NATE SHIVAR/ Business Insider- I always find it really fascinating to find out how people from different places can perceive the same things so differently.
And especially how people from other countries, regions, and cities perceive my city, region, and country – what they focus on, and what things stand out in their mind. In other words – people’s country, region, and city stereotypes.
For years – it has always been an interesting conversation to have – but finding out stereotypes has always been anecdotal. But last year – Renee DiResta had the brilliant idea to apply something that we all use everyday – Google AutoSuggest – to find out US State Stereotypes (you can see that post here).
Here’s the same methodology used on the top 50 US cities (by metro area population) to get the top 4 to 5 city stereotypes of each.
Just FYI – Google Auto Suggest works by using the most common and trending searches to auto-suggest the rest of your search. So when you go to Google and start typing in a search, Google uses other previously searched for terms to try to guess what you are looking for.
So, for this experiment, the search “why is CITYNAME so” will auto suggest the terms that people most commonly (or most recently) are using to complete that search. That search is like a window into what people are actually thinking and trying to find out about your city. Here they are in descending order of population (#50 to NYC).
Just to be clear – the images are from Google. They are not my perceptions. They are made up of what people actually search for.
50. Salt Lake City
Yes – I confirmed that Salt Lake City is the most smog-choked cities in the US. And yes, they do have absurdly wide streets.
49. Buffalo
![49buffalo](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/49buffalo.png)
Alas, I didn’t have any other pre-conceptions about Buffalo. This is going to be a theme among all the rust belt cities.
48. Birmingham
![48birmingham](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/48birmingham.png)
Apparently Birmingham is important (ie, people who slept through the Civil Rights part of history class?) – and I can totally confirm that it is quite ugly. There are definitely beautiful parts – but I-20 and I-59 really mess things up.
47. Raleigh
![47raleigh](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/47raleigh.png)
Yes – Raleigh is growing that fast. Not sure about the boring part.
46. Hartford
![46hartford](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/46hartford.png)
I had no idea about this one.
45. New Orleans
![45neworleans](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/45neworleans.png)
Yes, New Orleans is all of those – but is coming back from what I hear.
44. Richmond
![44richmond](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/44richmond.png)
Expensive?
43. Louisville
![43louisville](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/43louisville.png)
That fits from what my sources say – it’s a great city, but no one knows quite why.
42. Oklahoma City
![42oklahomacity](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/42oklahomacity.png)
Oklahoma City is riding on the coattails of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant here.
41. Memphis
![41memphis](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/41memphis.png)
This seems to be a theme among America’s third-tier cities.
40. Jacksonville
![40jacksonville](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/40jacksonville.png)
Why smoky? The Okefenokee Swamp.
39. Milwaukee
![39milwaukee](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/39milwaukee.png)
Apparently the last 2 actually fit. It’s cold – it’s nearly in Canada, and it is highly segregated.
38. Providence
Sorry Providence, not enough people cared enough to Google anything about you.
37. Virginia Beach
I had no idea Virginia Beach was the #37 metro area in America. Seriously. I would say they need to work on their branding, but it’s the headquarters of America’s Navy, so I don’t think they want the publicity.
36. Nashville
![36nashville](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/36nashville.png)
Looks like the same theme as Louisville – but hotter.
35. Austin
![35austin](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/35austin.png)
Ok, I think Austin wants to fit in with its stereotypes.
34. San Jose
![34sanjose](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/34sanjose.png)
Spot on from what I hear.
33. Indianapolis
![33indianapolis](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/33indianapolis.png)
Apparently the one thing people think of when they think of Indianpolis is the fabulous SoBro Cafe.
32. Columbus
![32columbus](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/32columbus.png)
Poor Columbus, OH – they could go for some brand disambiguation.
31. Las Vegas
![31lasvegas](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/31lasvegas.png)
Like Austin – I think Las Vegas embraces their stereotypes.
30. Kansas City
![30kansascity](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/30kansascity.png)
The last suggestion says it all about Kansas City.
29. Cleveland
![29cleveland](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/29cleveland.png)
Cloudy? Hmm – maybe Cleveland is still trying to shake this image.
28. Cincinnati
![28cincinnati](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/28cincinnati.png)
Conservative and racist?
27. Sacramento
![27sacramento](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/27sacramento.png)
Hot?
26. Orlando
![26orlando](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/26orlando.png)
Orlando-ites: this is spot on FWIW.
25. San Antonio
![25sanantonio](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/25sanantonio.png)
Windy?
24. Portland
![24portland](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/24portland.png)
Ok, I think Portland has some sort of brand management going on here. They want to fit their stereotypes (err, maybe not the white part – but the others definitely).
23. Charlotte
![23charlotte](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/23charlotte.png)
Charlotte: so boring that book characters overtake them in Google AutoSuggest.
22. Pittsburgh
![22pittsburgh](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/22pittsburgh.png)
Bravo Pittsburgh! You have overcome the Cleveland/Buffalo/Middle America perception.
21. Denver
![21denver](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/21denver.png)
Denver is sending mixed signals here.
20. Baltimore
![20baltimore](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/20baltimore.png)
The Wire was set in Baltimore. I’m not sure that helped things.
19. St. Louis
![19stlouis](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/19stlouis.png)
St. Louis: you and Memphis need to get together and hash out a plan here.
18. Tampa Bay
![18tampa](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/18tampa.png)
Total surprise – my stereotype was one of retirement homes.
17. San Diego
![17sandiego](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/17sandiego.png)
I’d loved to be proved wrong by San Diego. It looks interesting, and is definitely California’s under the radar city.
16. Minneapolis
![16minneapolis](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/16minneapolis.png)
How is it that so many people are wondering why Minneapolis would be cold?
15. Seattle
![15seattle](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/15seattle.png)
Warm?
14. Detroit
![14detroit](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/14detroit.png)
Hmmm. The urban conundrum that is Detroit.
13. Phoenix
![13phoenix](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/13phoenix.png)
Yes – Phoenix is extremely polluted - being out in the desert doesn’t help things.
12. Inland Empire
![12sanbernardio](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/12sanbernardio.png)
I didn’t even know this was that big of a metro area.
11. San Francisco
![11sanfrancisco](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/11sanfrancisco.png)
I’ve heard that those fit for the most part.
10. Boston
![10boston](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/10boston.png)
Double-expensive – that’s my impression as well.
9. Atlanta
![9atlanta](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/9atlanta.png)
My city! Yes – Atlanta has a large gay community. Yes, it is a big city. I’m not sure what the sentiment of “ghetto” is – but there are some very under-developed and high-crime areas in the Southwestand West of the city (both on the way to the Airport and Downtown). And Atlanta can have a couple cold days in the Winter…but it’s pretty hot overall.
8. Miami
![8miami](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/8miami.png)
I’ve never really had a pre-conception of Miami – I’d be interested to hear from someone who lives there.
7. Washington DC
![7washingtondc](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/7washingtondc.png)
Very revealing. Expensive and poor. There’s a dissertation for you.
6. Philadelphia
![6philadelphia](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/6philadelphia.png)
From my sources – Philadelphia really is a love it or hate it kind of city.
5. Houston
![5houston](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/5houston.png)
Houstonians: These are very true.
4. Dallas
![4dallas](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/4dallas.png)
Windy? Otherwise, dead-on.
3. Chicago
![3Chicago](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/3Chicago.png)
Yep, dead on.
2. Los Angeles
![2LosAngeles](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2LosAngeles.png)
I think LA has more appeal than these – but I totally see where they come from.
1. New York City
![1newyorkcity](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/1newyorkcity.png)
I’d say New Yorkers would agree (and would have fun comparing these to LA’s).
That’s all for America, but you can do this with anything – cities, people, things, companies, etc. Here’s a few more international cities I looked at.
Toronto
![57toronto](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/57toronto.png)
I always think of Toronto as the Dallas of Canada for some reason.
Sao Paulo
![56saopaulo](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/56saopaulo.png)
Spot on from what I hear.
Shanghai
![55shanghai](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/55shanghai.png)
Cold? Yeah – I think of Shanghai as hot, but if I looked at the actual weather, it would throw me off.
Hong Kong
![55hongkong](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/55hongkong.png)
Spot on in my opinion.
Paris
![54paris](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/54paris.png)
Spot on from what I hear.
London
![52london](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/52london.png)
Spot on from what I hear.
Tokyo
![51tokyo](http://www.nateshivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/51tokyo.png)
And I think Tokyo wins the city stereotype contest.
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