cross-posted from: https://piefed.blahaj.zone/c/politicalmemes/p/862070/can-anyone-confirm
this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2026
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2NorthAmerican4You
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I don't think that's true at all. San Francisco has an especially major cultural, historical, and tourism presence. Moreover, given we're talking nationwide, I think it's not just appropriate but prudent to consider the San Francisco Bay Area (its CSA), which has both the 5th-highest population in the country of any CSA and has an enormous nationwide and global presence in technology and education.
Atlanta isn't even on the same level (and I don't mean based on the GaWC I'm about to discuss). Funnily, going by the GaWC classification, I was possibly overstating DFW (I consider globalization a big component given we're talking nationwide in such a globalized nation), but I think that's the only mistake I make there. I think New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco are solidly the first four.
Funny enough you skipped over Houston which has the same rank as San Francisco according to your link. It’s also a major global energy hub. It just goes to prove the OPs point that the 4th rotates as there is no true stand out.
I again don't think that shows it. I think 5th is in messy competition in a way one could sort out depending on their priorities but that 4th is solidly SF between population (again, CSA), business, education, and culture.
The GaWC ranking 1) is strictly about global presence, 2) only considers the city by itself with none of its surrounding context (e.g. San Jose is on its own far down the list) and 3) has huge range in what people would consider "major city" characteristics. By this logic, for example, Warsaw is in direct competition with Seoul and Luxembourg City in competition with New Delhi for "city majorness", which is obviously nonsensical.
I provided the GaWC as an explanation for my error that I thought DFW was more heavily globalized than it was, not as the sole criterion for "major city". I think the fact San Francisco is in the Alpha- bracket despite its handicaps from not having its CSA considered along with it shows how solidly above those other cities it is.