What are the Big Four American cities? Not just the biggest by population, but the ones that have the biggest impact, on the national and global stage. It’s a question that’s had the internet up in arms all week. As far as I can tell, we’re no closer to a consensus.
What everyone has agreed on is that New York City and Los Angeles take two of the four spots. Not only are they the two most populous cities in the U.S., but in 2024, the former welcomed nearly 13 million international tourists in total while the latter was the port of entry for 3.4 million overseas visitors. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. For context, Orlando is in the top four for most international visitors — and I think we can all agree that Orlando is decidedly not a Big Four city. That still leaves two spots open.
According to Travel + Leisure, Chicago rounds out the top three, which feels fair to say, though it all depends on the criteria you’re using. For our purposes, let’s go with the definition so eloquently put by one Redditor who dared broach the topic: cities that “encompass a blend of cultural, financial/economic, historical and educational significance in the U.S. (and in the world).”
We’ve got three so far: New York, L.A. and Chicago. Now things start to get hairy. Because the fourth? Not nearly as obvious. Top contenders include San Francisco, Miami, Houston and D.C. Others have floated Philadelphia, Seattle, Atlanta and Boston.
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When I was first asked for my take, my knee-jerk response was D.C. It’s the capital, after all, and if someone were visiting the U.S. for the first time, D.C. would likely be on their list. It has political gravitas, historic landmarks and world-class museums. It’s a strong case.
Many have been adamant it’s San Francisco. The aforementioned Redditor made a solid argument, citing its status as a massive tech hub alongside Silicon Valley, its distinct topography and its role as a cultural center for Latin American and East/Southeast Asian communities. All true. And yet, when stacked against New York and L.A., something about it doesn’t quite feel right to me.
And, truthfully, I’m still not sure why Houston’s in the running, aside from being the fourth most populous city in the country. Just because it’s big doesn’t mean it’s leading (see: the viral cities debate from July).
Miami, though? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. It’s vibrant, international, culturally rich, economically important and increasingly influential — not just in the U.S., but globally. “Miami has massive cultural impact in the Spanish-speaking world,” one person pointed out on Reddit. “And while it’s anecdotal, when I lived in Italy and people talked about the U.S., Miami was far and away the second most-referenced city — after NYC, of course — and that’s without a significant Italian diaspora.”
Some argued there should only be three — that the gap between New York, L.A., Chicago, and everyone else is just too wide. Maybe they’re right. It’s also worth noting that what Americans consider a Big Four city may differ drastically from how someone outside the U.S. sees it. Proximity shapes perception, after all.
But if there is a fourth, I’m putting my money on Miami.
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