Chicago and New York City: Similarities and Difference

[Northsider]

Chicago's population is down 25% from it's peak population of 3.6 million in 1950.

Almost every non-sunbelt city's population is down from 1950...if not every city. Still, that's a sad number to digest.

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by Northsider

Almost every non-sunbelt city's population is down from 1950...if not every city. Still, that's a sad number to digest.

Interesting that the two most densely populated cities in the US, New York City and San Francisco, are both at all time highs in population.

[chicagogeorge]

NYC is unique, San Fran is tiny (literally). Almost all major US cities in the last census either saw their population decline or saw their population growth slow down since 2000. Even NYC's population growth was much smaller than anticipated.

Originally Posted by Northsider

Still, that's a sad number to digest.

It's not ideal, but why do we have to assume that everyone wants to live in a city? I lived in Chicago for 36 years, and I had enough, moving my family to the south suburbs in December 2010. The city is at fault for not being able to keep it's residents.

[ducus]

Originally Posted by prelude91

Interesting that the two most densely populated cities in the US, New York City and San Francisco, are both at all time highs in population.

Since you brought it up, let's see the five biggest US cities density:
NYC 10,630/km2
Los Angeles 3,124.45/km2
Chicago 4,447.4/km2
Houston 1,505/km2
Philadelphia 4,405.4/km2
Phoenix 1,188.4/km2
So it's quite clear that the density of Chicago it's not even half of NYC.

[mhays]

Originally Posted by Northsider

Almost every non-sunbelt city's population is down from 1950...if not every city. Still, that's a sad number to digest.

Not Seattle. We peaked once in 1960, fell 13% at the 1986 estimate, and have easily surpassed that figure now, despite a dramatic reduction in household sizes. The trick was turning a predominantly single-family city into one that's now a little over over half multifamily by unit count. In fairness, some of our original house development was in the 50s and 60s in some outer and hard-to-get to neighborhoods.

[bayviews]

Originally Posted by mhays

Not Seattle. We peaked once in 1960, fell 13% at the 1986 estimate, and have easily surpassed that figure now, despite a dramatic reduction in household sizes. The trick was turning a predominantly single-family city into one that's now a little over over half multifamily by unit count. In fairness, some of our original house development was in the 50s and 60s in some outer and hard-to-get to neighborhoods.

Yeah, I recall when "neighborhood" Seattle was mostly single-story wooden houses & bungalows as far as the eye could see. Not surprising given the plentiful local lumber supply. Now you've lots more apartment buildings.

I see that both Portland & much moreso Vancouver have been building up too, with a significant increase in population, density & urban feel.

By contrast many cities which went the way of large-scale housing & apartment demolition--in many cases promoted by Federal policies--ended up with....Surprise! Surprise! Lower populations!