Who gets to claim suburbs between Baltimore and DC?

[Turnerbro]

Originally Posted by dukeofbelair

The question isn't who gets to claim them. The question is why the region isn't just understood to be one metroplex.

Nobody asks if Grapevine or Arlington is a suburb of Dallas or Fort Worth. They just call them the Middle Cities region and shrug. The distance between Fort Worth and Dallas, and the distance between their respective highway loops is similar to Baltimore and DC. The metro areas aren't too far off (7.5 million for DFW, 9.7 Million for DC-BMore)

Why is there such an effort to view these as two distinct metropolitan areas?

Because the U.S Census Bureau and the MSA say so.

[Digger 68]

Originally Posted by Turnerbro

Because the U.S Census Bureau and the MSA say so.

Because the people that take the Census and provide the Census with their information say so.

[908Boi]

Originally Posted by dukeofbelair

The question isn't who gets to claim them. The question is why the region isn't just understood to be one metroplex.

Nobody asks if Grapevine or Arlington is a suburb of Dallas or Fort Worth. They just call them the Middle Cities region and shrug. The distance between Fort Worth and Dallas, and the distance between their respective highway loops is similar to Baltimore and DC. The metro areas aren't too far off (7.5 million for DFW, 9.7 Million for DC-BMore)

Why is there such an effort to view these as two distinct metropolitan areas?

Baltimore and Washington’s relationship is much different than Dallas and forth worth

[the resident09]

Originally Posted by 908Boi

Baltimore and Washington’s relationship is much different than Dallas and forth worth

It is, but honestly it is a lot bigger (population wise) than Dallas-Fort Worth almost 3 million. There really isn't another example of Baltimore-Washington in the U.S. If Tampa and Orlando were 50 miles closer and grew into 9-10 million with nothing but suburban sprawl in between then that may be the closest, but it's half a century away and those cities are still 80 miles apart.

[ElectricLights]

It's a bizarre dichotomy.

[dukeofbelair]

Originally Posted by the resident09

It is, but honestly it is a lot bigger (population wise) than Dallas-Fort Worth almost 3 million. There really isn't another example of Baltimore-Washington in the U.S. If Tampa and Orlando were 50 miles closer and grew into 9-10 million with nothing but suburban sprawl in between then that may be the closest, but it's half a century away and those cities are still 80 miles apart.

Washington-Baltimore CSA is 9.7 million, compared to DFW's 7.9 million. So, DFW is smaller, no doubt... approximately 81% the size of the DMV. I'm not sure that difference in size makes them incomparable.

[Digger 68]

Originally Posted by Digger 68

Census. What people tell the Census. Now what people on here think, including myself, and the rational of what people tell the census is up for debate.

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by 1greatcity

When a suburban area lies halfway between Baltimore and DC, and with residents commuting to and from both cities, how is it decided which MSA gets to claim that suburban area? Just wondering.

" Who gets to claim suburbs between Baltimore and DC?



Anybody who wants too.