Speak Softly and Be a Big City

It's no secret that in certain circles, the city of Houston just doesn't get as much respect as other, “elite” cities like New York and Boston. But according to a recent opinion piece by Joel Kotkin in the Wall Street Journal, Houston, and other “newcomer” cities like Phoenix and Charlotte, may have the last laugh. He argues that "superstar" cities have become too expensive and overrated for their own good, driving immigrants and the middle class to cheaper cities – and business and culture along with them:

New York and its environs, for example, had 140 such [large companies] in 1960; in 2006 the number had dropped to less than half that, some of those running with only skeleton top management. Houston, in contrast, had only one Fortune 500 company in 1960; today it is home to over 20. Houston companies tend to staff heavily locally; this is one reason the city was able to replace New York and other high-cost locales as the nation's unchallenged energy capital.

(via biourbanist)
Photo: flickr user deneyterrio