# US Dopers which US City are you closest too (out of the top 50)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299 "2011-03-28T19:26:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/1 "2011-03-28T19:26:50Z")
See thread title. Poll to follow…so please be patient. It takes time to type in 50 poll options. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/2 "2011-03-28T19:40:08Z")
I am about 120 miles from both Nashville and Atlanta, but am slightly closer to the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/3 "2011-03-28T19:42:20Z")
San Diego. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/4 "2011-03-28T19:44:22Z")
I’d note that this is cities defined by their local government boundaries, and not metropolitan areas. That’s why Virginia Beach is on the list (it’s the largest city in Virginia, surprisingly), and why Cincinnati is not (Cincinnati is the largest metro area with its centre in Ohio, but the city proper is smaller than Cleveland or Columbus). ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/5 "2011-03-28T19:47:11Z")
FYI, Kansas City, Kansas is not in the top 50. Or in the top 150. It’s currently 168. You’re thinking of Kansas City, Missouri, currently ranked at 37. And to answer the OP, I’m within the city limits of Chicago, IL. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/6 "2011-03-28T19:51:35Z")
Top 50 in _what_? L.A. btw. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/7 "2011-03-28T19:56:08Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > FYI, Kansas City, Kansas is not in the top 50. Or in the top 150. It’s currently 168. You’re thinking of Kansas City, Missouri, currently ranked at 37. > > And to answer the OP, I’m within the city limits of Chicago, IL. Yep you’re right. The wiki page for [top 50 cities in the US](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_US_cities)wrongly attributes KS for both Kansas City’s. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/8 "2011-03-28T19:56:38Z")
According to Google Maps it’s almost exactly the same distance from Springfield, IL to Chicago as it is from Springfield to Indianapolis. I chose Chicago because I’ve been there more often. And it’s in the same state. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/9 "2011-03-28T19:57:35Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > Top 50 in _what_? See my post #4: it seems to be the cities with the largest population within their local government boundaries. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/10 "2011-03-28T19:59:48Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > Top 50 in _what_? > > L.A. btw. Big-tittied ladies? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/11 "2011-03-28T20:04:26Z")
Columbus, here. But it’s a couple of hours drive to either that or Cleveland. And about an hour further to Pittsburgh. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/12 "2011-03-28T20:04:43Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Yep you’re right. The wiki page for [top 50 cities in the US](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Largest_US_cities)wrongly attributes KS for both Kansas City’s. That Wiki page has now been corrected. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/13 "2011-03-28T20:15:34Z")
Chicago. I work in the city, and live less than 5 miles away from the city limits. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/14 "2011-03-28T20:16:57Z")
Phoenix ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/15 "2011-03-28T20:20:49Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > That Wiki page has now been corrected. If only you were a mod and could correct the poll now.😉 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/16 "2011-03-28T20:22:52Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I’d note that this is cities defined by their local government boundaries, and not metropolitan areas. That’s why Virginia Beach is on the list (it’s the largest city in Virginia, surprisingly), and why Cincinnati is not (Cincinnati is the largest metro area with its centre in Ohio, but the city proper is smaller than Cleveland or Columbus). This measure makes no sense for the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/17 "2011-03-28T20:29:58Z")
I’m currently about 45 miles north of San Francisco. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/18 "2011-03-28T20:39:14Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > This measure makes no sense for the United States. You have the same problem for most countries, and both kinds of “cities” make sense for some purposes. One problem is when metro areas cross international borders: does it makes sense to say that the San Diego metro area includes the Tijuana metro area (or vice versa?). Another is when metro areas merge as they spread, so that (for example) Baltimore MD and Washington DC are part of the same metro area, which also has a large part in northern Virginia – some of which (e.g., Arlington County VA) is not incorporated as a city. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/19 "2011-03-28T20:41:43Z")
I salute your poll-writing patience! ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299/20 "2011-03-28T21:10:51Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I’d note that this is cities defined by their local government boundaries, and not metropolitan areas. That’s why Virginia Beach is on the list (it’s the largest city in Virginia, surprisingly), and why Cincinnati is not (Cincinnati is the largest metro area with its centre in Ohio, but the city proper is smaller than Cleveland or Columbus). Virginia Beach is legally huge. The city limits go all the way from the Chesapeake Bay to the NC state line. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-dopers-which-us-city-are-you-closest-too-out-of-the-top-50/576299.md?page=2)