Hierarchy of cities in your state

[Roadgeekteen]

Virginia (?) -
1-97. Northern Virginia
98. Hampton Roads
99. Richmond
100. Everything else

I'd be tempted to lump Richmond with the "everything else"  part, honestly, and add another one to Nova.

But Richmond's the capital.

[kevinb1994]

Virginia (?) -
1-97. Northern Virginia
98. Hampton Roads
99. Richmond
100. Everything else

I'd be tempted to lump Richmond with the "everything else"  part, honestly, and add another one to Nova.

But Richmond's the capital.

It's kinda been reduced to an afterthought with the re-emergence of Hampton Roads

[webny99]

Virginia (?) -
1-97. Northern Virginia
98. Hampton Roads
99. Richmond
100. Everything else

I'd be tempted to lump Richmond with the "everything else"  part, honestly, and add another one to Nova.

But Richmond's the capital.

It's kinda been reduced to an afterthought with the re-emergence of Hampton Roads

Wait, what re-emergence? Richmond seems plenty big enough to rank.

[kevinb1994]

Virginia (?) -
1-97. Northern Virginia
98. Hampton Roads
99. Richmond
100. Everything else

I'd be tempted to lump Richmond with the "everything else"  part, honestly, and add another one to Nova.

But Richmond's the capital.

It's kinda been reduced to an afterthought with the re-emergence of Hampton Roads

Wait, what re-emergence? Richmond seems plenty big enough to rank.

Only if you mean its history as a political hotbed. Hampton Roads is more important due to mass transit.

[Roadgeekteen]

Virginia (?) -
1-97. Northern Virginia
98. Hampton Roads
99. Richmond
100. Everything else

I'd be tempted to lump Richmond with the "everything else"  part, honestly, and add another one to Nova.

But Richmond's the capital.

It's kinda been reduced to an afterthought with the re-emergence of Hampton Roads

But it's still clearly above, say, Roanoke.

[Takumi]

Not when it comes to road projects. Been on I-295 south of 64 lately? It's 10 miles of bumpiness down to the bridge over the James River, badly in need of rehab, but do you know what they did? Put up some "rough road next 10 miles"  signs at the off ramps from 64 and 895. Not the temporary orange ones. Nope, these are regular yellow, which means they're planned to be around awhile. (The bridge itself is undergoing rehab, for obvious reasons.)

[kevinb1994]

Not when it comes to road projects. Been on I-295 south of 64 lately? It's 10 miles of bumpiness down to the bridge over the James River, badly in need of rehab, but do you know what they did? Put up some "rough road next 10 miles"  signs at the off ramps from 64 and 895. Not the temporary orange ones. Nope, these are regular yellow, which means they're planned to be around awhile. (The bridge itself is undergoing rehab, for obvious reasons.)

I don't think I would be able to put up with that, but I digress, as I live by another 295 myself (and I once lived not too far from another one that is to the far north and east of Richmond).

[webny99]

Not when it comes to road projects. Been on I-295 south of 64 lately? It's 10 miles of bumpiness down to the bridge over the James River, badly in need of rehab, but do you know what they did? Put up some "rough road next 10 miles"  signs at the off ramps from 64 and 895. Not the temporary orange ones. Nope, these are regular yellow, which means they're planned to be around awhile. (The bridge itself is undergoing rehab, for obvious reasons.)

Not south of I-64, but north of I-64 between there and I-95 just a few weeks ago. I thought it was a very nice road: plenty wide enough (both the road and the median), very smooth, and since it was twilight, I appreciated the reflective markings between the lanes. And every interchange is a cloverleaf! No complaints from me about that section.

Obviously, it sounds like things change on the other side of I-64.

[kevinb1994]

Virginia (?) -
1-97. Northern Virginia
98. Hampton Roads
99. Richmond
100. Everything else

I'd be tempted to lump Richmond with the "everything else"  part, honestly, and add another one to Nova.

But Richmond's the capital.

It's kinda been reduced to an afterthought with the re-emergence of Hampton Roads

But it's still clearly above, say, Roanoke.

Yeah, well, Roanoke would like a word or two with you.

[Takumi]

Not when it comes to road projects. Been on I-295 south of 64 lately? It's 10 miles of bumpiness down to the bridge over the James River, badly in need of rehab, but do you know what they did? Put up some "rough road next 10 miles"  signs at the off ramps from 64 and 895. Not the temporary orange ones. Nope, these are regular yellow, which means they're planned to be around awhile. (The bridge itself is undergoing rehab, for obvious reasons.)

Not south of I-64, but north of I-64 between there and I-95 just a few weeks ago. I thought it was a very nice road: plenty wide enough (both the road and the median), very smooth, and since it was twilight, I appreciated the reflective markings between the lanes. And every interchange is a cloverleaf! No complaints from me about that section.

Obviously, it sounds like things change on the other side of I-64.

Well sure, 295 north of 64 is how you get to Northern VA from Hampton Roads

(Although to be fair the section of 295 between 64E and 95N has been fixed over the past 15 years)

[webny99]

Not south of I-64, but north of I-64 between there and I-95 just a few weeks ago. I thought it was a very nice road: plenty wide enough (both the road and the median), very smooth, and since it was twilight, I appreciated the reflective markings between the lanes. And every interchange is a cloverleaf! No complaints from me about that section.

Well sure, 295 north of 64 is how you get to Northern VA from Hampton Roads

Yep, that's exactly what I was doing... and I sure wish all of I-95 was as nice as that section of I-295.

But, that aside, I still think Richmond ranks. It serves the same sort of role as Albany does for New York. In addition to being the state capital, it's the third largest metro area in the state with over a million people.

[kevinb1994]

Not south of I-64, but north of I-64 between there and I-95 just a few weeks ago. I thought it was a very nice road: plenty wide enough (both the road and the median), very smooth, and since it was twilight, I appreciated the reflective markings between the lanes. And every interchange is a cloverleaf! No complaints from me about that section.

Well sure, 295 north of 64 is how you get to Northern VA from Hampton Roads

Yep, that's exactly what I was doing... and I sure wish all of I-95 was as nice as that section of I-295.

But, that aside, I still think Richmond ranks. It serves the same sort of role as Albany does for New York. In addition to being the state capital, it's the third largest metro area in the state with over a million people.

Which isn't meager by most means. Especially when they have the oldest TV station south of DC!

[kphoger]

Hampton Roads is more important due to mass transit.

How does mass transit make a city more important than another?

[hotdogPi]

Hampton Roads is more important due to mass transit.

How does mass transit make a city more important than another?

It does for airports, at least (thinking of Newark, NJ specifically).

[Takumi]

Hampton Roads is more important due to mass transit.

How does mass transit make a city more important than another?

Norfolk has a light rail system, but Hampton Roads' real importance is its abundance of military installations.

[thspfc]

^^ Are Janesville and Beloit out of the picture?

Oops yeah lol. Sometimes I forget about those ones. I'd put Janesville in tier 5, just because of its proximity to Madison. And I'd be generous to put Beloit in tier 5. If we gave Beloit to Illinois, nobody would be too sad.

[MikieTimT]

In AR, it's pretty much prioritized in the order of metroplex size.  But always keep in mind that in AR, almost all roads lead to Little Rock.

[TXtoNJ]

I'll give Texas a shot:

Tier 1 (nationally relevant & major population centers, including metro areas)

Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston

Tier 1a (nationally relevant, but to a slightly - just a little bit - lesser degree)

San Antonio

Tier 2 (regionally to nationally relevant)

Austin
El Paso

Tier 3 (regionally relevant)

Amarillo
Brownsville/Harlingen/McAllen
Corpus Christi
Laredo
Lubbock
Wichita Falls

Tier 4 (influence over a few counties, typically with their own radio market, or large suburbs)

Abilene
Beaumont/Port Arthur
Bryan/College Station
Galveston
Georgetown
Killeen/Temple
Lufkin/Nacogdoches
Midland/Odessa
Plano
Round Rock
San Angelo
Texarkana
Tyler/Longview
Victoria (on the edge)
Waco

Tier 5 (of significance in their local area)
Brownwood
Corsicana
Denison/Sherman
Gainesville
Jacksonville
Paris
Stephenville

Tier 6 - outposts of civilization (West Texas)
Alpine/Marfa
Brady
Childress
Dalhart
Del Rio
Iraan
Junction
Llano
Van Horn

Tier 6a (equivalent - small cities in East/South Texas, and just about every city (that I didn't already mention) with a loop around it)
Alice
Athens
Fairfield
Jasper
Orange
San Augustine
Palestine
Weatherford

Austin is 1a, as is Fort Worth (the Metroplex's national profile is from Dallas and nearby suburbs, Ft. Worth gets to do its own thing).

The Valley is in the same tier as El Paso.

Waco is definitely Tier 3 now owing to its national profile thanks to Chip and Jo.

[Rothman]

I'll give Texas a shot:

Tier 1 (nationally relevant & major population centers, including metro areas)

Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston

Tier 1a (nationally relevant, but to a slightly - just a little bit - lesser degree)

San Antonio

Tier 2 (regionally to nationally relevant)

Austin
El Paso

Tier 3 (regionally relevant)

Amarillo
Brownsville/Harlingen/McAllen
Corpus Christi
Laredo
Lubbock
Wichita Falls

Tier 4 (influence over a few counties, typically with their own radio market, or large suburbs)

Abilene
Beaumont/Port Arthur
Bryan/College Station
Galveston
Georgetown
Killeen/Temple
Lufkin/Nacogdoches
Midland/Odessa
Plano
Round Rock
San Angelo
Texarkana
Tyler/Longview
Victoria (on the edge)
Waco

Tier 5 (of significance in their local area)
Brownwood
Corsicana
Denison/Sherman
Gainesville
Jacksonville
Paris
Stephenville

Tier 6 - outposts of civilization (West Texas)
Alpine/Marfa
Brady
Childress
Dalhart
Del Rio
Iraan
Junction
Llano
Van Horn

Tier 6a (equivalent - small cities in East/South Texas, and just about every city (that I didn't already mention) with a loop around it)
Alice
Athens
Fairfield
Jasper
Orange
San Augustine
Palestine
Weatherford

Austin is 1a, as is Fort Worth (the Metroplex's national profile is from Dallas and nearby suburbs, Ft. Worth gets to do its own thing).

The Valley is in the same tier as El Paso.

Waco is definitely Tier 3 now owing to its national profile thanks to Chip and Jo.

Waco will always be Koresh Kountry.

[J3ebrules]

All right, I'll play.

New Jersey

Tier 1 - You probably will be shot. Newark, Paterson, Camden
Tier 2 - You mayyy be shot. Maybe not. Gentrification might be a factor here. Trenton, Jersey City, Hoboken, Atlantic City, Elizabeth
Tier 3 - You probably wont be shot. Vineland, Toms River, Edison, New Brunswick, Woodbridge
Tier 4 - Oh, right, I guess these prissy places are in NJ, too - Princeton, Morristown, Cape May, Montclair, Cherry Hill

[epzik8]

Tier 1: Baltimore
Tier 2: Annapolis, Cumberland, Frederick, Hagerstown and Salisbury (basically, every other city in the state with insets on atlases)
Tier 3: Bethesda, Bowie, Columbia, Gaithersburg, Glen Burnie, Ocean City, Silver Spring and Towson
Tier 4: California, Dundalk, Easton, Rockville and Waldorf
Tier 5: Aberdeen, Cambridge, College Park, Ellicott City, Germantown, Laurel and Westminster
Tier 6: Bel Air, Chestertown, Denton, Elkton, Oakland, Prince Frederick, Timonium and Upper Marlboro
Tier 7: Centreville, Edgewood, Frostburg, La Plata, Leonardtown, Princess Anne, Snow Hill and Thurmont
Tier 8: Everything else

[CapeCodder]

Massachusetts:
Decaying Town Tiers.

S. of Boston

I. New Bedford
II. Fall River
III. Attleboro
IV. Brockton
V. Taunton

N. of Boston (not including Merrimack Valley)

I. Lynn
II. Salem
III. Gloucester
IV. Revere
V. Everett
VI. Chelsea

Merrimack Valley

I. Lowell
II. Newburyport
III. Lawrence
IV. Haverhill

Central MA

I. Worcester
II. Fitchburg
III. Leominster
IV. Gardner


Pioneer Valley

I. Springfield
II. Westfield
III. Holyoke
IV. Greenfield
V. Chicopee

Berkshires

I. Pittsfield
II. Great Barrington
III. N. Adams
IV. Adams

[hobsini2]

Well, for better or worse, in Illinois the hierarchy is fairly straightforward:

1. Chicago.
2. All others.

I'd change that a bit.

1) Chicago
2) Springfield
3) what other cities?

How does this look?

I. Chicago

II. Springfield
II. suburban Saint Louis

III. Champaign—Urbana
III. Rockford
III. Peoria
III. Bloomington—Normal

IV. Decatur
IV. Moline

V. Carbondale

Using population, traveling importance, education centers, history as criteria...
I would go:
1. Chicago
2. Chicago Suburbs, Springfield, Champaign/Urbana
3. Moline/Rock Island, Peoria, Bloomington/Normal, Rockford, Waukegan
4. St Louis Suburbs, Decatur, Carbondale, Macomb, DeKalb, Charleston
5. Galesburg, Kankakee & Vicinity, Mattoon, Danville, Quincy
6. Mt Vernon, LaSalle/Peru, Belvidere, Freeport, Effingham, Jacksonville
7. Galena, Vandalia, Kaskaskia, Cairo, Dixon, Lincoln

[hobsini2]

Wisconsin

Tier 1:
Milwaukee

Tier 2:
Madison

Tier 3:
Green Bay

Tier 4:
Appleton, Kenosha, Racine, Oshkosh, Eau Claire, Wausau, La Crosse

Tier 5:
Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Superior

I did Wisconsin up above.  We were close.

1. Milwaukee
2. Madison
3. Green Bay

Next Tier - center of larger population areas

-Appleton
-Wausau
-Eau Claire

Larger Cities within other metropolitan areas

-Kenosha
-Racine
-Waukesha
-Oshkosh
-Stevens Point
-Superior

Other Significant Cities

-LaCrosse
-Sheboygan
-Fond du Lac
-Janesville
-Beloit
-Manitowoc

Based of population, education centers, history and traveling importance/destinations...
1. Milwaukee & Vicinity
2. Madison & Vicinity, Green Bay & Vicinity
3. Appleton/Neenah & Fox Cities, Racine/Kenosha & Vicinity, Waukesha & Vicinity
4. Janesville/Beloit, Oshkosh, La Crosse, Wausau, Superior, Eau Claire, Hudson/River Falls & Vicinity, Wausau & Vicinity
5. Fond du Lac, Manitowoc/Two Rivers, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Dells/Baraboo, Lake Geneva, Stevens Point
6. Tomah, Dodgeville, Platteville, Whitewater, Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Prairie du Chien, Portage, West Bend, Marinette, Rhinelander, Ashland, Sturgeon Bay

[Desert Man]

This would be my perception, based mainly on economic and social/cultural influence. The first part is pretty close to population order (in parentheses).

1. Los Angeles (1)
2. San Francisco (4)
3. San Diego (2)
4. San Jose (3)
5. Sacramento (6)
6. Oakland (8)
7. Long Beach (7)
8. Fresno (5)
9. Anaheim (10)
10. Bakersfield (9).

Next tier, no particular order. Secondary urban centers with significant business/retail districts, and anchor cities of medium metropolitan areas:
Santa Ana, Riverside, San Bernardino, Pasadena, Glendale, Irvine, Stockton, Modesto, Berkeley, San Mateo, Palo Alto, Santa Rosa...and Palm Springs.

San Francisco is a consolidated city-county, once was the state and west coast's largest city, historically the whole western US although Denver and Seattle were in the next tier of large size in the early half of the 20th century, then came Los Angeles in the 1920s-30s surpassed San Francisco, then San Diego in the 1960s-70s, and 50 miles away, San Jose in the 1980s-90s.

The list of 21 CA's largest cities in population (and adding a city-county like San Francisco, at 22). I can list 58 county seats in CA, although Indio in Riverside county and Victorville in San Bernardino county geographically separated by mountain ranges are treated as co-county seats, thus there are 60 "principal cities in political importance" in CA. Irvine is the youngest, founded in the late 1960s and incorporated in the early 1970s, ideally located between the city of L.A. and San Diego city area limits.

Historically, Santa Barbara was on the list in the Central coast between San Jose and Los Angeles. Monterey which was the Spanish-Mexican era colonial capital, Benicia and Vallejo in Solano County, along with San Jose were the first CA state capitals until Sacramento became the permanent one in 1854. I added Palm Springs when it has a doubled winter season population.