What is a Metro Area? | America's 10 LARGEST Metros and Why People LOVE Them

On this video we take a look at the top 10 US Metro Areas by Population in the United States as of the 2020 US Census.
Cities Explored: www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
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Sources and Further Information:
US Census Data:
www.census.gov/data/tables/ti...
SEPTA Geographic Map
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Lucius Kwok, CC BY 2.5 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Intro: 0:00
What is a Metro Area: 0:52
Boston: 2:34
Atlanta: 3:33
Miami: 5:05
Philadelphia: 6:02
Washington: 7:54
Houston: 9:48
Dallas: 11:41
Chicago: 13:34
Los Angeles: 15:16
New York City: 17:04
Conclusions: 19:59

[@blackstar90]

I've lived in 3 of the top 10 US metro areas ( Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles). All 3 have 1 thing in common...A diversified economy. A community will never sustain a giant population without a diverse and well motivated economy.

[@iwouldliketoorderanumber1b79]

Facts!!! Diversity is why big cities thrive.

[@MileageMike485]

Bingo

[@PatricenotPatrick]

Indeed that’s what kept Houston afloat in 2008 and every time oil is up and down. Can’t rely on one bag.

[@ericu1234]

except for Miami lol

[@laeihbvaljefhbvalejfhbv]

On the other hand, the Sf Bay Area is a prime example of what a non diversified economy is … I’m from San Francisco

[@jefftucker9225]

Chicago has the best looking downtown, it's really clean, the river running through the city is very picturesque, as well as the Lake and architecture, for me it reminds me of a clean NY city

[@deanchapman1824]

I don't know what you're talking about. NYC has several large business districts. They are now clean. Manhattan is an island. There's the Hudson River, which has steep cliffs, as does northern Manhattan. There's the bay and harbor, East River, and Long Island Sound. All boroughs have hills with water views. Don't get me wrong about Chicago, it is world class, unlike the landlocked sunbelt cities.

[@noah766]

Chicago’s downtown is amazing it very clean right against the lake front. Lakeshore drive is also along the lake. The huge parks,beach’s and trails along lakeshore. There is much more like you said but that why it so huge in a location and population for how cold it does it does get hot in summer but is cold besides that compared to other places.

[@jeremymoore145]

You are correct. I been to both. Chicago is cleaner but it’s not safer. NYC is walkable but can be dirty.

[@noah766]

@@jeremymoore145 I been to both to and you are correct Chicago downtown is walkable a the city is clean but has a crime issue.NYC was also walkable but it was dirty the piles of trash on the sidewalk and rats.

[@r.d.9399]

Walk south of downtown and have fun surviving

[@SouthCountyDreaming]

The government really should lump San Jose and San Francisco together and the urbanized part of the Inland Empire is realistically a part of greater LA.

[@dariusbrock2351]

I agree!

[@lobos320]

San Jose /San Francisco reminds me of Baltimore/Washington

[@ramonnape]

@@lobos320sort of the DMV is way bigger

[@MrMackievelli]

They do in CSA's.

[@TohaBgood2]

Pretty much no one uses MSA's unless they need comparative statistics going back in time. It's a very outdated measure that's only kept up for continuity purposes. No one in their right mind would ignore the fact that two old metros have essentially merged if they want to actually get accurate results. You generally use whatever measure best represents the "metropolitan area" that you're interested in. For the SF Bay Area we usually use the "nine county Bay Area metro" or the CSA (Combined Statistical Area). Meaning, most of the commute-shed of the combined metro area of the San Francisco Bay and inner suburbs from the nine counties surrounding the Bay.

[@dnguyen9747]

Lived in Chicago, LA and now NY. All are great.

[@chefssaltybawlz]

Everyone knows Houston is bigger than Dallas. But no one thinks Houston metro is bigger than DFW aka the metroplex. We differentiate in Texas. Another Good video Mike!

[@michaelphillips2079]

Once again - Houston bigger in city limits, Dallas as a metropolitan area. It amazes me that people still don't grasp the distinction.

[@chefssaltybawlz]

@@michaelphillips2079 That’s what I said lol smfh.

[@rodrickcross]

​@@michaelphillips2079that's literally what he just said..did you even read it?

[@blast4me754]

It's all about the population clusters and traffic. Those invisible lines mean nothing after a while.

[@wheel-e-umm]

Facts! I was coming to say the samething.

[@inventorsam]

I am currently a teenager living in Syosset, far Eastern Nassau county on Long Island in NY. I love my hometown because it is only an hour drive or train ride from the city, while also being a 5 minute drive from the Long Island Green Belt (a nature preserve), and 30 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, as well as 10 minutes from the Sound. Our town ranges from very rich beautiful spread out suburbs in the Northern Sections, wonderful for autumn drives and such, a small but lively downtown area, with not much tall infrastructure other than one 5 story building in the middle. Around downtown you will find the less rich suburbs (although still expensive), with hilly portions spreading out into the richer portions to the east near Cold Spring Harbor. Then Southern Syosset is the main suburban hub, with the main area being the Jericho turnpike-South Oyster Bay Road, with many shops and amenities. On top of all of this, the Syosset train station in the middle of downtown allows for a convenient commute into NYC, along with the most important feature, the Syosset School District which is rated the 5th best in the entire United States.

[@prototropo]

I really admire your detailed knowledge of your home region! And it's a good thing to have pride in the place you call home, whether a person remains where they grew up, or moves somewhere else for whatever reason. Happiness and meaning are the real places that make sense as a thing called home.

[@mitbbssickdeal2067]

best said @@prototropo

[@jnyerere]

It's always been odd to me how Dallas and Ft Worth are considered 1 metro area, but DC and Baltimore are not. Even tho both sets of cities are roughly the same distance from each other.

[@trppl7145]

If DC and Baltimore were considered the same metro area (which they should be) it would be #3 on this list, overtaking Chicago with roughly 9.9 million people.

[@Damianoutlaw]

I’m from Dallas. The DMV is bigger than DFW.

[@Electrodexify]

Seriously why don't they consider the DMV, as the same area? Is it because of the bad fame Baltimore gets and is known for?

[@baopham8676]

It probably has something to do with the commute time. Even though it's 8 miles farther apart, the drive from D.C to Baltimore is twice as long as Dallas to Fort Worth. DFW has better freeways and is more developed in between. They are more economically and socially connected. Both cities share a MLB, NHL, MLS, NBA and NFL team. D.C and Baltimore are more independent of each other and are more regional

[@michaelphillips2079]

I've not been to Washington or Baltimore, but Dallas, Fort Worth, and all of their suburbs are literally one big unbroken metropolis. Perhaps development between Washington and Baltimore is a bit more scattered, I don't know.

[@user-lz5dz1qx2q]

In Africa : cities usually double their population in a span of ten years because both high fertility and movement from rural to urban, so I found it a bit strange when you said 20% population increase is a massive increase

[@tommarney1561]

I can't even imagine what Lagos or Kinshasa will be like in twenty or thirty years.

[@r.d.9399]

Americans don't breed like third worlders. Many of us only have children when we can afford them.

[@bendover-bz4bc]

Same in india. Indian cities are literally crumbling because of overload of people from rural india.

[@awesomethan6167]

I live in South Jersey in the Philly Metro Area. I would say a lot of people like it here because of the close proximity to beaches, mountains, and other cities. It has all the benefits and attractions of nearby places like DC and New York but its smaller size makes it more comfortable to live in

[@NicksDynasty]

I like Philly a lot It's underrated

[@phillygrunt2154]

I love it here

[@kirstynloftus826]

I also live in south jersey, in the pines. I definitely agree- it’s so close to so much and even a 3 hour drive gets you so many places, and it doesn’t hurt there’s so many airports in a short distance too

[@teejay7149]

DFW area is about 8 million now. They expect it to surpass the Chicago area in population within the next 5 to 10 years becoming the 3rd largest metropolitan area in the US.

[@deanchapman1824]

I can't wait to see it. Do people think this will be good from a logistics standpoint??? It won't be. The only thing will be bragging rights. DFW could be the largest area in the nation and it still won't be world class.

[@teejay7149]

@@deanchapman1824 I’m proud of the growth. I lived there for 12 years. I live in the H now, but I look forward to visiting DFW soon.

[@orthrus4490]

​@@deanchapman1824 It's actually very good from a logistics standpoint. It's the the hub for the rail network of the southern US and connecting to Mexico, is the major connection point between the Texas highway system and the rest of the eastern US, as well as a major cargo hub for US-Mexico trade via truck. It's relatively central location makes its airports incredibly efficient for businesses that need to fly employees to other parts of the country, and nowhere in the continental US is more than a 3 hour flight from DFW. Also it has 3 major airports: Dallas-Love, DFW, and Alliance(cargo airport). Plus it sits near a major oil and natural gas field and has major oil and gas pipeline connections functioning as the connection point between the Texas oil and gas pipe network and the rest of the US' oil and gas network. Throw in the fact that DFW is one of the few areas in the world where the 2 main branches of renewable energy (solar and wind) are incredibly efficient, cheap energy and a large oil and gas field close by makes it both a natural and a well built cargo transit center.

[@armandozuniga4623]

They say the same about Houston out growing Chicago n becoming the 3rd largest city

[@Themaneman464]

I am from the Riverside/San Bernardio metro area. Although it is technically a different metro area, it is basically the same. Everyone from there works in either LA or Orange County and a large portion of entertainment is there as well. There are massive warehouse developments occurring in the Riverside/San Bernardino metro, so I wonder if that will allow the area's residents to work locally, but as it was when I left a few years ago, the area revolved around the LA Metro.

[@xxxYYZxxx]

Correct. Riv/SB is to Barstow as Tibet is to India. The passes separating LA/OC from Riv/SB are much smaller than the passes separating Riv/SB from the rest of CA.

[@skatingdonefurther3063]

The pay is not enough in the warehouses out here to survive. We need more local work that actually pays well. Most annoying thing is the stingyiness on overtime in warehouses. Construction or university is the best option out here. IE needs more still.

[@77Catguy]

Correct. Curious why entire states are included in the New York metro area, but counties bordering Los Angeles County--with the exception of Orange County--are not. Seems pretty random and inconsistent to me.

[@skatingdonefurther3063]

@@77Catguy Ever thought how much smaller those states are compared to California or Texas? California has counties bigger than some states

[@77Catguy]

@@skatingdonefurther3063 Yes counties--especially in SoCal--tend to be large, but crossing adjacent coiunty lines to L.A. County is seamless and all are interdependent with the L.A. economy overall. Yet New York claims Connecticut, New Jersey, and even PHILADELPHIA? By that standard, L.A. might as well claim San Diego--and all SoCal counties outside of Imperial.

[@thesonofno1]

I live in the DFW metro and have been most of my life. I've moved around in my time but I keep finding myself coming back. I can't imagine living anywhere else anymore.

[@nicktruong626]

LA is massive. San Bernadino, Riverside and Ventura County is all connected and consider part of LA.

[@noahshields507]

Not as a Metro tho

[@baopham8676]

Yeah they're part of LA CSA but definitely not MSA. I live in Long Beach and travel back and forth between LA & OC but hardly venture into the IE. It's too far apart and not enough connectivity to be in the same MSA

[@Boxhead42]

@@baopham8676 It's crazy because most of us who live on the other side of the country see LA as all of southern CA.

[@baopham8676]

@@Boxhead42 LA/OC, the IE, Palm Springs & San Diego are all part of the So Cal megapolis. It takes an hour without traffic to get from the IE to the major job centers in LA metro (MSA). It can take up to two hours during rush hour so there are not enough people crossing from Riverside/San Bernardino Metro over to LA/OC metro and vice versa for work. MSA requires at least 15% of the population to cross commute between the two metro areas. Even though it's continuously developed from LA to the IE, there's not a strong enough economic and social connection. Maybe in the near future when there's autonomous driving or the hyperloop

[@mamadouaziza2536]

​@@Boxhead42 Its not crazy at all to think Los Angeles is all of southern California because in many ways it is.. All the damn cities blend in together and all are connected by freeways. The 5 freeway connects LA to San Diego and the 10 freeway connects LA to the Coachella Valley (in both cases there seems to be no end of urban development). All the cities look alike.

[@stewlittle13]

The US Census keeps changing the boundaries of Metro Detroit. In reality, we have about 5.3 million people here, but some idiots keep on shifting the boundaries to make it look like it’s 4.3 million. Also, LA & the Inland Empire are the same metro area. The Bay & San Jose are the same too.

[@michaelbowers3946]

You mentioned Atlanta. I think the area from just south of Atlanta to just north of Charlotte, NC will be among one of the largest metro areas in the US in the next 10-20 years.

[@YuriJohnson]

The way you pronounce Dekalb for Atlanta metro is crazy 😂

[@MileageMike485]

😂. My ATL friends will give me a tough time for it next time they see me.

[@TheLastJayL]

Just found your channel. I love this stuff. ATL has now topped Miami as of 2022. It’ll top Philly and DC soon. Give it a couple of years.

[@turbojon8117]

2023 estimates have it at #6 now, behind only the Big 3 + the Big 2 in TX, where I expect it to stay at least through 2030 and possibly longer.

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

I used to live in the Atlanta metro area (twice). Eventually, the traffic got too bad for my taste. Even recruiters won't bother with opportunities on the opposite side of the metro or even just downtown - no one wants a multi-hour commute. I generally like the idea of living on the outskirts of a large metro area - normally everything you _need_ is within a few minutes but you still have access to the big city for weekend fun or occasional cultural events. Today, I live in a "B" city (Colorado Springs) with the "big" city of Denver only an hour away. This has a very similar vibe to a small/medium town with easy access to a large city.

[@bretsk2500]

Where I live in Southern Maine is like that. 95% of what I need can be found within a 15 mile circle, but a half hour north is Portland, and Boston is an hour and a halfish south... All the while living on my 2 acres 3 miles from the beach.

[@Electrodexify]

Traffic gets bad because of poorly designed car sprawling North American cities. If we would not have lost our traditional way of building cities, we would have cities similar to European cities that are beautiful and pleasant to be in

[@michlo3393]

@@Electrodexify Or maybe if we were like Europe and built our cities a thousand years ago so that the core urban bones are at a compact pedestrian scale. Oh well lol

[@goingplaces2274]

I guess it depends on the nature of your career. I live in the northern burbs and don't need to come to the downtown area unless I want to visit the attractions especially when taking a visitor on a tour of Atlanta. Since I am a teacher, there is no need for me to find a job all the way in the city. Plenty of those in the suburbs. I can imagine if you are employed at only a particular location, then the best thing is to live close to it. It wouldn't be practical for me to live in Dawson county but need to drive to a school near Buckhead or even downtown everyday.

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

@@goingplaces2274 I lived in the metro, as a working stiff, in the early 2000s. My first job was near Sugarloaf and I-85 - so my first apartment was right there - but that only lasted 8 months (dot-com). My second job was in Cumming. So, about a 45 minute cross-burb commute. Which was about the same time as going 4-exits down 85 (Jimmy Carter) during rush. A couple years in, I moved to Hall County (Flowery Branch). Of course, in retrospect, I should have moved to Cumming and commuted to my friends back in Gwinnett County. After that job ended, everything seemed to be on the North Perimeter, Buckhead, or Downtown - all were over an hour commute during rush. Back then, although I'm in IT, it was still early days for remote work or even hybrid. Today, I'm 100% remote (WFH).

[@ashie1175]

Born and raised in NYC. Couldn't imagine living in any other place.

[@catw6998]

Good on you mentioning WV to Washington,DC. If only some others in the news, other than ch 7 and ch9, got it. There are quite a lot of commuters going into both Northern Virginia and DC/MD, coming mostly from the Eastern Panhandle of WV.

[@NY-DC-LA]

I grew up in NYC, spent my professional career in DC (and briefly in Chicago) and now live in LA. I think they are all great in their own way; but LA has them all beat with the best weather.

[@iwouldliketoorderanumber1b79]

What about LA public transit system?

[@desireandfire]

How is traffic in LA tho? Do you have to leave much earlier in order to make it anywhere, or do you live in a walkable neighborhood? I like LA but I'd have to be in a walkable neighborhood

[@iwouldliketoorderanumber1b79]

@@desireandfire at least near a 24hr public transit train but yeah I like walkable cities where a car is optional.

[@ryansteve2893]

“In my opinion, Chicago it's the only other real metropolis in America.” - Anthony Bourdain

[@Superator69]

He was right, NY and Chicago are the only real cities in America. The rest are giant spread out suburbs.

[@Bob-te3le]

Chicago and New York City are on another level.

[@lanceparker4796]

I am in Cook Co, IL. The entire Chicago region includes SE Wisconsin(Milwaukee and their suburbs) and All the northern counties of Indiana.

[@vinnymopar5856]

Milwaukee is not part of Chicago region it’s it own city and metro but they do make up one large urbanized area

[@lanceparker4796]

@@vinnymopar5856 Milwaukee is it's own city but it is part of the Tri State hub. Milwaukee's south suburbs are next to Chicago's north suburbs. Waukegan is a stone throw from Kenosha.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

Love this video! I'm from greater Boston and now live in New Orleans, LA. The difference between a large Northern metro area with tons of college and universities and emphases on culture and education and a small Southern metro is like living on separate planets!

[@MateusChristopher]

The heck! That's such an interesting experience

[@MasonColemanWright1234]

Don’t get your vehicle stolen in New Orleans

[@MileageMike485]

Boston to NOLA is quite the culture change.

[@MrSupernova111]

Move to Houston.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

@@MileageMike485 Oh, it definitely was, Mike.

[@donkeydan5996]

I drive for a limo company in NY/NJ and sometimes go several hundred miles away , absolutley love this channel ❤

[@ztl2505]

The Midwest definitely got hit the hardest by the population shift south. I don’t think Chicago will completely drop out of the top 10 in my lifetime, but it’s still a bit sad it’s the only one still even on the list.

[@pokepress]

Well, Detroit is deflating, and the Twin Cities haven’t quite made it to the top 10 yet.

[@nntflow7058]

Climate change gonna drove people back up north in upcoming decades. Also Centralization of the regional economy gonna push people from smaller midwestern cities to the surrounding suburbs of Chicago and Minneapolis. But it gonna takes few decades to be done.

[@RealisticTimberwolvesFan]

Chicago is not going to drop out of the top 10 lmao. Most of the outward movement is just from the city to the suburbs

[@nntflow7058]

@@RealisticTimberwolvesFan True, many people from the downtown moved to the suburbs and surrounding satellite cities around Chicago. But those areas are still part of the Chicago Metropolitan/Urban areas.

[@iwouldliketoorderanumber1b79]

Chicago isn’t going anywhere like New York even though chicago is third on the list it’s still considered the second city because it’s the only city that’s similar to New York.

[@rogerlevasseur397]

Boston - one thing that was planned but never built was an inner-loop well inside the MA-128/I-95 loop. This is a good thing.

[@davecashman8336]

I think it was a hwy that would have cut across the city from southwest to northeast, but was not another loop hwy

[@rogerlevasseur397]

@@davecashman8336 It was proposed as I-695. Would have been "C" shaped much like the I-495 and MA-128 routes. Many around here do call them loops, though, yeah, not a true loop.

[@davecashman8336]

Oh, no kidding. Did not know about that. Only knew they stopped I-95 from going thru Readville, Roslindale and on into JP. Thanks for the extra history.

[@jeffpetrie7744]

Excellent video. So informative! Thank you. 🌴😎

[@StamfordBridge]

I’ve lived without a car in NYC now for 23 years. There’s just no need for one.

[@jadapinkett1656]

Imagine being that dependent on a central government. Yikes.

[@StamfordBridge]

@@jadapinkett1656 Your response reveals a brainwashing dependence all its own. Yikes.

[@ComeBackKid1]

@@jadapinkett1656 You’re brainwashed by the auto industry & oil rich Saudi Arabia.

[@warrior5502]

People are saying that the metro areas of Greenville, Charlotte, and Atlanta will connect as a Megapolis one day.

[@warpath504]

I doubt it unless they make all 3 states the Carolinas again just like they did in the 1500's.

[@thomaslove6494]

Excellent video! I really enjoyed it....

[@JonathanCabot]

great vid mileage mike👌

[@maxpowr90]

60% is an understatement for Boston. It's closer to the 2/3rds if you include Worcester and about 80% of the state's economic activity. Like NYC/LI, if you don't live east of Worcester, you might as well live in a different state.

[@JimAllen-Persona]

See, that I didn’t get. It looked like the MSA goes all the way out to Springfield. I don’t think anyone around Springfield is commuting to Boston.. arguably Hartford. Certainly doesn’t look like the 128 corridor.

[@beejohn1016]

HARTFORD IS NOT apart of boston metro ...I LIVE in Hartford....more people associate themselves with N.Y. here ...

[@LDWearyjr-ue7cu]

Great content Bro 💯✌🏾

[@MileageMike485]

Thanks 💯

[@reall6229]

This is my first time watching one of your videos and your voice is great I love it!

[@MrSupernova111]

Pretty cool. As a former Texan I can confirm just how big Texan major cities are. I lived in San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas at different points and have been to Houston many times. Now that I live in New England people up here can't seem to grasp how large these cities are especially when you compare geographical areas.

[@PatricenotPatrick]

As a Texan again who returned post college I bet you know what I’m talking about when I say the driving thing is a mind warp. Like when I came to Houston I’m like whyyyyy is everything so far 🤦🏿‍♀️ And mind you, I’m a city gal who barely leaves the inner 610 loop. But when I lived in Newark for Rutgers everything was a stones throw away 😂 so when I go visit friends it seems so convenient but my friends will be like 5 miles? Nahhhh.

[@MrSupernova111]

@@PatricenotPatrick . Absolutely! When I tell people that in many years I only crossed state lines once by car due to vast driving distances they just can't comprehend. From San Antonio to Port Arthur near Louisiana is roughly a 5 hour drive. From San Antonio to El Paso is about an 8 hour drive. In the north east you could drive across multiple states in those time frames.

[@PatricenotPatrick]

@@MrSupernova111 😂 amen friend. It’s funny because my college friends looooove me. Before me they had never even thought of going to Montreal. We’ve been 4 times. Boston a few. Toronto. It’s a lost concept to them. I’m like yall…. We get kolaches and stay in the car til we’re in NOLA stop playing 😭 but a lot of my buddies from up there have come here and we’ve gone to San Antonio, Dallas, etc. I’ll never forget the first time my boy Kevin at about Beaumont was like girl I don’t see no toll booths but if it pops up, I was gonna slide you $20. 😂 no sir. No tolls. Just a lake Charles bridge you may wanna pray the rosary over

[@michaelphillips2079]

I lived in Dallas for 35 years (1980-2015), and I saw Dallas and DFW absolutely explode in that time, from about 2.9 million in 1980 to 8 million today. I defy anyone to show me an American metro that can match that.

[@danielwhite8392]

@@michaelphillips2079 that’s insane ! I think Atlanta also had similar population boom as well !

[@dcseain]

I'm in the DC area, and lived for a while in Boston. I'm walking distance from the Washington Metro, and about an hour by subway from downtown.

[@NicksDynasty]

Sounds like a great lifestyle Transit sucks here in Ohio

[@dcseain]

@@NicksDynasty I have family in Cleveland and near Columbus, and yeah, transit is lacking in both comparatively.

[@dustmuffin1976]

You're doing good work here. I'm addicted. 💯

[@peterthehappywaiguoren]

excellent video!

[@JacksonMarvel]

I believe San Jose and San Francisco are the same metropolitan area.

[@trapmuzik6708]

I know Oakland is part of SF metro

[@twilightcitystudios]

Chicago Metro Area has a lot to offer as someone whose based here. In terms film and video production Chicago area actually has a lot to offer. Of course most people probably think of LA when it comes to that like you mentioned in your video, but there's a lot going on in Chicago more than what some may believe. Lots of different tv shows, films, and other productions have been going on here thanks to places like Cinespace Film Studios and other spots. Checkout my own work if you want to some more local underground work. But there's lots of bigger productions that happen around here to.

[@catw6998]

Does the metro rail take you to any of the beaches? If not, is it a close walk or too far to walk? I think it would be great if they did😎. I’ve seen Laurence from Lost On The Pond, on the beach a few times and it got me to wondering🤔.

[@thebabbler8867]

@@catw6998 Yes you can take rail to all beaches within the city limits. The further north you go; the further away the beach is from the stations.

[@thebabbler8867]

@twilightcitystudios Many try to claim it, but Chicago is the true capital of the earth; you can do anything there. It has the strongest and most diversified economy on earth. Only Tokyo can compete with Chicago economically; but Tokyo is not a free market like Chicago, so Chicago wins.

[@faheemabbas3965]

I just hope the people there can stop voting democrat.

[@andywilson5234]

@@thebabbler8867 Love Chicago. What dissappointed me most about living there is the lack of nature. It's location in the midwest means its surrounded for hours by over-developed urban and agricultural lands. You have to drive 3+ hours before you get to experience relatively undisturbed forest.

[@donjuan1942]

You did a very good job with this video

[@hankhillsnrrwurethra]

Nice one Mike.

[@bishwassharma6640]

Also Dallas suburb is extended North to Plano, McKinney and maybe upto Oklahoma in coming decades!

[@johnmininger7472]

Lived in Dallas for a number of years, both in Dallas proper and Plano and Carrollton. Family still lives there and I have a daughter in college there. Cannot say that I'm a fan; most of the area is just one gigantic suburb although Dallas itself has some unique and interesting areas. Plano has changed a lot, and I can't say for the better overall, but what I do appreciate is that it has become extremely diverse, as has its restaurant options. You are right that it is endless expansion.

[@orthrus4490]

​@@johnmininger7472 Thankfully most of the suburbs and suburban parts of dallas proper are starting to densify and build up while improving walkability. TOD is becoming much more popular in the Eastern half of the metroplex, and a lot of the suburbs actually have walkable downtowns such as plano, while even arlington (which is my home city and deservingly got shit on) is creating a medium density walkable downtown that's actually really nice and is improving greatly even compared to 5 or 10 years ago.

[@shwmehvn]

LA gets short changed in size. Bec of it's vast highway/freeway network and developing rail (Metrolink, MTA) "outer" areas like San Bernardino, Riverside, Thousand Oaks, Frazier Park are in fact LA suburbs even if in different counties. We all share the same SoCal culture and simply criss cross all over the place for friends, family, work, or entertainment. Cheers!

[@judyl.761]

Really nice video!

[@mekkler]

I live in the Dallas area, and I'll never move.

[@maureencora1]

My Favorite 5 are Houston,TX or Dallas, TX or Atlanta, GA or Los Angeles, CA, or Chicago, IL Spring, Summers & Fall.

[@WhoBeSilly]

I live in the Virginia part of the DMV now, but for the last decade I lived in Dallas. I am not a big fan of that city (Fort Worth was more my style) but I have to give major props to DFW Airport. That airport is the easiest, most convenient and cheapest place to fly in and out of.

[@orthrus4490]

I mean, it's the hub of the biggest airline in the country, and is between the 9th and the 12th largest cities in the country. Plus, it's gotten more accessible in recent years, with TexRail, the Orange Line, and TRE all connecting to it now, and the new Silver Line which will further increase connectivity and ease of access from the airport to the rest of the metroplex.

[@j.mieses8139]

Well done!

[@beanboy89]

I've been to four of the ten metro areas on this list. Would love to visit the other six at some point soon!

[@glennso47]

The Quad Cities is a great metro area. It’s not too crowded but it has plenty of amenities that you could find elsewhere.

[@MileageMike485]

Good to hear. Planning to check it out soon.

[@zacharygibson5719]

Love these videos! I’m from Queens, NYC and now live in St Paul MN. Looking forward to the day you cover my metro here in MN!

[@kosjeyr]

Good luck if you've never experienced an Upper Midwest Winter before. Layers are your friend.

[@uzin0s256]

queens to MN. Depressing

[@zacharygibson5719]

@@uzin0s256depends where in Queens 😅

[@JimAllen-Persona]

He was just in Minneapolis - didn’t recall any St. Paul videos. He rode the light rail from MSP through the MOA to downtown.

[@zemjata]

Great video!!

[@Super-J10]

I live in the Charlotte metro and LOVE IT HERE…….We have literally everything anyone could want in a modern thriving American city.

[@rebeccawinter472]

I recently went down a rabbit hole looking at the Urban Areas in the US - which are reconfigured after every census. These are distinct from MSAs and are based on individual census blocks rather than entire counties. When it comes to actually measuring “urban areas” - I’d recommend examining the urban area statistics and using these rather than the clumsy MSA definition.

[@prototropo]

I agree. The most inclusive unit of the most relevant characteristics of urban areas would be a different, more useful list.

[@ImTheDudeMan471]

The one block between L.A./O.C. and San Diego joining together as a massive metro is the rather large West Coast USMC Camp Pendleton. Both metros bump up against the Marine base. It's a 20+ minute empty coastal drive to get from O.C. to S.D.

[@BaskingInObscurity]

It's very nearly happened anyhow via the Inland Empire. Once the gaps around Poway vanish, it'll be one continuous blob from Tijuana to Lancaster, Ventura to Banning, not much of a strip of desert from there to the Coachella Valley.

[@warrior5502]

Great point, I think Camp Pendleton is the only land left between LA and San Diego. I was stationed there and loved the proximity to LA and San Diego. You can also see all the lights in Tijuana in certain parts of San Diego.

[@mikekelly702]

I live in Chapel Hill, NC. Everyone here considers Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and Cary as one metro area. Its still referred to as the Raleigh/Durham metro area...regardless of the census designation.

[@09NXN06]

Well done Mike!

[@MileageMike485]

Thanks.

[@catw6998]

I remember years ago watching “I Love Lucy”, when the Ricardo’s moved out to CT. The day when Ethel and Fred decided they would surprise them. Unfortunately, that was about the same timeframe that the Ricardo’s wanted to visit Fred and Ethel back in the city. I would now be surprised at how the connections have stretched out over all those years. I can also see how there would be less a need to drive.

[@girldaddividendinvestor]

Enjoy yourself in Chicago brother. We get a bad wrap, but i been coast to coast and wouldn't have it another way.

[@purplesprigs]

It's rap.

[@SilverSceptile]

Hey man I’ve seen a couple of your videos I thought you were a bigger channel you got a subscriber keep up the good work

[@MileageMike485]

I appreciate it!

[@lamontbarnes2803]

The DFW as metro area was always interesting to me. I lived in Dallas for 3 years, but never went to Fort Worth. They seemed like 2 separate cities to me.

[@awilder87]

i currently live in NYC and have lived in Boston and grew up near Chicago. For the reasons you stated, were the reasons I moved to these places. NYC will be #1 as long as I am living, honestly the top 3 will be the same, even Chicago, it's a special kind of cold there, but the folks love their city (I visit twice a year).

[@Siriuan]

Hello from sunny South Africa, just got a recommendation from YT and watched a few episodes and I am hooked;) To all Americans, you are still the Envy of many. Your country is special.... would love to visit one day and drive on your scary endless highways 😂

[@MileageMike485]

Thanks. Yeah many Americans forget how good we have it here at times.

[@discoverglobeliving]

Really cleared up what a metro area is for me, and why they're so loved.

[@marca.caldwell2472]

I consider myself a true Geographist!!! Good assessment!!

[@erinjohnson1124]

Love this video so much. Real quick correction for the ATLiens: DeKalb County is pronounced Dee-KAB. Lol

[@michaelphillips2079]

Around 2022 Atlanta overtook Miami for number 8, and now their relative ranking is reversed.

[@moneyonfleek305]

are u really tryna compare Atlanta to Miami??? 🤔🤣

[@scottola2497]

Great video and great information from Mikey !! I like the big metros with low cost of living such as Houston, Dallas, Philly and Atlanta... the remaining 6 others listed above as expensive to live as hell !! I was expecting Phoenix, AZ to be kicked in with this listing as a extra !!

[@xxxYYZxxx]

The undeveloped potion of Riv/SB is in the Mojave Desert, across the San Bernardino Mtns, which may as well be the Himalaya range compared to the geography in the rest of these metro areas. Riv/SB is separate from LA County about like the LA Valley is separate from the LA Basin. LA has its own mountain pass.

[@charlesthrush8134]

Can you make a video about Chicago soon? Love your videos, and I appreciated you showing love for the city I live in in this video. It gets a ridiculously bad reputation for a city I consider one of America's greatest.

[@imperialmotoring3789]

What part of Chicago? My neighborhood has been ruined by the illegals.

[@Axatttt]

@@imperialmotoring3789I’m in Logan square large population of Hispanics and they make the town so amazing with nightlife and daily activities, Chicago would not be the same without immigrants we are a city build with polish and Irish we shouldn’t be kicking out the hispanixs

[@imperialmotoring3789]

@@Axatttt So you are a hipster. I said nothing about hispanics I'm talking about the illegals. Nighrlife here on the Southside is illegals shooting at each other.

[@imperialmotoring3789]

@@Axatttt illegals are not immigrants.

[@Axatttt]

@@imperialmotoring3789 how would you know said people are illegals and not just people who have gotten a citizenship or are stsying on a visa

[@luisenriquealdana6709]

Great video my man! I was from in Santa Ana, Ca. It felt like its the ideal city centre/ historic downtown for Orange County; meanwhile the city of Orange felt like an economic corridor, Anaheim felt like a entertainment hub, Irvine and Costa Mesa felt like more of a new Tourism and Education hub, because of U of California in Irvine and closely to Newport Beach. Some folks in the OC, still called it the Anaheim Angels still for its team. Some will say that the feeling of greater LA feels when one passes the I-605 Freeway. Spanish and Tagalog is more dominant than English in the OC too. When I was in ESL Classes, back when I was a child. I remember telling, "why learn English if everyone in Santa Ana speaks Spanish." The Orange Crush Interchange is like our own main crossroads hub and center of cardinal directions of getting around. I kind of relate Santa Ana, Miami and Chicago, for having the best grid artery street system in the nation. Currently now, I live in Chicago. I enjoy your videos!

[@Eugene-pt5lu]

I lived in Chicago and I always thought it's street grid is most similar to Los Angeles, just as Santa Ana.

[@byusaranicole]

DFW here. I'm kinda surprised Houston isn't bigger than us, tbh. Although maybe that's because I'm used to my little corner of the metroplex and every time I have to drive through Houston, it seems interminable. But considering what you said in one of your other videos about how Houston doesn't have any zoning laws and therefore is just completely out of control I guess it makes more sense why it feels that way.

[@robcunningham8372]

So im from Cleveland and our metro is not as big i guess but we are 2.5 hours away from Columbus, Pittsburg buffalo and Detroit so we good ❤

[@thullraven1]

I was born and raised in the NYC Metro area of NJ. I joined the military. When I got out, I moved to the DFW Area and have been here ever since. I own my home, car, and everything else I have. Not leaving here. There's something for everyone here. If you need to get away, DFW Airport can get you anywhere in the world on one hop or less.

[@ilect1690]

yeah the NYC metro area is way too big, i personally also was born and raised in the metro in suffolk county, and i can confirm that once you get to the eastern half of long island its mostly just rural farmland with some suburbs sprinkled in. Not quite what i'd concider as metro

[@thullraven1]

@@ilect1690 The thing is NJ, NY, and CT tax their people to death. I'm older now and retired in TX. The taxes in the NYC Area, regardless of state, are brutal and it's expensive as heck to live there.

[@pokepress]

I’d love to see you discuss counties sandwiched between metro areas. Wisconsin has 3: Kenosha (part of the Chicago metro, but still close to Milwaukee), Jefferson (part of the Milwaukee metro, but some cities are much closer to Madison), and Rock (kind of its own thing, kind of part of the Madison metro, but also with ties to Rockford, IL across the state line.) A lot of these types of areas can get TV signals from multiple markets, and have other things that make them interesting.

[@cindyambriz331]

Kenosha is my hometown! 🥹 I’d love to see a video like this, too!

[@SupportTheArts-yo8ox]

Don't forget the Twin Cities metro

[@chelmrtz]

I moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Chicago 2 years ago and I’ve never been happier. Way more bang for my buck and I learned to deal with winter. I’m set

[@dark12ain]

The south to me is Tennessee on down. And i still dont understand how Chicago is Midwest it still looks north east to me. I would say places like Colorado is Midwest and its sorounding states

[@ljacobs357]

Houston is rough around the edges, but has a lot to offer. Something for everyone.

[@matthewgabbard6415]

It’s got a lot of extreme heat and humidity to offer haha. And oil industry jobs I guess

[@robertbonds6680]

@@matthewgabbard6415at least they can provide their own Oil

[@renzibenzi]

to say SJ is not part of SF bay area literally makes no sense.

[@LuckyK7777]

Well, I have said that the San Francisco metro area may be the only metro area in the country where one of its suburbs (San Jose) could take over as the "lead city" of the metro area.

[@davidlyons9992]

Fairfax County has towns, yes, but also the City of Fairfax lies in the county also. The city and county are completely separate jurisdictions. In Virginia cities are independent from any county.

[@drelowe7]

I love his channel ❤️

[@gooffgoff89]

I have lived in 4 of the metro regions listed in this video and I have to say that you’ve described each rather accurate to my experience. Currently, I reside in a southwestern suburb of the Chicago Metro region. I love it here: it’s home and I’ve no desire to leave. Were I two relocate, only one of the list I might consider returning to: that would be Atlanta. While I love Miami, there are other factors that would keep me away: the extreme cost hurricane and home insurance being one. Atlanta has the worst traffic I’ve ever had to endure, it’s my only downfall. I lived in north suburban ATL and trains never came close to the area where I lived. If I didn’t drive, I wasn’t getting anywhere. I’d still probably be there today, had my company not suffered corporate downsizing. Love the area, but traffic and commuter rail simply wasn’t conducive. I’m back home in Chicagoland. I’m loving being back. Of all the regions I’ve ever lived in, Denver CO(which isn’t on the list)was/is my favorite. The economy was perfect. I loved the time zone, the weather, the sense of community and openness, tons of things to do, etc.

[@donaldtrumplover2254]

Do you get mugged on the way to the bathroom?

[@pkishan47]

🤣@@donaldtrumplover2254

[@sugaray7435]

What do you do? Your lucky to have been able to live in these metro areas I live in north metro Atlanta area now and yes you are right Traffic is a nightmare with the express pass it’s a little better but not really!! I hate the traffic it really gives me anxiety!

[@UrbanOutlaw713]

We never been called houston Houston woodlands Pasadena 59/69 didn’t recently criss cross down town it’s always been there.

[@PatricenotPatrick]

True. I’m assuming he meant the signing of the interstate since he’s well traveled and surely knows 59. For better or for worse 😭

[@UrbanOutlaw713]

@@PatricenotPatrick it’s always interesting to hear people not from houston/new residents describe us.

[@PatricenotPatrick]

@@UrbanOutlaw713 Right? Which is like half of Houston these days. Soooo many newcomers. I’m from “Eado” before it was eado lol. Houston changes so much

[@theconservativelion8718]

Good work sir. Small correction, Phoenix is now the 10th biggest metro area now. They passed Boston a While ago

[@moneyonfleek305]

I’m from Miami I moved to chandler

[@joemancini2988]

Excellent review. JFK said that Washington DC combined “The charm of a northern city with the efficiency of a southern one.”

[@DrewRueDoo]

The South Florida metro area is MASSIVE. West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami are all big cities. Other somewhat larger cities like Coral Springs, Boca Raton, Aventura, and Hialeah also fall in the metro area.

[@krane15]

It long not massive. What's massive is the unity of all the many cities combined.

[@NuNugirl]

Not that massive. The North East Corridor is MASSIVE.

[@SA-hz1rs]

west palm isnt a big city lmao

[@SA-hz1rs]

LA is massive. NYC is Miami aint

[@jaycasado5029]

@@SA-hz1rsNYC metro aint massive either lmaooo just the population density is massive

[@jetfan925]

I am a lifelong New Yorker, and my relatives live in Boston, DMV and Chicagoland. The difference between these cities is that NYC (and Philadelphia) have a couple of rail lines that don't go into the centre part of the city. And whenever I would go to the cities I've mentioned, I would possibly go anywhere without a car/taxi.

[@Moonflowers11]

Which rail lines don't go to the center of NYC?

[@nicolasmonty3692]

Foe the Subway it's only the G line there is another but tat is still in the planning phase(IBX) But for railroads it's usually. The LIRR mostly serve long Island which ends near the city center but not directly in the city center. Metro North serves the northern suburbs and ends a little closer to Queens compared to Manhattan. Then there is a while bunch of local and express busses that serves practically anywhere in between and most of the busses that originate in Queens,Brooklyn and staten island does not directly serve the city center. Most of the busses role is to get people around within borough

[@Moonflowers11]

@@nicolasmonty3692 He said rail lines. I was born in NYC and I would never refer to the subway as a rail line. Is Jetfan talking about the Path? IDK where that goes in the city, but one line ends at the WTC. I consider anything south of 60th street to be "CentraL."

[@nicolasmonty3692]

@@Moonflowers11 central nyc for me is between 59th Street and 14th street between 8th and park Avenue. So to me the path that starts/end WTC is not considered in part of central NYC. While Grand Central is near central NYC but not in central NYC. Hence why I believe there is a few trains that does not go to the central NYC.

[@Moonflowers11]

@@nicolasmonty3692 I agree that west of 8th isn't central but I don't agree that Grand Central Station isn't central. The word central is in the name and it is a very busy area.. The areas of SOHO and Tribecca arent really central but the financial district is another central area. It is the historic start of the New Amsterdam settlement which then became NYC. The court district is adjacent to the Fidi and that is also a very important part of NYC. Paris and London central areas are so much smaller then NYC there really isn't a good comparision. IMHO NYC deserves two central areas: midtown and downtown. As to Jetfan's comments: Chicago, Boston, Dallas?(DMV) and Philly are so much smaller then NYC, there is no comparision. Los Angeles is so decentralized it's in another category,

[@s3d843]

Awesome video 👌🏿👌🏿👌🏿

[@WBrizzle81]

DFW represent, Another bonus feature is our proximity to Houston and greater Austin and San Antonio (A pseudo-metro, IMO)

[@queenkjuul]

hope you're having a great time in chicago, my favorite city in the world. like you said it is absolutely impossible to run out of fun things to do and great things to eat here

[@frostmelts_ru4516]

In all do respect, small mistake on the Chicago one, it includes WI too, only Kenosha County, but still part of it nonetheless. I’m curious though to see how the future will shape in the region though, if Chicago & Milwaukee will no longer be a CSA, & become an MSA as transit options between the two continue to grow, Racine County will likely be annexed to the Milwaukee Metro by the next census, and with how intertwined Racine & Kenosha already are, I would not be surprised if Metra expansion plans could come in the near future as well, especially as many Illinois companies move jobs to southeastern Wisconsin

[@jonathanbaker4936]

I was going say that he forgot to mention Kenosha, Wisconsin as a part of Chicagoland. I live in Kenosha and honestly consider Kenosha a part of Milwaukee as Milwaukee is 35 miles away while Chicago is 55 miles away. Nonetheless, The map at the beginning does show Kenosha County as a part of Chicagoland.

[@alexvuai1571]

He didn't say it but it was considered on his map

[@supremeb3563]

Mike, you actually described an Urbanized Area in your definition of a Metropolitan Area.

[@gxbrielito4750]

There are 4 counties missing in the NY metro area Dutchess Orange and Ulster in NY and Fairfield in CT

[@deanchapman1824]

Litchfield CT is considered part of the area as well. He missed a big chunk.

[@DarrellWilliamsprosperwithme]

I live in Houston and you can tell the population has exploded in the past 3 years and I have a feeling we could surpass Chicago sometime in the next decade.

[@jfs1988]

but you can see Downtown LA from the Inland Empire (210 Fwy/Baseline in Upland). I feel like Los Angeles Metro doesnt really have an official definition.

[@noahshields507]

It does since San bernadino wanan be it’s own county

[@Random_UserName4269]

You gave a really accurate description of DC and VA’s weird city-counties!

[@DC.OR.NOTHING]

It was only Arlington and Alexandra simply because those two counties used to be a part of DC before going back to Virginia and also Fairfax County which is three counties, in Virginia, DC Metro actually runs through, now all of a sudden it’s half of Virginia and most of Maryland that’s now a part of DC Metro, which is annoying as h£ll and I don’t know where the h£ll West Virginia Came from it’s nowhere near DC 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@Random_UserName4269]

@@DC.OR.NOTHING What are you talking about? WV is only like 1 hour from DC with no traffic. Harpers Ferry)

[@Random_UserName4269]

@@DC.OR.NOTHING I’m actually probably planning on moving to WV and commuting to DC… DC is way too expensive.

[@DC.OR.NOTHING]

@@Random_UserName4269 I’m just playing I’m just taking jab at how Maryland, and Virginia lawmakers are trying to make damn near all of Maryland, and Virginia a part of DC metro area

[@Random_UserName4269]

@@DC.OR.NOTHING ya… why shouldn’t they? It’s insane that we exist politically the way we do. Half of MD and a good portion of VA isssss DC. It’s weird, and not very workable to do it any other way. MD shouldn’t exist. NoVA, most of MD and DC should be a new state. The rest should be auctioned off to WV and Delaware. It only makes perfect sense. This is the way.

[@davonfowler8236]

Just wondering why Baltimore was not part of the DMV Metro. Ijs we share BWI airport have direct transit connection with MTA buses, Marc train and Amtrak share train stations between both cities not to mention MD 295, US 1, and I 95 can get you from downtown Baltimore to downtown DC in 50 minutes with continuous suburbs along the way

[@matthewconstantine5015]

Chicago is tempting, but I don't think I can do those winters. Philly is top of my list right now, but I need to spend more time there before I'd be ready to take the plunge. I'm in the DC area now, and I love it, but it's crazy expensive and I don't think it's sustainable long-term. Just too expensive and I'm not rich.

[@trapmuzik6708]

Chicago is the best value in urbanism rn most bang for your buck

[@jnyerere]

I grew up in the DC area and 3 yrs ago I moved to Baltimore. Best decision I ever made in my life. Sure Philly is objectively the better city, but if your employer is based out of DC, you should definitely consider Baltimore. It really has gotten an unfair rep. One of the most underrated city honestly.

[@WorldWide2017]

Chicago proper is absolutely great if you want that urban, almost New York-like sense of density and urbanism. Or, you can live in the suburbs with standard American homes with 2 car garages; we have it all here. The lakefront is absolutely unreal, the skyscrapers on one side with the lake on the other is so beautiful. It's also very cheap compared to the coasts. As for the winters, it's just something we deal with here. Personally, though, I don't see why people seem to prefer extreme heat over extreme cold. I hear people complain about cold northern winters all the time, but a lot less about 100F+ in Texas, or 120 in Phoenix. That sounds about as bad or worse than Chicago winters to me. If you have an indoor job it's actually kind of cozy looking out your window at the snow and ice while you're nice and warm inside. I will say this: be ready to shovel snow or pay for someone to shovel your driveway/parking spot. On the bright side, I feel like winter makes Chicagoans REALLY appreciate summer. During the summer months you'll have endless festivals, concerts, block parties, and much more going on all over the city, in addition to the usual nightlife and such.

[@kkarllwt]

Chicago has speed and traffic cameras. There are areas that a sane person would NEVER go into.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

@@WorldWide2017, I lived my first 30 years in Maine, which is a big part of why I don't want to deal with the winters anymore. I never want to pick up a shovel again. I miss the cozy quiet of being warm inside while the snow comes down outside...but I don't miss the next day when the cars have turned the snow filthy, there's slush everywhere you try to walk, and only every third place has actually cleared their sidewalk. I'm not a huge fan of the heat, and here in DC is probably as far south as I'd ever choose to live. My wife is from Houston, and as she puts it, just isn't built for the snow. And she has a very outdoor job. We are likely to stay in the Northeast Corridor for a lot of reasons. But we'd like to live more urban than we are now. Here, we're super lucky to have the place we do, but we're still 20 miles out of the city core. That's why Philly (and as someone else suggested, even Baltimore) are at least somewhat tempting. That all said, Chicago still has a draw. And I've never even visited. Something I'm planning to change sooner than later.