Demographics Poll: How Large is Your City or Town?

[Daamien]

I'm trying to get a better feel for the demographics of our users. It would be interesting to see if most people live in a rural, suburban, or urban environment. So, vote and feel free to reply with your guesses and if you think that an environment (especially its size) has an impact on a person's worldview and values.

[malkusm]

Well, I'm currently in a city of around 75,000, so I responded accordingly. However, I'm moving to New York in a month, so soon that will shift into the 1M+ category.

[Pacis]

I live in Los Angeles.

[JCF]

3 million, San Diego.

[FreeTraveler]

John B. Calhoun's research in the late 60s answered the bolded part of your question very decisively, IMO.

He created a "mouse universe" with around 400 cubic feet of space.

There was no shortage of food or water or nesting material. There were no predators. The only adversity was the limit on space.

Initially the population grew rapidly, doubling every 55 days. The population reached 620 by day 315 after which the population growth dropped markedly. The last surviving birth was on day 600.

This period between day 315 and day 600 saw a breakdown in social structure and in normal social behavior. Among the aberrations in behavior were the following: expulsion of young before weaning was complete, wounding of young, inability of dominant males to maintain the defense of their territory and females, aggressive behavior of females, passivity of non-dominant males with increased attacks on each other which were not defended against.

After day 600 the social breakdown continued and the population declined toward extinction. During this period females ceased to reproduce. Their male counterparts withdrew completely, never engaging in courtship or fighting. They ate, drank, slept, and groomed themselves – all solitary pursuits. Sleek, healthy coats and an absence of scars characterized these males. They were dubbed “the beautiful ones”.

The conclusions drawn from this experiment were that when all available space is taken and all social roles filled, competition and the stresses experienced by the individuals will result in a total breakdown in complex social behaviors, ultimately resulting in the demise of the population.

Yet we keep packing people in tighter and tighter. I generally do everything I can to avoid passing inside the beltway around any city these days.

I think there's a direct correlation between population density and the position of the general citizen on the authoritarian-libertarian spectrum as well. Most people I meet outside of cities are less enamored of government than those inside the beltways.

[BuddyRey]

Presuming that the Census data is accurate and up-to-date, I'm one of 4,691 residents!

[QueenB4Liberty]

I live in Houston.

[pcosmar]

Rural.
I put under 1000, but if you take the whole twp. it is just over 1000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superio...unty,_Michigan

[Reason]

3 million, San Diego.

Me too.

[slothman]

Me too.

I wonder if you know each other.

I live in a 6e3 town place.
It's in a county of 7e6 but it is suburban.
I have moved around but they were always small places.

I would say that the place or size has not had an impact.

I do live in the best place on Earth so I am biased.
Well that last part had nothing to do with anything but I just like mentioning it.

[Daamien]

I live in a 6e3 town place.
It's in a county of 7e6 but it is suburban.
I have moved around but they were always small places.

6e3? 7e6? English please.

[slothman]

6e3? 7e6? English please.

I'm a nerd so I use scientific notation.
The value before the 'e' is the number itself while
the number after is the number of zeros.
E.g. 6e3 = 6*1000 and 7e6 = 7*1000000.
My town has a pop of about 6000 people and my county a
little more than 1 Congressional rep.

Of course given all that I made a mistake.
I meant 7e5 instead of 7e6.
My county has about 7 hundred thousand people, not 7 million people.

[Promontorium]

3 million in San Diego?

I don't think so. Just over a million.

The government doesn't count those wannabe towns, and neither do I.

619, 92101 East Village. Where are you? Lemon Grove? I don't even want to hear it.

[Daamien]

Nice distribution thus far! I'm glad we have users from such varying environments.