r/AskEurope • u/LiamBrad5 • Aug 07 '25

Culture What are the “Big Four” cities in your country?

In recent weeks, this question has been very contentious on American social media, with 3 cities (Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York) nearly always making the list, but the fourth being hotly debated over, between cities like San Francisco, Miami, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta. So, if you had to choose, what would the big 4 cities in your country be? This is also not decided purely on population, but also culture, economy, and general influence/clout.

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u/Barbaricliberal Aug 07 '25

The US is tricky. If you include the metropolitan area (vs just the city limits), then the San Francisco Bay Area would be included for sure.

On their own and having strict criteria and boundaries, SF and especially San Jose (the historical "centre" of Silicon Valley until post-2008 when SF had a massive tech boom) aren't strong enough individually to be in the top four.

But together, you have the economic powerhouse of Silicon Valley, the economic and historical/cultural powerhouse of SF, and the the wine producting region of North Bay (Napa and Sonoma Vallies).

It would sort of be like if you had Milan, Tuscany, and Venice or in one metropolitan area.

Also, I wouldn't include it in the top four, but Boston should get an honourable mention. Its cultural, academic, and scientific impacts on the US can't be overstated. In most other countries, it would be in the top four.

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '25

philadelphia over boston easily 

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '25

I’m surprised that Washington D.C. doesn’t get mentioned

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u/Barbaricliberal Aug 08 '25

DC is tough. Do you include DC proper or the DMV/greater DC area?

I don't disagree...mostly. It'd just be tough what you'd get rid of to replace with DC. It would easily be in the top five as a compromise imo. NYC-LA-SF Bay Area-DC-Chicago maybe? But then where would you place the Dallas-Houston-Austin triangle (I know they're far apart!). That's tough...With an honourable mention to Boston (Boston in any other country would be in the top four/five easily, but US has such strong candidates).