had the strip happened in Winnemucca (another mid-desert railroad stop along a cross-country US highway) would it now be Vegas-sized? Possibly not, as additional factors for Las Vegas include its relative proximity to Los Angeles, and the Hoover/Boulder Dam project in the 1930s. But certainly for thirty to fifty years, the Strip was the primary driver of growth in Clark County.

That's what I was thinking.  My maternal grandparents visited Las Vegas on their honeymoon, and my mom is 70 years old, so that must have been in the 1940s (considering that my mom was adopted after my grandparents had tried for years to conceive).  At that time, it was teeny-weeny, but it was nonetheless a place that two people on their honeymoon would stop and visit.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Scott5114 on September 27, 2022, 07:11:28 PM
Las Vegas population:
(https://i.imgur.com/KdogCq9.png)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: SectorZ on September 27, 2022, 07:24:57 PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1790_United_States_census

Marblehead MA, with only 20K people in 2020, was the 11th most populated city in the USA in the inaugural census.

Nantucket, then called Sherburne, has only twice the population in 2020 of its 1790 count.

Even Gilmanton NH was #38 in the US, with 2613 people then, to 3945 centuries later.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 09:25:36 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 06:30:21 PM
Would it? Assuming you're also taking infrastructure and services for workers, wouldn't you just have a larger Branson, but with a gambling focus?

It's hard to say. One can't really quantify the relationship between the Strip and Las Vegas itself. But there has to be significance of people who come for both, or people who come for purposes not primarily related to gambling.

Quote from: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 06:30:21 PM
I give you the 25 US metro areas with the largest number of foreign visitors in 2019, compared with the metro areas' population rank.

[table snipped]

Even taking out the outlier (Flagstaff), the average difference between tourism and population rank is 11. Seven of the top 25 metro areas by population (Detroit, Minneapolis, Baltimore, St. Louis, Charlotte, San Antonio, Portland) don't make the top 25 of tourism.

I'm happy to see additional statistics that support or disprove either side of this discussion.

This weirdly proves and disproves my rule at the same time. Going off your list, the top 5 population centers are all in the top 25 for tourism, as are the next 5. However, after that, starting with population size #14, some aren't included in the list. Nor are #16 and #20, and so on. The seven that you are referring to that don't make the top 25 for tourism also happen to not make the first 14 for population. So while this may appear to disprove a link between tourism and population on one end, I think it's a double edged sword and also roughly proves the link on the other end. Maybe this rule just disintegrates the further down a population list you go?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 10:19:23 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on September 27, 2022, 06:24:36 PM
I know this is a result of the classic MSA vs city population thing, but I find it weird that Boise has a higher population than Salt Lake City. As I've spent plenty of time in both, SLC feels way more like the "big city".

But even Salt Lake City's MSA is pretty weird. The city of North Salt Lake, directly bordering the city limits of Salt Lake City, is not in the same MSA. All of Davis County is part of the Ogden MSA. While I do see justification of having separate SLC and Ogden MSAs, splitting at the county lines creates this silly situation, to the point where I'd probably just make it one MSA (there is of course a CSA containing both, as well as Provo). If you could split it more granularly, I would split the MSAs at Farmington. This also means SLC's MSA population is pretty misleading and punches kinda above its weight.
NC have two of these "separated MSAs that should really be one" examples: Greensboro-Winston Salem and Raleigh-Durham
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 10:41:02 PM


Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 09:25:36 PM

This weirdly proves and disproves my rule at the same time.

That would be disproving it, then.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on September 28, 2022, 07:30:03 AM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 27, 2022, 06:30:21 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 03:28:12 PM
Pfft.  Instead of "Discover California," go with the CEO of Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, who claimed only 31m visitors in 2019 -- 11m less than Las Vegas.

The Discover Los Angeles website is run by the L.A. Tourism and Convention Board, so they can't even get their own statistics consistent...

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 02:46:37 PM
Yeah, the Strip isn't within Vegas limits, but I'm sure if you just plucked it out and placed it in some random location in a Nevada desert it would cease to exist.

Would it? Assuming you're also taking infrastructure and services for workers, wouldn't you just have a larger Branson, but with a gambling focus?

That said, Las Vegas was a random location in a Nevada desert when it was founded in 1905. Even by 1940 when the Strip really started to grow, there were only 16,000 people in Clark County. Had the strip happened in Winnemucca (another mid-desert railroad stop along a cross-country US highway) would it now be Vegas-sized? Possibly not, as additional factors for Las Vegas include its relative proximity to Los Angeles, and the Hoover/Boulder Dam project in the 1930s. But certainly for thirty to fifty years, the Strip was the primary driver of growth in Clark County.

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 02:46:37 PM
Why do you all love to assume that when I, or anyone really, say something, I am speaking in the strictest and most specific terms possible? Of course there will be exceptions, that's basic human (geo)anthropology.

My apologies, I'm not trying to raise anyone's hackles here. But you made an assertion (city size drives tourism numbers), gave a statistic (Las Vegas city population) but then used additional information (the Strip, 42 million visitors) that includes the metro area - I am a little pedantic about city vs. metro when it comes to these types of conversations.

For the assertion itself, I was trying to make the counter-assertion that population is not the primary driver of tourism, and that it's more than "there will be exceptions."

To support that, I give you the 25 US metro areas with the largest number of foreign visitors in 2019, compared with the metro areas' population rank.
I am sure that including domestic visitors as well might change these numbers, but in 20 minutes of Googling I could not find a consistent source for domestic tourism.


METRO AREATourism RankPopulation RankDifference
New York110
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale297
Los Angeles-Anaheim321
Orlando42319
San Francisco5138
Las Vegas62923
Honolulu75649
Washington862
Boston9112
Chicago1037
San Diego11176
Houston1257
Seattle13152
Flagstaff14291277
Atlanta1587
Philadelphia1679
Dallas17413
Tampa18180
San Jose193617
New Orleans214726
Phoenix221012
Denver23194
Riverside241212
Buffalo254924
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/now/30-most-visited-cities-u-145000465.html (https://www.yahoo.com/now/30-most-visited-cities-u-145000465.html)
Note that I combined the metropolitan divisions on this list (Los Angeles and Anaheim, Miami and Fort Lauderdale) so that the list was consistently metropolitan areas.


Even taking out the outlier (Flagstaff), the average difference between tourism and population rank is 11. Seven of the top 25 metro areas by population (Detroit, Minneapolis, Baltimore, St. Louis, Charlotte, San Antonio, Portland) don't make the top 25 of tourism.

I'm happy to see additional statistics that support or disprove either side of this discussion.
What I see in the list is a couple different -partially overlapping - groups:
1. One-of-a-kind natural attraction. ( Buffalo, Flagstaff)
2. (almost) one-of-a-kind man-made attraction (Las Vegas, Orlando)
3. Crossroads (Atlanta, and Chicago as huge airline hubs)
4. Gateway to common vacation (Miami, Denver)

Group 3 has most correlation to population size. WHat can someone do in Atlanta other than seeing US on the cheap due to a direct flight to big Delta hub?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: MATraveler128 on September 28, 2022, 08:11:13 AM
Bristol County, Massachusetts has more people than the entire state of Wyoming, which is crazy to me because the area feels very rural to me.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 28, 2022, 08:56:31 AM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on September 28, 2022, 08:11:13 AM
Bristol County, Massachusetts has more people than the entire state of Wyoming, which is crazy to me because the area feels very rural to me.
As someone who grew up in "rural" Massachusetts, all you have to do is look around.  Unlike other truly rural areas of other states, you'll see driveways/houses everywhere in MA, even in the "deep woods."
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on September 28, 2022, 09:32:43 AM
Not a super crazy one, but Erie County, NY has over 150,000 more people than the state of North Dakota.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: formulanone on September 28, 2022, 09:40:03 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 10:19:23 PMNC have two of these "separated MSAs that should really be one" examples: Greensboro-Winston Salem and Raleigh-Durham

If the former is The Triad, and the latter is The Triangle...Welcome to the Tridangle / Hex Cities / Sexboros!

Maybe it's best they stay apart; it's a roughly 75/90-minute drive between them.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 12:16:15 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 10:41:02 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 09:25:36 PM
This weirdly proves and disproves my rule at the same time.
That would be disproving it, then.

Not necessarily. I did say it was a general rule and that there would be exceptions.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on September 28, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 12:16:15 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 27, 2022, 10:41:02 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 09:25:36 PM
This weirdly proves and disproves my rule at the same time.
That would be disproving it, then.
Not necessarily. I did say it was a general rule and that there would be exceptions.

It depends on how many exceptions you allow before they become not exceptions. In this list, 40% of the entries have differences of 10 or more between population and tourism. I'd consider that difference significant, and that amount enough to become not exceptions, but it can be up to personal interpretation.

For what it's worth, the next two entries on the tourism list (and the last two provided in the source list) are:
Monterey - #26 tourism, #124 metro population, 98 difference
Naples - #27 tourism, #141 metro population, 114 difference
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Dirt Roads on September 28, 2022, 08:57:54 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 10:19:23 PMNC have two of these "separated MSAs that should really be one" examples: Greensboro-Winston Salem and Raleigh-Durham

Quote from: formulanone on September 28, 2022, 09:40:03 AM
If the former is The Triad, and the latter is The Triangle...Welcome to the Tridangle / Hex Cities / Sexboros!

Maybe it's best they stay apart; it's a roughly 75/90-minute drive between them.

Your information is way out-of-date.  We have three MSAs in Central Carolina:  Raleigh/Cary MSA; Durham/Chapel Hill MSA; and Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point (Triad).  The Triangle got busted up back in 2000, if I recall correctly.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 09:13:44 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 28, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
For what it's worth, the next two entries on the tourism list (and the last two provided in the source list) are:
Monterey - #26 tourism, #124 metro population, 98 difference
Naples - #27 tourism, #141 metro population, 114 difference

Those could be considered outliers like Flagstaff, right?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Road Hog on September 28, 2022, 10:13:29 PM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on September 28, 2022, 08:57:54 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 10:19:23 PMNC have two of these "separated MSAs that should really be one" examples: Greensboro-Winston Salem and Raleigh-Durham

Quote from: formulanone on September 28, 2022, 09:40:03 AM
If the former is The Triad, and the latter is The Triangle...Welcome to the Tridangle / Hex Cities / Sexboros!

Maybe it's best they stay apart; it's a roughly 75/90-minute drive between them.

Your information is way out-of-date.  We have three MSAs in Central Carolina:  Raleigh/Cary MSA; Durham/Chapel Hill MSA; and Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point (Triad).  The Triangle got busted up back in 2000, if I recall correctly.
The Triangle and the Triad are still two real things, but there are cities growing between them (Burlington, Graham, Mebane, Hillsborough, etc.) that are likely to make the whole thing one huge conurbation in the next 20-30 years, same as between Austin and San Antonio.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on September 29, 2022, 06:58:30 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 09:13:44 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 28, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
For what it's worth, the next two entries on the tourism list (and the last two provided in the source list) are:
Monterey - #26 tourism, #124 metro population, 98 difference
Naples - #27 tourism, #141 metro population, 114 difference

Those could be considered outliers like Flagstaff, right?
Heh.  When your dataset is mostly outliers, your assertion about causation is weakened.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Dirt Roads on September 29, 2022, 10:34:30 AM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 10:19:23 PMNC have two of these "separated MSAs that should really be one" examples: Greensboro-Winston Salem and Raleigh-Durham

Quote from: formulanone on September 28, 2022, 09:40:03 AM
If the former is The Triad, and the latter is The Triangle...Welcome to the Tridangle / Hex Cities / Sexboros!

Maybe it's best they stay apart; it's a roughly 75/90-minute drive between them.

Quote from: Dirt Roads on September 28, 2022, 08:57:54 PM
Your information is way out-of-date.  We have three MSAs in Central Carolina:  Raleigh/Cary MSA; Durham/Chapel Hill MSA; and Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point (Triad).  The Triangle got busted up back in 2000, if I recall correctly.

Quote from: Road Hog on September 28, 2022, 10:13:29 PM
The Triangle and the Triad are still two real things, but there are cities growing between them (Burlington, Graham, Mebane, Hillsborough, etc.) that are likely to make the whole thing one huge conurbation in the next 20-30 years, same as between Austin and San Antonio.

Agreed.  I now live in part of the overlap.  For those not seeing my previous posts on this subject, folks working in Greensboro have been jumping over Alamance County and moving to Orange County for access to our well-respected public schools.  Folks that work in the Triangle have been jumping over Durham and Orange and moving into Alamance for cheap land and low taxes for at the last three decades.  On the border between Orange and Alamance, the town of Mebane is growing like crazy (much of it in the extra-territorial jurisdiction).  https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=16931.msg2773239#msg2773239
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 29, 2022, 12:20:24 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 29, 2022, 06:58:30 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 09:13:44 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 28, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
For what it's worth, the next two entries on the tourism list (and the last two provided in the source list) are:
Monterey - #26 tourism, #124 metro population, 98 difference
Naples - #27 tourism, #141 metro population, 114 difference

Those could be considered outliers like Flagstaff, right?
Heh.  When your dataset is mostly outliers, your assertion about causation is weakened.

Mostly outliers? I see the vast majority of the numbers in the Difference column are single digit or low double digit numbers.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on September 29, 2022, 12:25:28 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 09:13:44 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 28, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
For what it's worth, the next two entries on the tourism list (and the last two provided in the source list) are:
Monterey - #26 tourism, #124 metro population, 98 difference
Naples - #27 tourism, #141 metro population, 114 difference

Those could be considered outliers like Flagstaff, right?

Perhaps, but unfortunately we don't have a complete set of data to work with, since the source list did not go any further down. Certainly some of the larger metros I mentioned (San Antonio, Portland) would show up somewhere nearby, but there are also a number of "outliers" that would likely show up soon as well (Atlantic City, Santa Barbara, Hilton Head, Santa Fe, Napa, etc.).
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on September 29, 2022, 02:16:19 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 29, 2022, 12:20:24 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 29, 2022, 06:58:30 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 28, 2022, 09:13:44 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on September 28, 2022, 08:23:10 PM
For what it's worth, the next two entries on the tourism list (and the last two provided in the source list) are:
Monterey - #26 tourism, #124 metro population, 98 difference
Naples - #27 tourism, #141 metro population, 114 difference

Those could be considered outliers like Flagstaff, right?
Heh.  When your dataset is mostly outliers, your assertion about causation is weakened.

Mostly outliers? I see the vast majority of the numbers in the Difference column are single digit or low double digit numbers.

There are some datapoints that fit your assumption, at most.  And the only one where population is correlating with position, IMHO, is the third capital of the world - NYC. It is super-hyped, and is a big enough destination, sure. #6 worldwide destination ( 5 or 7 by different metrics - and I thought it would be higher).   
DC is as capital, it is also home of Smithsonian, regardless of population. Those two factors are enough to attract many visitors, business and tourists.
Miami, Honolulu and Vegas are high in the list as gateways and strip, not because of population.

Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta all punch well below their rank. I wonder how many of those tourists are actually visiting families or friends to begin with.

So there is some correlation, but looks like that is fairly weak.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: skluth on September 29, 2022, 02:37:48 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 09:27:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on September 26, 2022, 09:26:57 PM
Quote from: skluth on September 26, 2022, 06:28:09 PM
Los Angeles County has more people (10,014,009) than all but ten states. It's barely smaller than #10 Michigan (10,050,811) and will probably pass Michigan in population soon if it hasn't already.

Quote from: kirbykart on September 26, 2022, 07:22:08 PM
Another (albeit slightly less) surprising fact from this post is that Michigan is in the top 10 population-wise. I would imagine it in top 20 but not top 10.

Not sure why that is surprising, as Michigan has been in the Top Ten since the 1880 U.S. Census.  The population loss of Detroit was significant, but overall population declines in two other traditional Top Ten states (Massachusetts and New Jersey) dropped them out completely.  Michigan is still hanging around.
It's surprising because very few people would have ever figured Michigan in the  top 10. At any point. I would have figured Michigan to be like #18.

I was honestly surprised it wasn't higher so it balances out. I had not expected both Georgia and North Carolina to be higher.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: interstatefan990 on September 29, 2022, 02:40:22 PM
Quote from: kalvado on September 29, 2022, 02:16:19 PM
There are some datapoints that fit your assumption, at most.  And the only one where population is correlating with position, IMHO, is the third capital of the world - NYC. It is super-hyped, and is a big enough destination, sure. #6 worldwide destination ( 5 or 7 by different metrics - and I thought it would be higher).   
DC is as capital, it is also home of Smithsonian, regardless of population. Those two factors are enough to attract many visitors, business and tourists.
Miami, Honolulu and Vegas are high in the list as gateways and strip, not because of population.

Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta all punch well below their rank. I wonder how many of those tourists are actually visiting families or friends to begin with.

So there is some correlation, but looks like that is fairly weak.

So basically what you're saying is something like this:

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 09:25:36 PM
Maybe this rule just disintegrates the further down a population list you go?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on September 29, 2022, 02:47:55 PM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 29, 2022, 02:40:22 PM
Quote from: kalvado on September 29, 2022, 02:16:19 PM
There are some datapoints that fit your assumption, at most.  And the only one where population is correlating with position, IMHO, is the third capital of the world - NYC. It is super-hyped, and is a big enough destination, sure. #6 worldwide destination ( 5 or 7 by different metrics - and I thought it would be higher).   
DC is as capital, it is also home of Smithsonian, regardless of population. Those two factors are enough to attract many visitors, business and tourists.
Miami, Honolulu and Vegas are high in the list as gateways and strip, not because of population.

Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta all punch well below their rank. I wonder how many of those tourists are actually visiting families or friends to begin with.

So there is some correlation, but looks like that is fairly weak.

So basically what you're saying is something like this:

Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 27, 2022, 09:25:36 PM
Maybe this rule just disintegrates the further down a population list you go?
No, I am saying that population is a contributing factor with some - but not much - weight in tourism numbers. I, for one, never thought about going to Cleveland, Buffalo or Phoenix  because of their population. Having friends in Cleveland and seeing Niagara Falls or heading over to Grand Canyon were certainly more important factors. And yes, I am more likely to have friends in larger cities - but that is not the most important statistical factor.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 02:52:45 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 27, 2022, 09:27:41 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on September 26, 2022, 09:26:57 PM
Quote from: kirbykart on September 26, 2022, 07:22:08 PM
Another (albeit slightly less) surprising fact from this post is that Michigan is in the top 10 population-wise. I would imagine it in top 20 but not top 10.

Not sure why that is surprising, as Michigan has been in the Top Ten since the 1880 U.S. Census.  The population loss of Detroit was significant, but overall population declines in two other traditional Top Ten states (Massachusetts and New Jersey) dropped them out completely.  Michigan is still hanging around.
It's surprising because very few people would have ever figured Michigan in the  top 10. At any point. I would have figured Michigan to be like #18.

I'm more surprised that Ohio has still not been passed by Georgia and North Carolina. I guess having three large metro areas really helps.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: dvferyance on September 29, 2022, 08:08:20 PM
The thing that kind of gets me is the population of Missouri is only slightly more than Wisconsin even though they have 2 large metro areas that are both bigger than the largest in Wisconsin. Yes I know they both spill into neighboring states but still.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 09:18:51 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on September 29, 2022, 08:08:20 PM
The thing that kind of gets me is the population of Missouri is only slightly more than Wisconsin even though they have 2 large metro areas that are both bigger than the largest in Wisconsin. Yes I know they both spill into neighboring states but still.

Then again, there are two metros from other states (Twin Cities and Chicagoland) that spill into Wisconsin, too.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on September 29, 2022, 10:18:53 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 09:18:51 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on September 29, 2022, 08:08:20 PM
The thing that kind of gets me is the population of Missouri is only slightly more than Wisconsin even though they have 2 large metro areas that are both bigger than the largest in Wisconsin. Yes I know they both spill into neighboring states but still.

Then again, there are two metros from other states (Twin Cities and Chicagoland) that spill into Wisconsin, too.

The parts of KC and STL in the other states is a lot more significant, though. The Twin Cities has two towns of importance in WI (Hudson/River Falls). Kenosha is much more significant for Chicago but it's still a drop in the bucket compared to the main body.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 11:24:18 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on September 29, 2022, 10:18:53 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 09:18:51 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on September 29, 2022, 08:08:20 PM
The thing that kind of gets me is the population of Missouri is only slightly more than Wisconsin even though they have 2 large metro areas that are both bigger than the largest in Wisconsin. Yes I know they both spill into neighboring states but still.

Then again, there are two metros from other states (Twin Cities and Chicagoland) that spill into Wisconsin, too.

The parts of KC and STL in the other states is a lot more significant, though. The Twin Cities has two towns of importance in WI (Hudson/River Falls). Kenosha is much more significant for Chicago but it's still a drop in the bucket compared to the main body.

That's fair. The parts of KC and STL in other states wouldn't directly factor in to the WI-MO comparison, but they do have a deflating effect on MO's population relative to if the entire metro was in-state.

Missouri also has fewer small/mid-sized cities and is more sparsely populated in general, especially compared to southern WI.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: thspfc on September 30, 2022, 10:34:33 AM
Quote from: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 11:24:18 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on September 29, 2022, 10:18:53 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 09:18:51 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on September 29, 2022, 08:08:20 PM
The thing that kind of gets me is the population of Missouri is only slightly more than Wisconsin even though they have 2 large metro areas that are both bigger than the largest in Wisconsin. Yes I know they both spill into neighboring states but still.

Then again, there are two metros from other states (Twin Cities and Chicagoland) that spill into Wisconsin, too.

The parts of KC and STL in the other states is a lot more significant, though. The Twin Cities has two towns of importance in WI (Hudson/River Falls). Kenosha is much more significant for Chicago but it's still a drop in the bucket compared to the main body.

That's fair. The parts of KC and STL in other states wouldn't directly factor in to the WI-MO comparison, but they do have a deflating effect on MO's population relative to if the entire metro was in-state.

Missouri also has fewer small/mid-sized cities and is more sparsely populated in general, especially compared to southern WI.
Yep. The southeastern quarter of WI is quite densely populated compared to most areas in the Midwest.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: GaryV on September 30, 2022, 10:45:20 AM
Quote from: thspfc on September 30, 2022, 10:34:33 AM
Quote from: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 11:24:18 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on September 29, 2022, 10:18:53 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 29, 2022, 09:18:51 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on September 29, 2022, 08:08:20 PM
The thing that kind of gets me is the population of Missouri is only slightly more than Wisconsin even though they have 2 large metro areas that are both bigger than the largest in Wisconsin. Yes I know they both spill into neighboring states but still.

Then again, there are two metros from other states (Twin Cities and Chicagoland) that spill into Wisconsin, too.

The parts of KC and STL in the other states is a lot more significant, though. The Twin Cities has two towns of importance in WI (Hudson/River Falls). Kenosha is much more significant for Chicago but it's still a drop in the bucket compared to the main body.

That's fair. The parts of KC and STL in other states wouldn't directly factor in to the WI-MO comparison, but they do have a deflating effect on MO's population relative to if the entire metro was in-state.

Missouri also has fewer small/mid-sized cities and is more sparsely populated in general, especially compared to southern WI.
Yep. The southeastern quarter of WI is quite densely populated compared to most areas in the Midwest.

Also, Missouri doesn't have anything comparable to Madison and the Fox Valley communities.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: dvferyance on October 06, 2022, 08:49:38 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 08:44:00 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.
St Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are "mid-sized" while El Paso, Mesa AZ and Aurora CO are "large" then?
I know this is kind of off topic I know St Louis is completely surrounded by cities but why doesn't Cincinnati simply annex all the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County? That could boost their population by another 150,000-200,000.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Scott5114 on October 06, 2022, 09:02:15 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on October 06, 2022, 08:49:38 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 08:44:00 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.
St Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are "mid-sized" while El Paso, Mesa AZ and Aurora CO are "large" then?
I know this is kind of off topic I know St Louis is completely surrounded by cities but why doesn't Cincinnati simply annex all the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County? That could boost their population by another 150,000-200,000.

Would the added tax base offset the need to provide services to all of that area? If the population density is low enough, you spend more money running water and sewer lines out to the new places than you can recover in taxes (this is a problem Oklahoma City has had in annexing vast swaths of rural Oklahoma County).
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:03:37 AM
When the Triangle and the Triad do eventually merge, I propose they call it what rural Tar Heels will love and more liberal ones will hate.

______?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:28:19 AM
This is my last post for a while on the population topic, I promise:

I am struck by how similar Arkansas and Iowa are demographically and geographically. Both states have a capital city that's the largest city in the state and geographically centered, a large adjacent suburb to the capital city (WDM, NLR), border the Mississippi River to the west, are of similar land area and population (Iowa is a tick larger in both), have agriculture as a huge industry, and are built mostly of small towns outside the top 15 or so cities.

I do expect that Arkansas' Delta population drain will reach an equilibrium (how low can you go?) and when that happens, the state's population growth will begin to match the rest of the nation.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Dirt Roads on October 07, 2022, 10:30:56 AM
Quote from: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:03:37 AM
When the Triangle and the Triad do eventually merge, I propose they call it what rural Tar Heels will love and more liberal ones will hate.

______?

Tobacco Road?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: ran4sh on October 07, 2022, 11:20:50 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on October 06, 2022, 09:02:15 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on October 06, 2022, 08:49:38 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 08:44:00 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.
St Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are "mid-sized" while El Paso, Mesa AZ and Aurora CO are "large" then?
I know this is kind of off topic I know St Louis is completely surrounded by cities but why doesn't Cincinnati simply annex all the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County? That could boost their population by another 150,000-200,000.

Would the added tax base offset the need to provide services to all of that area? If the population density is low enough, you spend more money running water and sewer lines out to the new places than you can recover in taxes (this is a problem Oklahoma City has had in annexing vast swaths of rural Oklahoma County).

That's why cities usually prefer to annex regions that include commercial and industrial properties, as those normally contribute more in taxes than they receive in services. Residential properties do the opposite, they use more in services than they contribute in taxes.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: ran4sh on October 07, 2022, 11:21:29 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on October 07, 2022, 10:30:56 AM
Quote from: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:03:37 AM
When the Triangle and the Triad do eventually merge, I propose they call it what rural Tar Heels will love and more liberal ones will hate.

______?

Tobacco Road?

Piedmont Crescent, and keep the name once that area merges with the Charlotte area
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Takumi on October 07, 2022, 01:03:36 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on October 07, 2022, 11:21:29 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on October 07, 2022, 10:30:56 AM
Quote from: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:03:37 AM
When the Triangle and the Triad do eventually merge, I propose they call it what rural Tar Heels will love and more liberal ones will hate.

______?

Tobacco Road?

Piedmont Crescent, and keep the name once that area merges with the Charlotte area
Call that monstrosity the Carolina Triplex.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: dvferyance on October 07, 2022, 08:02:49 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on October 06, 2022, 09:02:15 PM
Quote from: dvferyance on October 06, 2022, 08:49:38 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on September 27, 2022, 08:44:00 AM
Quote from: interstatefan990 on September 26, 2022, 11:25:07 PM
Quote from: webny99 on September 25, 2022, 11:04:00 PM
I agree with your sentiment but I think what you're saying is that NY needs another large city. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are all pretty clearly mid-sized cities/metro areas IMO.

Depends on what you consider a "medium sized" city. For me, any city below 350-400K is midsized, but interpretations vary.
St Louis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are "mid-sized" while El Paso, Mesa AZ and Aurora CO are "large" then?
I know this is kind of off topic I know St Louis is completely surrounded by cities but why doesn't Cincinnati simply annex all the unincorporated areas of Hamilton County? That could boost their population by another 150,000-200,000.

Would the added tax base offset the need to provide services to all of that area? If the population density is low enough, you spend more money running water and sewer lines out to the new places than you can recover in taxes (this is a problem Oklahoma City has had in annexing vast swaths of rural Oklahoma County).
Much of unincorporated Hamilton County is pretty urban. The only exceptions would be far west to northwest. There are many Ohio cites that have lost population that are adjacent to unincorporated developed areas like Dayton. Youngstown, Akron and Canton.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Road Hog on October 10, 2022, 01:18:15 AM
Quote from: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:03:37 AM
When the Triangle and the Triad do eventually merge, I propose they call it what rural Tar Heels will love and more liberal ones will hate.

______?
The Six Pack!  :D
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on October 11, 2022, 09:43:20 AM
In each of the maps below, the population size is approximately the same between blue and yellow.

(https://i.imgur.com/AxLuPts.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/rOU1gJ4.png)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: jgb191 on October 11, 2022, 10:59:25 PM
The city of Corpus Christi, Texas has more people than those of several sports cities like Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Green Bay, Orlando, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Salt Lake City.

My home state of Texas has nearly a dozen cities which are greater than a quarter-million (counting a couple of suburbs).  Texas has more than seventy cities larger than the largest city of West Virginia.

Pasadena, Texas is larger than Pasadena, California; yet not very many people seem to be aware of the larger of the two.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on October 12, 2022, 08:30:14 AM
^The Corpus Christi one is the craziest. I would have figured it was about the size of Buffalo, maybe a bit smaller.


   What shocks me is, the second-most populated state capital is Austin.

   Also, many people don't know that Columbus, OH is more populated than Cleveland and Cincinnati.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 12, 2022, 10:13:32 AM
Quote from: jgb191 on October 11, 2022, 10:59:25 PM
The city of Corpus Christi, Texas has more people than those of several sports cities like Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Green Bay, Orlando, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Salt Lake City.

My home state of Texas has nearly a dozen cities which are greater than a quarter-million (counting a couple of suburbs).  Texas has more than seventy cities larger than the largest city of West Virginia.

Pasadena, Texas is larger than Pasadena, California; yet not very many people seem to be aware of the larger of the two.
While looking at the core cities only is pretty popular; MSAs are telling a different story. My understanding this partially due to the way cities and suburbs, and their annexation, work.
Buffalo MSA - #49, 1.16 million, principal city is 278k, 24%
Corpus Christie MSA -  #132, 423 k, principal city is 326k, 77%
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: ran4sh on October 12, 2022, 11:12:05 AM
Plus, the sports teams actually care about media markets rather than MSAs. Because media markets is how the league divides the country into each team's territory, plus allows rural people to contribute to the popularity of their team by watching on TV.

And this is what I was told when I tried to edit the Wikipedia article about sports teams and their MSAs and media markets.

But there is a good video on Youtube by Geography King that explains that some western metro areas have grown large enough to support their own team while some Rust Belt areas have shrunk and they only have teams because they were able to get them in the past.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: J N Winkler on October 12, 2022, 12:59:51 PM
I'm not sure how up to date this still is--I first heard it about 20 years ago:  50% of the US population lives within 50 miles of a seacoast.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on October 12, 2022, 01:33:38 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on October 12, 2022, 11:12:05 AM
Plus, the sports teams actually care about media markets rather than MSAs. Because media markets is how the league divides the country into each team's territory, plus allows rural people to contribute to the popularity of their team by watching on TV.

And this is what I was told when I tried to edit the Wikipedia article about sports teams and their MSAs and media markets.

But there is a good video on Youtube by Geography King that explains that some western metro areas have grown large enough to support their own team while some Rust Belt areas have shrunk and they only have teams because they were able to get them in the past.

The largest MSAs that don't have major sports teams are all adjacent to or very near larger MSAs that do:

#12 Riverside is adjacent to #2 LA
#23 Orlando is adjacent to #18 Tampa
#28 Austin is triangulated by #4 Dallas, #5 Houston and #24 San Antonio

The existing franchise owners in these areas would block any new or relocated franchises this close to theirs.

The largest MSA that really doesn't have any major teams nearby is #37 Virginia Beach.

If you suddenly gave every fan in every sport a very specific amnesia where they forget what teams they're a fan of (but not what sports), and then re-allocated the existing franchises based only on market size and research, I don't think very many, if any of the older cities would lose franchises.

You might get an NBA team in Columbus instead of Cleveland. Jacksonville's NFL team might end up in Portland, Virginia Beach, or a 2nd team in Chicago.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: jgb191 on October 12, 2022, 02:58:46 PM
^

Orlando has the Magic (NBA); but yeah you could count Orlando/Tampa-St. Petersburg as Central Florida, Jacksonville is North Florida, and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale as South Florida -- three separate areas

Also If the Greater LA area must have two teams, move one of them to Riverside, Anaheim, or Long Beach.  But I see no reason why any single MSA/CSA should have a plural number of teams; keep it singular.

How far is Norfolk to Washington in terms of straight-line distance?  In a straight line, Austin to San Antonio is 74 miles; Austin to Dallas-Ft. Worth is over 180 miles, Austin to Houston is almost 150 miles.

It doesn't seem like Washington to Baltimore to Philadelphia is spaced all that far out between each.  The Texas cities look to be much more spaced apart.

Quote from: kalvado on October 12, 2022, 10:13:32 AM
While looking at the core cities only is pretty popular; MSAs are telling a different story. My understanding this partially due to the way cities and suburbs, and their annexation, work.
Buffalo MSA - #49, 1.16 million, principal city is 278k, 24%
Corpus Christie MSA -  #132, 423 k, principal city is 326k, 77%

I can try something else here:  The Brownsville and McAllen MSAs (which might as well be one larger CSA put together) is comparable to Buffalo-Niagra area.  The Rio Grande Valley area is almost 1.4 million could be closing in on 2 million by the end of this decade.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on October 12, 2022, 03:15:04 PM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 12, 2022, 01:33:38 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on October 12, 2022, 11:12:05 AM
Plus, the sports teams actually care about media markets rather than MSAs. Because media markets is how the league divides the country into each team's territory, plus allows rural people to contribute to the popularity of their team by watching on TV.

And this is what I was told when I tried to edit the Wikipedia article about sports teams and their MSAs and media markets.

But there is a good video on Youtube by Geography King that explains that some western metro areas have grown large enough to support their own team while some Rust Belt areas have shrunk and they only have teams because they were able to get them in the past.

The largest MSAs that don't have major sports teams are all adjacent to or very near larger MSAs that do:

#12 Riverside is adjacent to #2 LA
#23 Orlando is adjacent to #18 Tampa
#28 Austin is triangulated by #4 Dallas, #5 Houston and #24 San Antonio

The existing franchise owners in these areas would block any new or relocated franchises this close to theirs.

The largest MSA that really doesn't have any major teams nearby is #37 Virginia Beach.

If you suddenly gave every fan in every sport a very specific amnesia where they forget what teams they're a fan of (but not what sports), and then re-allocated the existing franchises based only on market size and research, I don't think very many, if any of the older cities would lose franchises.

You might get an NBA team in Columbus instead of Cleveland. Jacksonville's NFL team might end up in Portland, Virginia Beach, or a 2nd team in Chicago.
Bring back the Syracuse Nationals.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Bruce on October 12, 2022, 04:29:58 PM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 12, 2022, 01:33:38 PM
#12 Riverside is adjacent to #2 LA
#23 Orlando is adjacent to #18 Tampa
#28 Austin is triangulated by #4 Dallas, #5 Houston and #24 San Antonio

Orlando and Austin both have MLS teams, so they're covered. Austin-San Antonio is generally considered a single combined market for sports leagues, hence why the former's MLS bid meant the latter's was doomed.

Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 12, 2022, 01:33:38 PM
You might get an NBA team in Columbus instead of Cleveland. Jacksonville's NFL team might end up in Portland, Virginia Beach, or a 2nd team in Chicago.

Portland is unlikely to get an NFL team, as there is no suitable stadium or a plan to build one.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: formulanone on October 12, 2022, 06:58:07 PM
Quote from: Takumi on October 07, 2022, 01:03:36 PM
Quote from: ran4sh on October 07, 2022, 11:21:29 AM
Quote from: Dirt Roads on October 07, 2022, 10:30:56 AM
Quote from: Road Hog on October 07, 2022, 12:03:37 AM
When the Triangle and the Triad do eventually merge, I propose they call it what rural Tar Heels will love and more liberal ones will hate.

______?

Tobacco Road?

Piedmont Crescent, and keep the name once that area merges with the Charlotte area
Call that monstrosity the Carolina Triplex.

The Tri-Oval
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: hotdogPi on October 02, 2023, 07:20:07 PM
I can confirm that it's accurate, but how does it defy conventional wisdom?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on October 02, 2023, 08:48:53 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.
I don't think an island works.  The four counties on Long Island only total about 8 million.  You have to add in other islands to go over 50%.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on October 02, 2023, 09:08:10 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
pizza is a vegetable
That's a pretty awesome legality.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: freebrickproductions on October 02, 2023, 09:32:17 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 02, 2023, 09:08:10 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
pizza is a vegetable
That's a pretty awesome legality.
Wouldn't be surprised to find-out it's related to the fact that, here in the US, tomatoes are legally considered vegetables (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden), mainly for tax/customs purposes.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: CtrlAltDel on October 02, 2023, 10:10:15 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 02, 2023, 08:48:53 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.

I don't think an island works.  The four counties on Long Island only total about 8 million.  You have to add in other islands to go over 50%.

I really don't know anyone who lives on two islands.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on October 03, 2023, 07:41:30 AM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on October 02, 2023, 10:10:15 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 02, 2023, 08:48:53 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.

I don't think an island works.  The four counties on Long Island only total about 8 million.  You have to add in other islands to go over 50%.

I really don't know anyone who lives on two islands.
Would owning property on multiple islands count?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Max Rockatansky on October 03, 2023, 08:44:40 AM
Quote from: 1 on October 02, 2023, 07:20:07 PM
I can confirm that it's accurate, but how does it defy conventional wisdom?

With Hawaii you could say that Oahu bucks the trend given it was not the traditional population center of the Hawaiian kingdom.  American development post-Kingdom period centered around Pearl Harbor and Honolulu Harbor. 
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 03, 2023, 10:42:37 AM
Quote from: Rothman on October 03, 2023, 07:41:30 AM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on October 02, 2023, 10:10:15 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 02, 2023, 08:48:53 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.

I don't think an island works.  The four counties on Long Island only total about 8 million.  You have to add in other islands to go over 50%.

I really don't know anyone who lives on two islands.
Would owning property on multiple islands count?
Commute from one island to another should count.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on October 03, 2023, 11:29:58 AM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on October 02, 2023, 09:32:17 PM
Wouldn't be surprised to find-out it's related to the fact that, here in the US, tomatoes are legally considered vegetables (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden), mainly for tax/customs purposes.

Tomatoes should be considered a vegetable.  That's how we use them.  It shouldn't only be stems and leaves and roots that are considered vegetables.

Or do you also think zucchini, cucumbers, peapods, okra, and jalapeños should be legally considered fruits?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Takumi on October 03, 2023, 11:41:17 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 03, 2023, 11:29:58 AM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on October 02, 2023, 09:32:17 PM
Wouldn't be surprised to find-out it's related to the fact that, here in the US, tomatoes are legally considered vegetables (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_v._Hedden), mainly for tax/customs purposes.

Tomatoes should be considered a vegetable.  That's how we use them.  It shouldn't only be stems and leaves and roots that are considered vegetables.

Or do you also think zucchini, cucumbers, peapods, okra, and jalapeños should be legally considered fruits?

We can take this even further.
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/57/3d/dd/573ddda878b20f5d8262c074cfba62e7.jpg)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: GaryV on October 03, 2023, 12:20:20 PM
Carrot cake is a vegetable and zucchini bread is a fruit.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: index on October 03, 2023, 10:57:03 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 02, 2023, 08:48:53 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.
I don't think an island works.  The four counties on Long Island only total about 8 million.  You have to add in other islands to go over 50%.

By "an island" I meant like, there are 50.8% of the people who live on any island, rather than one specific island. 50.8% of the people can say "I live on an island" is how I thought about it in my head when writing that post.




Quote from: 1 on October 02, 2023, 07:20:07 PM
I can confirm that it's accurate, but how does it defy conventional wisdom?

It's not really something that people tend to consider/not really a fact that stands out. New York and Hawaii being in the same category for that in spite of being starkly different feels a bit weird.

When you think about it, yeah, it makes perfect sense and there's nothing odd about it, in the same way how eating being stuffing dead stuff into a hole on your face isn't weird. It's normal but it's kind of weird when you think about it a bit.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on October 04, 2023, 10:41:34 AM
Quote from: index on October 03, 2023, 10:57:03 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 02, 2023, 08:48:53 PM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii where the majority of its population lives on an island (50.8%).

Legally speaking, NYC + Long Island is a peninsula and is treated as such by the courts and the government, but also legally speaking, pizza is a vegetable and cannabis has no accepted medical purpose, so that doesn't mean very much.
I don't think an island works.  The four counties on Long Island only total about 8 million.  You have to add in other islands to go over 50%.

By "an island" I meant like, there are 50.8% of the people who live on any island, rather than one specific island. 50.8% of the people can say "I live on an island" is how I thought about it in my head when writing that post.


I understood it as you intended it.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 04, 2023, 11:04:25 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.
Less sensational way of putting it is - states with most population living on the island are: HI - 100%, obviously; if PR ever becomes a state it will also be 100%. Strangely next one is not Rhode Island  but NY with 50%+ living on an island (primarily NYC area - long island, manhattan, staten island; maybe I am missing some? Grand Island with it's 0.1% of NY population may be added for luls)
UPD: Actually, those listed above account for 49.2% of NYS population as far as I can tell. Is there another big island within  NYC? It's another 200k people.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on October 04, 2023, 03:57:23 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Depends on how "island" is defined (Cape Cod and the Delmarva are, technically).

And if you're basing Florida on the Keys, Rhode Island is probably comparable percentage-wise.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 04:41:44 PM
Quote from: webny99 on October 04, 2023, 03:57:23 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Depends on how "island" is defined (Cape Cod and the Delmarva are, technically).

And if you're basing Florida on the Keys, Rhode Island is probably comparable percentage-wise.

For Florida, I was also thinking about Miami Beach.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: GaryV on October 04, 2023, 07:41:58 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 04:41:44 PM
Quote from: webny99 on October 04, 2023, 03:57:23 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Depends on how "island" is defined (Cape Cod and the Delmarva are, technically).

And if you're basing Florida on the Keys, Rhode Island is probably comparable percentage-wise.

For Florida, I was also thinking about Miami Beach.

Plus all the other barrier islands - anything outside the Intracoastal Waterway.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on October 04, 2023, 09:37:39 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 04, 2023, 11:04:25 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.
Less sensational way of putting it is - states with most population living on the island are: HI - 100%, obviously; if PR ever becomes a state it will also be 100%. Strangely next one is not Rhode Island  but NY with 50%+ living on an island (primarily NYC area - long island, manhattan, staten island; maybe I am missing some? Grand Island with it's 0.1% of NY population may be added for luls)
UPD: Actually, those listed above account for 49.2% of NYS population as far as I can tell. Is there another big island within  NYC? It's another 200k people.
When I added up the four Long Island counties (Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Kings) plus New York and Richmond using Google's population figures, I got 50.07% of the population.  Sure, those counties technically comprise more than Long Island, Manhattan Island, and Staten Island... but only other, smaller, islands.  There's also City Island, but it doesn't add a lot, and it's not needed.  Maybe.  Not sure what the population of mainland Manhattan is.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: cockroachking on October 04, 2023, 10:00:25 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 04, 2023, 09:37:39 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 04, 2023, 11:04:25 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.
Less sensational way of putting it is - states with most population living on the island are: HI - 100%, obviously; if PR ever becomes a state it will also be 100%. Strangely next one is not Rhode Island  but NY with 50%+ living on an island (primarily NYC area - long island, manhattan, staten island; maybe I am missing some? Grand Island with it's 0.1% of NY population may be added for luls)
UPD: Actually, those listed above account for 49.2% of NYS population as far as I can tell. Is there another big island within  NYC? It's another 200k people.
When I added up the four Long Island counties (Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Kings) plus New York and Richmond using Google's population figures, I got 50.07% of the population.  Sure, those counties technically comprise more than Long Island, Manhattan Island, and Staten Island... but only other, smaller, islands.  There's also City Island, but it doesn't add a lot, and it's not needed.  Maybe.  Not sure what the population of mainland Manhattan is.
The City Island population is roughly just under half of the Marble Hill population. Adding islands such as Van Schaick Island would probably negate Marble Hill.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: index on October 04, 2023, 11:05:50 PM
I actually ran some numbers with a mapping/GIS tool after seeing a few posts asking which states came in what place, and this is what I came up with for states with the most people on islands by percent:

This includes true islands, areas of land which are functionally islands (connected to land but only accessible by bridge over water or via ferry), and peninsulas which were formerly islands and are still referred to and treated as such.
And the rest have no population on islands. This probably isn't super accurate, I did a lot of eyeballing and rough estimates as well.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: jlam on October 04, 2023, 11:38:08 PM
Seahaven Island: 100%
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Probably not as much as you think. Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 08:43:23 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Probably not as much as you think. Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Yet the NB Grand Island bridge carries upwards of 40,000 VPD on peak days. Double that for SB, and the Grand Island bridges carry up to four times as many vehicles in a single day as the entire island has people! That just seems crazy to me, even knowing how much of that traffic is just passing through.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on October 05, 2023, 09:40:27 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 08:43:23 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Probably not as much as you think. Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Yet the NB Grand Island bridge carries upwards of 40,000 VPD on peak days. Double that for SB, and the Grand Island bridges carry up to four times as many vehicles in a single day as the entire island has people! That just seems crazy to me, even knowing how much of that traffic is just passing through.
I'd imagine this is true for thousands of smaller communities that have Interstate access across the country.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 10:14:17 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Probably not as much as you think. Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Well, I didn't think much, but is it the most populated island in NY outside of the NYC area? That's what I was trying to come up with.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 05, 2023, 10:16:56 AM
Quote from: vdeane on October 04, 2023, 09:37:39 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 04, 2023, 11:04:25 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.
Less sensational way of putting it is - states with most population living on the island are: HI - 100%, obviously; if PR ever becomes a state it will also be 100%. Strangely next one is not Rhode Island  but NY with 50%+ living on an island (primarily NYC area - long island, manhattan, staten island; maybe I am missing some? Grand Island with it's 0.1% of NY population may be added for luls)
UPD: Actually, those listed above account for 49.2% of NYS population as far as I can tell. Is there another big island within  NYC? It's another 200k people.
When I added up the four Long Island counties (Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Kings) plus New York and Richmond using Google's population figures, I got 50.07% of the population.  Sure, those counties technically comprise more than Long Island, Manhattan Island, and Staten Island... but only other, smaller, islands.  There's also City Island, but it doesn't add a lot, and it's not needed.  Maybe.  Not sure what the population of mainland Manhattan is.
I still get 49.84% after checking all the numbers . It's probably safe to leave it at "about a half" after all.  Looks like LI population is growng faster than NYS in general, so later numbers would favor higher percentage... and I am too lazy to go and dig out by year data
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 10:18:32 AM
Quote from: Rothman on October 05, 2023, 09:40:27 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 08:43:23 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Probably not as much as you think. Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Yet the NB Grand Island bridge carries upwards of 40,000 VPD on peak days. Double that for SB, and the Grand Island bridges carry up to four times as many vehicles in a single day as the entire island has people! That just seems crazy to me, even knowing how much of that traffic is just passing through.
I'd imagine this is true for thousands of smaller communities that have Interstate access across the country.

Perhaps you're referring to Limon?  :)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 05, 2023, 10:21:23 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 10:14:17 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 04, 2023, 01:29:58 PM
Gotta think Grand Island by Buffalo accounts for at least a chunk of it.

Also, what's state #3? Probably Florida?

Probably not as much as you think. Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Well, I didn't think much, but is it the most populated island in NY outside of the NYC area? That's what I was trying to come up with.
It probably is. Until you want to call the slice of Waterford between Mohawk and canal  an island.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 10:53:17 AM
So looks like the Wikipedia article on US Islands also has a population section, with 2010 numbers. Here goes.



StateIsland PopulationTotal PopulationPercentage
HI13603011360301100.00%
NY95711291937810249.39%
AK638477102318.99%
RI6782110525676.44%
WA16792267245492.50%
ME3089513283612.33%
SC5202046253641.12%
NJ5745787918940.65%
VT36516257410.58%
DE40018979340.45%
MA2445165476290.37%
MD2081357735520.36%
FL53540188013100.28%
NC2650895354830.28%
TX60991251455610.24%
CA77512372539560.21%
MI1333798836400.13%
AL137147797360.03%
OR107838310740.03%
LA100545333720.02%
WI84556869860.01%
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: hotdogPi on October 05, 2023, 10:58:21 AM
Florida increased by more than 10× from 2010 to 2020? And South Carolina more than tripled.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: tmoore952 on October 05, 2023, 11:00:34 AM
Quote from: index on October 04, 2023, 11:05:50 PM
I actually ran some numbers with a mapping/GIS tool after seeing a few posts asking which states came in what place, and this is what I came up with for states with the most people on islands by percent:

This includes true islands, areas of land which are functionally islands (connected to land but only accessible by bridge over water or via ferry), and peninsulas which were formerly islands and are still referred to and treated as such.

By your second definition here, anywhere in Delaware south of C & D Canal would be on an island (only accessible by bridges over water or via ferry). That would include Odessa, Smyrna, Dover and all the beach areas. The Delaware percentage would be significant. Also anywhere in Maryland south of that canal and east of Chesapeake Bay, and all of Virginia east of Chesapeake Bay. In other words, all of Delmarva Peninsula south of that canal.

Earlier, someone mentioned Cape Cod which I believe is in the same category due to a canal.

I assume that canals don't count, since they are manmade? The people posting numbers aren't saying that.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: hotdogPi on October 05, 2023, 11:02:32 AM
Interestingly, Ísland is an island, but only by complete coincidence.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 11:06:42 AM
Quote from: 1 on October 05, 2023, 10:58:21 AM
Florida increased by more than 10× from 2010 to 2020? And South Carolina more than tripled.

The only islands included in the list for Florida are Amelia, Key Largo, Marco, Pine, and Sanibel. I'm sure it's probably missing some. (Key West obviously comes to mind.)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 05, 2023, 11:11:11 AM
Quote from: 1 on October 05, 2023, 10:58:21 AM
Florida increased by more than 10× from 2010 to 2020? And South Carolina more than tripled.
For SC, looks like population of Folly island /Folly beach is reported inconsistently. There are plenty of houses there, not sure if people live there permanently, though; and how a hurricane would change that.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 11:29:58 AM
Quote from: Rothman on October 05, 2023, 09:40:27 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 08:43:23 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
...
Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Yet the NB Grand Island bridge carries upwards of 40,000 VPD on peak days. Double that for SB, and the Grand Island bridges carry up to four times as many vehicles in a single day as the entire island has people! That just seems crazy to me, even knowing how much of that traffic is just passing through.
I'd imagine this is true for thousands of smaller communities that have Interstate access across the country.

In terms of an interstate passing through a small town/city, sure. But those are usually approachable from many different directions. The fact that it's an island with only two ways off and 3-4x the island population in vehicles is also relying on those two bridges just hits different. I'm sure comparable examples can be found, but not many with an island that size.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 05, 2023, 11:45:40 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 11:29:58 AM
Quote from: Rothman on October 05, 2023, 09:40:27 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 08:43:23 AM
Quote from: kirbykart on October 05, 2023, 08:33:13 AM
...
Almost 20 million people for the state, and 20,000 for Grand Island. So a fifth of a percent of NY's island population is on Grand Island.

Yet the NB Grand Island bridge carries upwards of 40,000 VPD on peak days. Double that for SB, and the Grand Island bridges carry up to four times as many vehicles in a single day as the entire island has people! That just seems crazy to me, even knowing how much of that traffic is just passing through.
I'd imagine this is true for thousands of smaller communities that have Interstate access across the country.

In terms of an interstate passing through a small town/city, sure. But those are usually approachable from many different directions. The fact that it's an island with only two ways off and 3-4x the island population in vehicles is also relying on those two bridges just hits different. I'm sure comparable examples can be found, but not many with an island that size.
Florida keys?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on October 05, 2023, 11:50:13 AM
I expected I-45 to fit the bill, but its AADT is only a little bit above Galveston's population size.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 12:29:17 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 05, 2023, 11:45:40 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 05, 2023, 11:29:58 AM
In terms of an interstate passing through a small town/city, sure. But those are usually approachable from many different directions. The fact that it's an island with only two ways off and 3-4x the island population in vehicles is also relying on those two bridges just hits different. I'm sure comparable examples can be found, but not many with an island that size.
Florida keys?

Quote from: kphoger on October 05, 2023, 11:50:13 AM
I expected I-45 to fit the bill, but its AADT is only a little bit above Galveston's population size.

The key (pun not intended, but I'll take it) is the through traffic component. It's hard to find one more significant than Buffalo<>Niagara Falls, which also happens to include by extension the entire I-90 corridor in NY<>southern Ontario.

Key Largo is about half the size of Grand Island in both population and area, and its population is exceeded (roughly doubled or tripled) by the combined Overseas Hwy and Card Sound Rd traffic volume. But many of the other Keys are too much smaller to be comparable, and by the time you get to Key West, there's no through traffic component.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on October 05, 2023, 12:58:41 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 05, 2023, 10:16:56 AM
Quote from: vdeane on October 04, 2023, 09:37:39 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 04, 2023, 11:04:25 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.
Less sensational way of putting it is - states with most population living on the island are: HI - 100%, obviously; if PR ever becomes a state it will also be 100%. Strangely next one is not Rhode Island  but NY with 50%+ living on an island (primarily NYC area - long island, manhattan, staten island; maybe I am missing some? Grand Island with it's 0.1% of NY population may be added for luls)
UPD: Actually, those listed above account for 49.2% of NYS population as far as I can tell. Is there another big island within  NYC? It's another 200k people.
When I added up the four Long Island counties (Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, and Kings) plus New York and Richmond using Google's population figures, I got 50.07% of the population.  Sure, those counties technically comprise more than Long Island, Manhattan Island, and Staten Island... but only other, smaller, islands.  There's also City Island, but it doesn't add a lot, and it's not needed.  Maybe.  Not sure what the population of mainland Manhattan is.
I still get 49.84% after checking all the numbers . It's probably safe to leave it at "about a half" after all.  Looks like LI population is growng faster than NYS in general, so later numbers would favor higher percentage... and I am too lazy to go and dig out by year data
I was just running queries in Google along the lines of "suffolk county ny population" and using whatever number was spit out.  Most used 2021 data (the exceptions were Queens, Richmond, and New York Counties with 2020 data and Marble Hill with 2010 data).  Using the four LI counties plus Manhattan (minus Marble Hill) and Staten Island got me to 50.03%.











PlacePopulation (millions)
Suffolk County1.526
Nassau County1.391
Queens County2.271
Kings County2.641
Richmond County0.476
New York County1.629
Marble Hill-0.009*
New York State Total19.84
*Entered as a negative number due to subtracting this from the population of New York County.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: index on October 05, 2023, 01:24:34 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 10:53:17 AM
So looks like the Wikipedia article on US Islands also has a population section, with 2010 numbers. Here goes.



StateIsland PopulationTotal PopulationPercentage
HI13603011360301100.00%
NY95711291937810249.39%
AK638477102318.99%
RI6782110525676.44%
WA16792267245492.50%
ME3089513283612.33%
SC5202046253641.12%
NJ5745787918940.65%
VT36516257410.58%
DE40018979340.45%
MA2445165476290.37%
MD2081357735520.36%
FL53540188013100.28%
NC2650895354830.28%
TX60991251455610.24%
CA77512372539560.21%
MI1333798836400.13%
AL137147797360.03%
OR107838310740.03%
LA100545333720.02%
WI84556869860.01%
Huh. I have no idea why I wasn't able to find that. I did look. I did all that for nothing lol :clap:
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: hotdogPi on October 05, 2023, 01:25:49 PM
Those numbers (not just the two states I mentioned) are so different from the GIS tool, plus they're 13 years outdated, that I wouldn't trust them.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: GaryV on October 05, 2023, 02:57:12 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 05, 2023, 11:06:42 AM
Quote from: 1 on October 05, 2023, 10:58:21 AM
Florida increased by more than 10× from 2010 to 2020? And South Carolina more than tripled.

The only islands included in the list for Florida are Amelia, Key Largo, Marco, Pine, and Sanibel. I'm sure it's probably missing some. (Key West obviously comes to mind.)

Miami Beach, Palm Beach, various other "Beach" names.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: newyooper on October 05, 2023, 05:31:19 PM
Quote from: index on October 04, 2023, 11:05:50 PM
I actually ran some numbers with a mapping/GIS tool after seeing a few posts asking which states came in what place, and this is what I came up with for states with the most people on islands by percent:

This includes true islands, areas of land which are functionally islands (connected to land but only accessible by bridge over water or via ferry), and peninsulas which were formerly islands and are still referred to and treated as such.

       
  • Hawaii: 100%
  • New York: 50.8%
  • Alaska: 9.67%
  • Rhode Island: 6.55%
  • Florida: 4.37%
  • South Carolina: 3.99%
  • Washington: 2.79%
  • Maine: 2.59%
  • New Jersey: 1.37%
  • Vermont: 1.15%
  • Louisiana: 0.99% (This one was a bit tough since the landscape there kind of blurs what is and isn't an island together)
  • North Carolina: 0.72%
  • Georgia: 0.63%
  • Massachusetts: 0.59%
  • Maryland: 0.51%
  • Alabama: 0.37%
  • Texas: 0.34%
  • Michigan: 0.22%
  • California: 0.20%
  • Wisconsin: 0.15%
  • West Virginia: 0.138%
  • New Hampshire: 0.137%
  • Oregon: 0.10%
  • Tennessee: 0.08%
  • Virginia: 0.058%
  • Delaware: 0.056%
  • Minnesota: 0.04%
  • Connecticut: 0.038%
  • Ohio: 0.02%
  • Illinois: 0.019%
  • Arkansas: 0.016%
  • Iowa: 0.0157%
  • Pennsylvania: 0.011%
  • Mississippi: 0.010%
  • Arizona: 0.008%
  • Indiana: 0.007%
  • Missouri: 0.00003%
And the rest have no population on islands. This probably isn't super accurate, I did a lot of eyeballing and rough estimates as well.

For some reason, South Dakota and Dells Island (sometimes called Quarry Island for the quartzite quarry there) didn't make the list:

https://mapcarta.com/35120852 (https://mapcarta.com/35120852)

If at least 70 people live on the island, for South Dakota's current population, that would be about 0.01%.  Looking a Google Earth, probably no... :-(
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Scott5114 on October 06, 2023, 03:26:46 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
Quote from: index on October 02, 2023, 07:16:38 PM
New York is the only state besides Hawaii ...

You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.

Here's a population oddity for you—1% of Clark County, Nevada's population is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Which is odd, because what would cause a bunch of people from a tropical island to end up in the desert?

Apparently this started because a casino magnate had a vacation home in Hawaii. One of his properties was struggling, so, in the 1970s, he got the idea to market it toward Hawaiians. (The original idea was to market it to Californians, but it didn't take, thus why the property was struggling.) Since Hawaii is itself a vacation destination, he reasoned people in Hawaii probably didn't have an obvious place to go on vacation themselves. So he started offering them all-inclusive vacation packages, running shuttle flights between Honolulu and Las Vegas, and replacing the buffet with Hawaiian food.

It worked so well that it ended up going beyond a marketing scheme. Cultural ties started forming between the two states—after all, Nevada and Hawaii are both well known for being in the tourism industry, so they had more in common than it seemed at first. So when housing prices in Hawaii started rising, Hawaiians started moving to Las Vegas, to the point that now it's sometimes called the "ninth island of Hawaii".

So if you wanted to indulge in a bit of creative license, I suppose you could say that there are a minority of Hawaiians who don't live on an island after all.

(source) (https://www.8newsnow.com/vegas-history/ninth-island-the-story-behind-hawaiians-affinity-for-las-vegas/)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on October 06, 2023, 09:55:12 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 04, 2023, 10:26:47 AM
You must admit, however, that claiming "the majority of people in Hawaii live on an island" is a bit misleading.  It makes it sound like there is a minority in Hawaii who don't live on an island.

Quote from: Scott5114 on October 06, 2023, 03:26:46 AM
So when housing prices in Hawaii started rising, Hawaiians started moving to Las Vegas ... So if you wanted to indulge in a bit of creative license, I suppose you could say that there are a minority of Hawaiians who don't live on an island after all.

Note how I carefully worded my post to avoid that exact sort of response.   :bigass:
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: DTComposer on October 07, 2023, 11:42:15 AM
(https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/dubious_islands.png)

Relevant XKCD from yesterday. I remember as an early mapgeek discovering the Chicago Canal and realizing that sorta made the eastern chunk of the country an island.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 07, 2023, 02:21:52 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on October 07, 2023, 11:42:15 AM
Relevant XKCD from yesterday. I remember as an early mapgeek discovering the Chicago Canal and realizing that sorta made the eastern chunk of the country an island.
While Great Loop is certainly something I am almost envious about... You almost can spit from one "island" to the other in some places.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Road Hog on October 07, 2023, 02:34:37 PM
I would have thought Washington State would be higher on the list because a number of Seattle suburbs are on islands in Puget Sound.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on October 07, 2023, 03:19:11 PM
Oh the Urbanity cited that Los Angeles is the most dense urban area in the USA. I know I would have Guessed Chicago and New York as my first picks within the top 3 but that is not the case. 2nd and 3rd place for most dense urban areas are San Jose and San Francisco as seen here.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_urban_areas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_urban_areas)

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/urban-rural-populations.html (https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/urban-rural-populations.html)

https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html)


https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural/2020-ua-facts.html

Here are the sources they cited for the video.


Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Chris on October 07, 2023, 04:14:15 PM
Bangkok has a metropolitan population of 14.6 million inhabitants.

It is over 100 times greater than the largest city in Thailand that is not in the Bangkok metro area (Hat Yai), making it the world's most dominant city in one country (a primate city).


A number of countries have relatively recently crossed the 100 million mark: the Philippines, Vietnam, Egypt, Ethiopia & the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1989 there were 10 countries over 100M. Today, there are 16.

In 1989, Pakistan had a population of 107M. Today it has 241M. In 1989 Indonesia had a population of 175M, today it has 279M.

While not necessarily defying conventional wisdom, the world has changed quite rapidly over the past couple of decades.

On the other hand, the birth rate is declining quicker than previous estimates. Even countries like India, Bangladesh and Indonesia have dropped to replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. Iran and Turkey are below that. Some estimates put China at 0.8 now, it has declined much faster than anticipated.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Total_Fertility_Rate_Map_by_Country.svg/1280px-Total_Fertility_Rate_Map_by_Country.svg.png)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: index on October 07, 2023, 07:11:19 PM
Quote from: newyooper on October 05, 2023, 05:31:19 PM
Quote from: index on October 04, 2023, 11:05:50 PM
I actually ran some numbers with a mapping/GIS tool after seeing a few posts asking which states came in what place, and this is what I came up with for states with the most people on islands by percent:

This includes true islands, areas of land which are functionally islands (connected to land but only accessible by bridge over water or via ferry), and peninsulas which were formerly islands and are still referred to and treated as such.

       
  • Hawaii: 100%
  • New York: 50.8%
  • Alaska: 9.67%
  • Rhode Island: 6.55%
  • Florida: 4.37%
  • South Carolina: 3.99%
  • Washington: 2.79%
  • Maine: 2.59%
  • New Jersey: 1.37%
  • Vermont: 1.15%
  • Louisiana: 0.99% (This one was a bit tough since the landscape there kind of blurs what is and isn't an island together)
  • North Carolina: 0.72%
  • Georgia: 0.63%
  • Massachusetts: 0.59%
  • Maryland: 0.51%
  • Alabama: 0.37%
  • Texas: 0.34%
  • Michigan: 0.22%
  • California: 0.20%
  • Wisconsin: 0.15%
  • West Virginia: 0.138%
  • New Hampshire: 0.137%
  • Oregon: 0.10%
  • Tennessee: 0.08%
  • Virginia: 0.058%
  • Delaware: 0.056%
  • Minnesota: 0.04%
  • Connecticut: 0.038%
  • Ohio: 0.02%
  • Illinois: 0.019%
  • Arkansas: 0.016%
  • Iowa: 0.0157%
  • Pennsylvania: 0.011%
  • Mississippi: 0.010%
  • Arizona: 0.008%
  • Indiana: 0.007%
  • Missouri: 0.00003%
And the rest have no population on islands. This probably isn't super accurate, I did a lot of eyeballing and rough estimates as well.

For some reason, South Dakota and Dells Island (sometimes called Quarry Island for the quartzite quarry there) didn't make the list:

https://mapcarta.com/35120852 (https://mapcarta.com/35120852)

If at least 70 people live on the island, for South Dakota's current population, that would be about 0.01%.  Looking a Google Earth, probably no... :(
Good catch. Per South Dakota's population data and census blocks, 17 people live on the island.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: KCRoadFan on October 08, 2023, 01:21:20 AM
Another thread about this topic already exists - one that I created: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33202.0
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: vdeane on October 08, 2023, 07:21:18 AM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on October 08, 2023, 01:21:20 AM
Another thread about this topic already exists - one that I created: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33202.0
That doesn't seem like the same thing.  That one appears to be about if individual cities are bigger or smaller than an individual forum user expected.  This one is more general.\

Plus, if you really want to play that game... this thread is older.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Bruce on October 08, 2023, 01:43:14 PM
Quote from: Road Hog on October 07, 2023, 02:34:37 PM
I would have thought Washington State would be higher on the list because a number of Seattle suburbs are on islands in Puget Sound.

Really only Mercer and Bainbridge (both of which are island-cities). Vashon and Whidbey are mostly rural, and the other islands are tiny.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
Quote from: GaryV on October 03, 2023, 12:20:20 PM
Carrot cake is a vegetable and zucchini bread is a fruit.

What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 01:39:05 PM
Quote from: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.

Sweetbreads are a meat.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on October 12, 2023, 01:56:49 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 01:39:05 PM
Quote from: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.

Sweetbreads are a meat.
Questionable meat. :D
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 02:45:44 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 12, 2023, 01:56:49 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 01:39:05 PM
Quote from: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.

Sweetbreads are a meat.
Questionable meat. :D

Delicious, questionable meat.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kalvado on October 13, 2023, 02:24:36 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 02:45:44 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 12, 2023, 01:56:49 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 01:39:05 PM
Quote from: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.

Sweetbreads are a meat.
Questionable meat. :D

Delicious, questionable meat.
TIL...
You can grow sourdough starter on different flours, resulting in different flavors. Starter grown on amaranth flour smells like ham...
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on October 13, 2023, 02:33:26 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 13, 2023, 02:24:36 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 02:45:44 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 12, 2023, 01:56:49 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 01:39:05 PM
Quote from: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.

Sweetbreads are a meat.
Questionable meat. :D

Delicious, questionable meat.
TIL...
You can grow sourdough starter on different flours, resulting in different flavors. Starter grown on amaranth flour smells like ham...
Mmmmmm...piggy bread...
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kkt on October 14, 2023, 12:46:25 AM
Quote from: kalvado on October 13, 2023, 02:24:36 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 02:45:44 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 12, 2023, 01:56:49 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2023, 01:39:05 PM
Quote from: kkt on October 09, 2023, 01:11:44 AM
What?  No.  They are mostly flour with some sugar and oil, just like other cakes and sweet breads.

Sweetbreads are a meat.
Questionable meat. :D

Delicious, questionable meat.
TIL...
You can grow sourdough starter on different flours, resulting in different flavors. Starter grown on amaranth flour smells like ham...

Wow, I had no idea the flour could make such a big difference.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on December 02, 2023, 06:29:48 PM


Here is an interesting list on cities by Geography King. 
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: golden eagle on December 23, 2023, 12:22:57 AM
Jefferson Parish, LA (441K) is larger than Orleans Parish (384K), though Orleans is the nucleus of the New Orleans metro area. This happened after Orleans Parish was hit by Hurricane Katrina.



 
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on January 04, 2024, 02:45:53 PM
Granted, I haven't been to any of these three states, but...

Does it surprise anyone else that Florida has a higher population density than both Ohio and Pennsylvania?  By quite a margin, too:  Florida is more than one-third more dense than Pennsylvania.

(It also surprises me that no US state's population density falls between those two:  according to Wikipedia, there is no US state with a population density between 300 and 400 per sq mi.)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: tmoore952 on January 04, 2024, 02:56:18 PM
Quote from: kphoger on January 04, 2024, 02:45:53 PM
Granted, I haven't been to any of these three states, but...

Does it surprise anyone else that Florida has a higher population density than both Ohio and Pennsylvania?  By quite a margin, too:  Florida is more than one-third more dense than Pennsylvania.

(It also surprises me that no US state's population density falls between those two:  according to Wikipedia, there is no US state with a population density between 300 and 400 per sq mi.)
No it doesn't surprise me from a Pennsylvania perspective. If you drew a line from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, and then continued that line to go from Philadelphia to Scranton, and then visited 99% of the land north and west of that line (population very sparse in many places), it wouldn't surprise anyone.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Scott5114 on January 04, 2024, 03:01:24 PM
I think what makes it surprising is that so much of Florida is uninhabited swamp land. Most of mainland Monroe County is entirely devoid of people.

I guess central Florida and the Atlantic coast must be really, really dense to balance it out.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: kphoger on January 04, 2024, 03:03:29 PM
Quote from: kphoger on January 04, 2024, 02:45:53 PM
(It also surprises me that no US state's population density falls between those two:  according to Wikipedia, there is no US state with a population density between 300 and 400 per sq mi.)

Here's the breakdown:

8 states = greater than 400 per sq mi
0 states = between 300 and 400 per sq mi
7 states = between 200 and 300 per sq mi
11 states = between 100 and 200 per sq mi
24 states = less than 100 per sq mi
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: formulanone on January 26, 2024, 10:59:51 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on January 04, 2024, 03:01:24 PM
I think what makes it surprising is that so much of Florida is uninhabited swamp land. Most of mainland Monroe County is entirely devoid of people.

I guess central Florida and the Atlantic coast must be really, really dense to balance it out.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Satellite_Sees_Holiday_Lights_Brighten_Cities_-_Florida_%2816035611911%29.jpg)
Public domain: NASA (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Satellite_Sees_Holiday_Lights_Brighten_Cities_-_Florida_%2816035611911%29.jpg)
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: tmoore952 on February 04, 2024, 12:16:09 PM
Continuity here will be completely lost since I'm responding to a post in a different thread -- but I'm following the rules or conventions, such as they are.

In the geographic thread, it was mentioned that Helsinki has more people than Iceland.

I've been to Iceland, when you go to the east of Reykjavik which is on the west coast, there are not many people.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: Rothman on February 04, 2024, 02:51:31 PM
Quote from: tmoore952 on February 04, 2024, 12:16:09 PM
Continuity here will be completely lost since I'm responding to a post in a different thread -- but I'm following the rules or conventions, such as they are.

In the geographic thread, it was mentioned that Helsinki has more people than Iceland.

I've been to Iceland, when you go to the east of Reykjavik which is on the west coast, there are not many people.
Doesn't seem to be much of an oddity.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: tmoore952 on February 04, 2024, 03:51:08 PM
Quote from: Rothman on February 04, 2024, 02:51:31 PM
Quote from: tmoore952 on February 04, 2024, 12:16:09 PM
Continuity here will be completely lost since I'm responding to a post in a different thread -- but I'm following the rules or conventions, such as they are.

In the geographic thread, it was mentioned that Helsinki has more people than Iceland.

I've been to Iceland, when you go to the east of Reykjavik which is on the west coast, there are not many people.
Doesn't seem to be much of an oddity.

To be clear -- it is not my oddity -- it was Poiponen13's in the geographic thread.

It only wound up being discussed here because Poiponen13 got yelled at for putting a population stat in the geographic thread.

If you want the original poster of that to see it, you may need to post your comment there.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: GaryV on February 04, 2024, 04:18:54 PM
Quote from: Rothman on February 04, 2024, 02:51:31 PM
Quote from: tmoore952 on February 04, 2024, 12:16:09 PM
Continuity here will be completely lost since I'm responding to a post in a different thread -- but I'm following the rules or conventions, such as they are.

In the geographic thread, it was mentioned that Helsinki has more people than Iceland.

I've been to Iceland, when you go to the east of Reykjavik which is on the west coast, there are not many people.
Doesn't seem to be much of an oddity.

It's not - there are quite a few places in the world that have a population higher than Iceland. Six counties in Michigan alone have a higher population than Iceland, and the 7th is pretty close.

But when has logic been a P13 strongpoint?
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bwana39 on February 05, 2024, 02:01:25 AM
Quote from: golden eagle on December 23, 2023, 12:22:57 AM
Jefferson Parish, LA (441K) is larger than Orleans Parish (384K), though Orleans is the nucleus of the New Orleans metro area. This happened after Orleans Parish was hit by Hurricane Katrina.



Jefferson parish had always been less than 10% less populous than Orleans, about 30K difference before Katrina / Rita.

I would agree that from the commercial and tourist POV, that New Orleans is the hub.

While New Orleans does not expand outside of Orleans Parish, Metairie is an unincorporated area in Jefferson Parish that is functionally part of NOLA itself. Metairie alone has around 150K. I guess, my point is it may be counter intuitive, but looking at Jefferson Parish as suburban really doesn't fit.
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: bing101 on April 18, 2024, 12:41:16 PM
Title: Re: Oddities that defy conventional wisdom - POPULATION edition
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on April 18, 2024, 01:02:04 PM
Quote from: bing101 on April 18, 2024, 12:41:16 PM


Always a fun video when my employer is a central focus of the topic.

Fun fact: one department at my office is the one that processes municipal boundary changes. Every year, they ask all municipalities whether or not their boundaries have changed. If they have, the municipalities send us maps and legal references, and we update everything. In most states, they use our geographical units (tracts/blocks) to define their changes legally, which makes things much easier for us. If not, it takes a bit more work to get everything right. Once it's all done, the next decennial census and the next annual population estimate will automatically include the new area.