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The question posed by the OP, however is which is the Number 2 city in the Northeast. The answer is simple to me: the Number 5 MSA (Philly) out-trumps the No. 10 MSA (Boston).
Which city/region do you prefer can be very subjective and I could see why Boston would garner alot of votes. It just has a better reputation than Philadelphia.
Which city/region is #2 in the Northeast ? Based on economic stats and perhaps even location I would say Philadelphia. Boston to me is a tad more secluded by east coast standards whereas Philadelphia is smack dab in the middle of NY + DC .
Rainrock, i agree about how philadelphia tends to have a negative reputation, thanks to the media, the old industry, and hearing horror stories about the city 20-30 years ago. Times have changed and the city has changed people.
Well, I'm from Philly, but I have to make these concessions to Boston:
-- Boston is a more attractive city than Philadelphia. It is a bit cleaner. Philadelphia is a grittier, more blue collar, more working class type of city. Boston has overall a more refined and elegant look about it.
-- Boston is truly the "Capital" of all New England and it is more of a hub to a region than Philly. Philly is just too close to other big cities: New York, Baltimore, Washington, and even Wilmington, Delaware. A lot of people are not aware of the fact that the northeastern most corner of Philadelphia is just 50 miles from southernmost Staten Island ... so you could technically say the cities of New York and Philly are just 50 miles apart (although most people go with the 90 mile figure from City Hall in Philly to City Hall in Manhattan).
-- Boston is a bigger port than Philly, it is right on the Atlantic Ocean; Philly - most people don't know this - is not on the eastern seaboard of the US and a ship would have to travel over 100 miles down the Delaware River to reach the Atlantic Ocean.
-- Philly has pretty good sports teams, but Boston's are even better.
-- Boston's Arnold Arboretum beats Philly's Morris Arboretum.
Now, in Philly's favor I will say this:
-- Philly has a greater population than Boston. This is indisputable. Even the Metro area is more populous.
-- The climate here in Philly is milder; our winters and shorter and not as severe. We get less snow than Boston.
-- Boston has a fine Art Museum, a superb one in fact, but Philly's is even better.
-- Philly has a better skyline than Boston.
-- Philly has a more prestigious medical infrastructure; US News & World Report has ranked hospitals like The Hospital of the University Of Pennsylvania (with it's new billion dollar Perelman Center for Cancer Research) at the very top alongside the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Hahnemann University Hospital, Albert Einstein Hospital, Temple University Hospital, Children's Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital (the oldest in the nation), Wills Eye Institute (the oldest in the country).
Which city/region do you prefer can be very subjective and I could see why Boston would garner alot of votes. It just has a better reputation than Philadelphia.
Which city/region is #2 in the Northeast ? Based on economic stats and perhaps even location I would say Philadelphia. Boston to me is a tad more secluded by east coast standards whereas Philadelphia is smack dab in the middle of NY + DC .
Population MSA
5.Philadelphia- 5,965,343
10.Boston- 4,552,402
Urban Area
4.Philadelphia-5,149,079
7.Boston- 4,032,484
Television Market
4.Philadelphia-3,015,820
7.Boston- 2,460,290
GDP-2009
8.Philadelphia- 335 B
9.Boston- 298 B
Fortune 500 Metro- 2010
Philadelphia- 15
Boston-12
Philadelphia (city only) 6
Boston (city only) 2
I find it impressive and a compliment towards Boston that there are nearly the same amount of Fortune 500 companies in the respective metro areas given that Bostons overall population is smaller. Just goes to show that you don't have to be the largest city to draw the most importance or be the most important.
-- Philly has a more prestigious medical infrastructure; US News & World Report has ranked hospitals like The Hospital of the University Of Pennsylvania (with it's new billion dollar Perelman Center for Cancer Research) at the very top alongside the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Hahnemann University Hospital, Albert Einstein Hospital, Temple University Hospital, Children's Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital (the oldest in the nation), Wills Eye Institute (the oldest in the country).
... of course by vote has to go with Philly.
I agree with everything except for this. If you're basing anything off US News & World Report, you'll notice that in its "Honor Roll" section, Boston has 2 hospitals ranked above UPenn (Mass General ranked #2 in the country and Brigham & Womens #8, with UPenn #10). Pair those two hospitals with Dana Farber, Beth Israel, Boston Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center & the Lahey Clinic, Joslin Diabetes, Mass Ear & Eye, Spaulding Rehab, Children's Hospital Boston, and the world's best Medical School (Harvard), and you've got the best medical cluster on the planet.
The toughest thing about this argument is that Philadelphia may be #2 in this regard...however Boston concedes hospitals/medical research to no one. Philadelphia's cash cow is pharmaceuticals, where it is easily king.
I would also go so far as to say that Philadelphia doesn't necessarily have a more powerful economy than Boston. There are no disputing GDP statistics, which Philadelphia has a clear advantage in...but Boston is one of the most powerful financial centers on the planet (#12 in the world according to GFCI). State Street Global Advisors and Fidelity alone manage nearly $4 trillion in assets. Other notable financial institutions include Liberty Mutual, John Hancock, MFS Investments, Putnam Investments, Bain Capital, TH Lee Partners, Boston Consulting Group, among others. I know Philadelphia has some powerful financial institutions (such as Vanguard)...however they're not nearly on the level of Boston's.
I think it would be fair to call economic weight a tie.
You're entitled to your opinion. I like Philly's ... taller, denser, more impressive:
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Philly's skyline beats Boston's
Mine is bigger than yours
