# Half of all Americans live in these 146 counties **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 16, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279 "2014-07-16T15:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/41 "2014-07-17T07:05:14Z")
Born and raised in two of the blue ones, Travis and Williamson, TX respectively. I got to tell you, I’m a bit shocked at how Williamson is on that list. I mean, I’d heard Round Rock had grown but I had no idea by how much! When I lived in the county it was nothing but farms. The town I lived in had a population of about 300 and change. It’s pretty amazing how much has changed in just a few short years. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/42 "2014-07-17T14:58:16Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Contra Costa CA (inland from SF, Oakland, and Alameda (which is an island)) Alameda Island is a small part of Alameda County, but Alameda County is most definitely NOT an island. If you talk about Alameda to a Bay Area resident, they are much more likely to assume that you are talking about the county, not the island. Just thought that was worth pointing out in a thread where we are mainly discussing counties. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/43 "2014-07-17T15:30:38Z")
I’m upset so find I am so…common. I lived in LA county and currently Maricopa. I want to move back to where I grew up, a quaint county of 15K. I think I’ve seen office buildings with more people than that. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/44 "2014-07-17T19:26:39Z")
Only 2 for me: Guilford County, NC Cobb County, GA ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/45 "2014-07-19T03:59:19Z")
I’ve lived most of my life, including the most recent 20 minutes, in Broward, Florida. I guess I’m average that way. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/46 "2014-07-19T05:39:11Z")
Damn! The San Bernardino Co Sheriff must be _busy_ guy! ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/47 "2014-07-19T06:03:18Z")
I knew Harris County, TX would be there. My god, this county is HUGE. I’ve lived in it since I was 9. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/48 "2014-07-19T13:46:13Z")
I have four: Montgomery County, MD Prince George’s County MD Salt Lake County, UT Wake County, NC I’ve only lived in one other county, though. ---
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/49 "2014-07-19T14:30:38Z")
Looks like its 6 for me: Essex County, NJ (outside of NYC) Middlesex County, NJ (Central NJ Suburbs) Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh) Suffolk County, NY (This one surprised me a little. It always feels empty out on this end of Long Island) Clark County, NV (Vegas Baby) Travis County, TX (Austin) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/50 "2014-07-19T15:46:09Z")
I’ve lived in four: Born in Davidson, TN New York and Kings, NY Montgomery, MD The other two counties I’ve lived in are probably in the 100-200K range. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/51 "2014-07-19T17:11:09Z")
Before I was 2 I lived in Queens county, NY, and in DC. Not that I remember them. Grew up in Cook County, IL. Have not lived in a shaded county since then. Though where I live now has a population that can’t be THAT far from making the list– ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/52 "2014-07-19T18:30:17Z")
I’ve lived my entire life in Lake County, Indiana, which is the county right on the Illinois border and is affiliated with Chicago. It’s interesting - I live in the southern most town in that county (after having lived in other mid-county towns). The northernmost part of our county is Gary, Indiana, which is just as bad, if not worse, than you think. But I can stand on my son’s school playground and look south, and see nothing but cornfields. It makes for an interesting situation, socially and politically. Our county is Democrat crazy, in a sea of Republican counties in our state. We have easy access to downtown Chicago and all of the city activities that come with it, but it’s also great to drive an hour south and hit the small town lake amusement park. As I’ve gotten older, I am so tired of the narrow minded bullshit and religious flavor of my neighbors, but I can drive a half hour and get to well educated enclaves. I decided I don’t want to live here anymore, between the hillbilly south and the big city snobs, so I’m moving to Maryland just as soon as I can. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/53 "2014-07-19T18:36:05Z")
Five for me; born in Onondaga County, NY and lived in Fulton, Dekalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties in GA. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/54 "2014-07-19T23:13:30Z")
5 for me. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/55 "2014-07-20T21:18:57Z")
4 of the 6 counties I’ve lived in made the list. The two that didn’t date from my youngest years. I think a map based on US Census metro. districts would be more exclusive looking. Counties are so arbitrarily created in the US. Note the difference between CA and GA (159 counties!). Also, some spread things out based on population, others based on distance to county seat. ---
**Author:** ![Lorene89095](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@Lorene89095](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorene89095)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/56 "2014-07-20T23:50:34Z")
Thousands of people per month are moving to Central Texas. I don’tknow where the water is going to come from ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/57 "2014-07-20T23:57:10Z")
Hardly surprising. 146 counties would be about three per state, which seems a reasonable number of major metropolitan areas, and about half the country lives in a major metro area. And I’ve had a permanent address in two counties, one (Cuyahoga, OH) on the list, and one (Gallitin, MT) not. So I guess I’m the typical American. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/58 "2014-07-22T14:56:06Z")
Three for me: Montgomery, MD Guilford, NC Lee, FL I’m surprised that Lee made the list. But we were the 2nd fastest growing area during the housing boom, behind Las Vegas. There are three Montgomery Counties on the list. When I lived in Boone, NC (and believe me, Watauga Co is NOT on this list) I got a lesson in the differences between my hometown and the boonies. I was talking to a fellow employee and she said she was in high school. I said, “Which high school?” She answered, “THE high school.” She was amazed when I rattled off 22 high school names just from Montgomery County. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/59 "2014-07-22T16:04:44Z")
The only one for me was Bergen County, NJ, and that was close to sixty years ago. I’m assuming it still would have made the list then. I remember it as crowded. Since then several of the counties I’ve lived in had more cows than people, although most of the people had gone further in school than the cows, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279/60 "2014-07-22T16:50:55Z")
I’ve lived in five on the list and none that aren’t on the list: Broward County, FL Fulton County, GA Sacramento County, CA Alameda County, CA King County, WA I’ve basically drifted mostly north and west since moving to the States. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-of-all-americans-live-in-these-146-counties/693279.md?page=2)