You're completely right. Its not consistent. Summit and Portage counties are very tied to the economy of Cleveland and many communities in those counties would not exist without Cleveland. Akron City itself is tied to Cleveland. Akron should be be part of the Cleveland MSA. Akron actively fights this though as they want their own identity, which is silly as it hurts both them and the region.

 

Sorry my intial post was in response to what is quoted above. I do realize that MSA's are created on commuting pattern data and not arbitrarily.

Folks, no one establishes MSAs except the federal government. It's a Census designation for purposes of planning and funding distribution, as established by federal criteria which is set by bureaucratic rulemaking and Congressional statutes. The only way a local government can change that process is to lobby Congress to pass new laws.

 

Or lobby to keep the status quo. Which is what Akron does.

Folks, no one establishes MSAs except the federal government. It's a Census designation for purposes of planning and funding distribution, as established by federal criteria which is set by bureaucratic rulemaking and Congressional statutes. The only way a local government can change that process is to lobby Congress to pass new laws.

 

Or lobby to keep the status quo. Which is what Akron does.

 

You keep saying this but it isn't true. Congress would have to change the law. They can't just make an exception for Akron.

^Akron does not want the law to change. They like pretending they're not part of Cleveland for their own ego. They're not asking for any exception.

No use pretending that Akron is part of Cleveland. What part of not is not understood. You cant make something true because you say it. Most people I know in Akron visit Cleveland once or twice a year if that much. Akron, yes has minor connectivity with Cleveland, but is independent and not desiring to be a part of Cleveland in any way. Akron looks south of the Ohio Turnpike, to New Philadelphia south , to Wooster west as its area of influence. I believe the Census Bureau understands this clearly, along with the fact that Cuyahoga Valley National Park provides a natural barrier. Maybe people are confusing Akron with Lorain/ Elyria.

No use pretending that Akron is part of Cleveland. What part of not is not understood. You cant make something true because you say it. Most people I know in Akron visit Cleveland once or twice a year if that much. Akron, yes has minor connectivity with Cleveland, but is independent and not desiring to be a part of Cleveland in any way. Akron looks south of the Ohio Turnpike, to New Philadelphia south , to Wooster west as its area of influence. I believe the Census Bureau understands this clearly, along with the fact that Cuyahoga Valley National Park provides a natural barrier. Maybe people are confusing Akron with Lorain/ Elyria.

 

As has been repeated in this thread over and over again, the BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis) has a calculation which uses commuting patterns to decide what counties will be added to an MSA. Nothing more or less. That is the only way MSAs and CSAs are figured. The calculation is it.

As has been repeated in this thread over and over again, the BEA (Bureau of Economic Analysis) has a calculation which uses commuting patterns to decide what counties will be added to an MSA. Nothing more or less. That is the only way MSAs and CSAs are figured. The calculation is it.

 

Correct, and I have no problem with them being separate MSAs.  The only thing I like to point out is that the arbitrary boundaries (county lines) cause Cleveland's MSA to lose Cleveland suburbs to the Akron MSA, where the opposite is not true.  This causes Cleveland's MSA to look smaller than the metro area really is and inflates Akron's numbers.  I am not sure why we don't use the "urbanized area" definitions posted above that seem to be much more reflective of actual metro area.

Most people I know in Akron visit Cleveland once or twice a year if that much. Akron, yes has minor connectivity with Cleveland, but is independent and not desiring to be a part of Cleveland in any way.

 

I'm not arguing Akron should be considered a suburb of Cleveland but what you posted is anecdotal nonsense. I have family in Akron, Fairlawn, Ravenna and even out in Hartville. They visit the Cleveland area, MSA or whatever once a week and the city way more than once a year. They're always posting such on Facebook. So you're being a bit provincial too if you think people in Summit County are just visiting New Philadelphia. I visit Akron all the time when I'm back around Amrap.

 

Why is regionalism such a struggle for some NE Ohioans? A larger MSA would be a benefit to people in both Akron and Cleveland regardless of city pride.

Most people I know in Akron visit Cleveland once or twice a year if that much. Akron, yes has minor connectivity with Cleveland, but is independent and not desiring to be a part of Cleveland in any way.

 

I'm not arguing Akron should be considered a suburb of Cleveland but what you posted is anecdotal nonsense. I have family in Akron, Fairlawn, Ravenna and even out in Hartville. They visit the Cleveland area, MSA or whatever once a week and the city way more than once a year. They're always posting such on Facebook. So you're being a bit provincial too if you think people in Summit County are just visiting New Philadelphia. I visit Akron all the time when I'm back around Amrap.

 

Why is regionalism such a struggle for some NE Ohioans? A larger MSA would be a benefit to people in both Akron and Cleveland regardless of city pride.

 

I think the pride thing hits it on the head. Clevelanders want Cleveland to be bigger, because they feel it is because it is a draw from Akron and to a lesser extent Canton.

 

Akronites understandably want their city to stand on its own and not be overshadowed by Cleveland.

 

You're right a larger MSA would benefit both cities. What we should be doing is accepting that these regions are interconnected and figuring out how to brand Cleveland-Akron-Canton as a larger region. Play off the assets of all three. You can visit or live here and have the beaches on the lake, visit the Football hall of fame, see a Cavs game, work at First Energy, go to Cedar Point, get healthcare at the Cleveland Clinic, etc. Just don't use Cleveland+ again!

Listen, I don't know anyone in Akron who doesn't want Cleveland to prosper.  I also believe in regionalism in NEO and these cities and areas should work on how work with each other. However, when people say Akron is a part of Cleveland they are mistaken. Most people who have been born in and/or raised in Akron may feel a connection to Cleveland when to comes to sports and entertainment but that is typically it.  Do most suburbs or even satellite cities(which I've seen some people refer to Akron as) have their own museums, universities, hosptial system, childrens hosptial, zoo, airport etc?  If Clevelanders feel miffed becuase they don't get population credit for Twinsburg or Macedonia that stinks.  I would guess that most folks in Akron are fine being a medium sized midwestern city with an urban pop north of 500k, we don't see ourselves as Clevelands peer and we aren't in competion with the three Cs for who's the biggest metro in Ohio.

Most people I know in Akron visit Cleveland once or twice a year if that much. Akron, yes has minor connectivity with Cleveland, but is independent and not desiring to be a part of Cleveland in any way.

 

I'm not arguing Akron should be considered a suburb of Cleveland but what you posted is anecdotal nonsense. I have family in Akron, Fairlawn, Ravenna and even out in Hartville. They visit the Cleveland area, MSA or whatever once a week and the city way more than once a year. They're always posting such on Facebook. So you're being a bit provincial too if you think people in Summit County are just visiting New Philadelphia. I visit Akron all the time when I'm back around Amrap.

 

Why is regionalism such a struggle for some NE Ohioans? A larger MSA would be a benefit to people in both Akron and Cleveland regardless of city pride.

 

I think the pride thing hits it on the head. Clevelanders want Cleveland to be bigger, because they feel it is because it is a draw from Akron and to a lesser extent Canton.

 

Akronites understandably want their city to stand on its own and not be overshadowed by Cleveland.

 

You're right a larger MSA would benefit both cities. What we should be doing is accepting that these regions are interconnected and figuring out how to brand Cleveland-Akron-Canton as a larger region. Play off the assets of all three. You can visit or live here and have the beaches on the lake, visit the Football hall of fame, see a Cavs game, work at First Energy, go to Cedar Point, get healthcare at the Cleveland Clinic, etc. Just don't use Cleveland+ again!

 

 

Completely agree. Let's hope for wisdom on how to move forward as a region.

If Clevelanders feel miffed becuase they don't get population credit for Twinsburg or Macedonia that stinks.

 

Except the commuting data says the Cleveland MSA deserves credit for it. If 200+ year old county boundaries moved with the commuting market, Twinsburg and Macedonia would be in Cuyahoga County.

Dayton gets shafted by not having Clark County or northern Warren County included in our MSA, but we don't complain about it too much.

Sailboats don't complain about the wind. :)

If Clevelanders feel miffed becuase they don't get population credit for Twinsburg or Macedonia that stinks.

 

Except the commuting data says the Cleveland MSA deserves credit for it. If 200+ year old county boundaries moved with the commuting market, Twinsburg and Macedonia would be in Cuyahoga County.

 

Of course, I mentioned the same thing earlier in the thread.  Sucks that Cleveland has the 31st biggest MSA instead of the 29th or 30th becuase of it.

If Clevelanders feel miffed becuase they don't get population credit for Twinsburg or Macedonia that stinks.

 

Except the commuting data says the Cleveland MSA deserves credit for it. If 200+ year old county boundaries moved with the commuting market, Twinsburg and Macedonia would be in Cuyahoga County.

 

Of course, I mentioned the same thing earlier in the thread.  Sucks that Cleveland has the 31st biggest MSA instead of the 29th or 30th becuase of it.

 

Ahem, Cleveland would be the 19th largest if combined w/Akron's MSA.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_statistical_areas

If Clevelanders feel miffed becuase they don't get population credit for Twinsburg or Macedonia that stinks.

 

Except the commuting data says the Cleveland MSA deserves credit for it. If 200+ year old county boundaries moved with the commuting market, Twinsburg and Macedonia would be in Cuyahoga County.

 

Of course, I mentioned the same thing earlier in the thread.  Sucks that Cleveland has the 31st biggest MSA instead of the 29th or 30th becuase of it.

 

Ahem, Cleveland would be the 19th largest if combined w/Akron's MSA.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_statistical_areas

 

I'm referring to adding the suburbs that are clearly in Clevelands orbit.  Ignoring county lines.

 

If anything, using MSA numbers inflates EVERY city's size and influence because it includes completely rural areas. Urbanized Area populations are always smaller. Here's Ohio from the 2010 Census:

 

Cleveland --- 1.78 million

Cincinnati --- 1.62 million

Columbus --- 1.37 million

Dayton --- 724,091

Akron --- 569,499

Toledo --- 507,643

Youngstown --- 387,550

Canton --- 279,245

 

 

^Exactly. If someone like Ikea--or any company-- said, we want to be in the top 20 markets in the US, Cleveland is automatically on the list. But now, no, we're a 'medium-sized' US market.

 

....You're right a larger MSA would benefit both cities. What we should be doing is accepting that these regions are interconnected and figuring out how to brand Cleveland-Akron-Canton as a larger region. Play off the assets of all three. You can visit or live here and have the beaches on the lake, visit the Football hall of fame, see a Cavs game, work at First Energy, go to Cedar Point, get healthcare at the Cleveland Clinic, etc. Just don't use Cleveland+ again!

 

What is/was the issue with "Cleveland+"? I remember it, but don't know much about it.

....You're right a larger MSA would benefit both cities. What we should be doing is accepting that these regions are interconnected and figuring out how to brand Cleveland-Akron-Canton as a larger region. Play off the assets of all three. You can visit or live here and have the beaches on the lake, visit the Football hall of fame, see a Cavs game, work at First Energy, go to Cedar Point, get healthcare at the Cleveland Clinic, etc. Just don't use Cleveland+ again!

 

What is/was the issue with "Cleveland+"? I remember it, but don't know much about it.

 

It was/is a regional branding campaign to promote the entire North East Ohio region to businesses and tourism as "Cleveland+." This covered the entire 4 million person area including the Youngstown/Warren area.

 

Their idea was that the plus stood for Cleveland, plus Akron, plus Canton, plus Youngstown.

 

I think it was met with lukewarm to negative feelings from generally everyone and I don't know that it was very effective in its mission either.

 

I feel like some cool brands could be created using "NEO" in some form or fashion, but there is probably something else out there as well that could capture the benefits of all these areas in a modern and cool way.

 

Here's their site: https://www.clevelandplus.com/

So is Cleveland a larger media market than MSA? The same? or vice versa?

 

Like Cincinnati, is the 29th MSA but 35 Media Market, how does Cleve Fall in that mix?

Cleveland's media market includes all of northeast Ohio (excluding Youngstown, I think). Cincinnati's media market pretty much only extends from (roughly) Florence to Middletown, with Dayton all the way up Wapakoneta being its own media market. So that probably affects the numbers and rankings.

^Exactly. If someone like Ikea--or any company-- said, we want to be in the top 20 markets in the US, Cleveland is automatically on the list. But now, no, we're a 'medium-sized' US market.

 

Companies don't just use MSA though. They use urbanized area, demographics, household income, and a ton of other factors. It's really a minor thing.

CLE # 19 ?

 

https://www.newsgeneration.com/broadcast-resources/top-100-radio-markets/

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_television_markets

With the popularity and usage of cable television, i wonder how much advertisers are really influenced by local Television markets size alone. Other than for local news and some sports programming, cable television has put a big dent in local televisions influence.

^Exactly. If someone like Ikea--or any company-- said, we want to be in the top 20 markets in the US, Cleveland is automatically on the list. But now, no, we're a 'medium-sized' US market.

 

Companies don't just use MSA though. They use urbanized area, demographics, household income, and a ton of other factors. It's really a minor thing.

 

 

Location selection is an art as much as it is a science.

If anything, using MSA numbers inflates EVERY city's size and influence because it includes completely rural areas. Urbanized Area populations are always smaller. Here's Ohio from the 2010 Census:

 

Cleveland --- 1.78 million

Cincinnati --- 1.62 million

Columbus --- 1.37 million

Dayton --- 724,091

Akron --- 569,499

Toledo --- 507,643

Youngstown --- 387,550

Canton --- 279,245

 

 

 

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

 

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

Interesting that in those numbers Columbus has the highest population density and smallest land area.

If anything, using MSA numbers inflates EVERY city's size and influence because it includes completely rural areas. Urbanized Area populations are always smaller. Here's Ohio from the 2010 Census:

 

Cleveland --- 1.78 million

Cincinnati --- 1.62 million

Columbus --- 1.37 million

Dayton --- 724,091

Akron --- 569,499

Toledo --- 507,643

Youngstown --- 387,550

Canton --- 279,245

 

 

 

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

Hm I wonder why you like those numbers better?

 

The only thing I like to point out is that the arbitrary boundaries (county lines) cause Cleveland's MSA to lose Cleveland suburbs to the Akron MSA, where the opposite is not true.

 

Wadsworth in Medina County is unmistakably an Akron suburb, even though all of Medina County gets lumped into the Cleveland MSA.

Excellent point, plus of the so- called Cleveland suburbs in Northern Summit county, after all these years living in Summit County, in 2018 who knows where their sentiments lie. I would guess close to 50/50, who really knows, after all Akron is the county seat so they have some contact.

Wadsworth is or isn't an Akron suburb in exactly the same way that Akron is or isn't a Cleveland suburb- they were separate towns that have grown together because of the automobile, but that still maintain there own identity from that time.

 

Someone mentioned Lorain/Elyria upthread, and it is the same there as it is in Akron.  A lot of people from Lorain County don't consider themselves "Clevelanders", but "from Lorain" or "Elyria".  But they still watch Cleveland sports, TV/radio, read the PD, etc.  I grew up in Avon Lake, and can tell you that a lot of old-school Avon Lakers considered themselves to be living in a suburb of Lorain, but when 90 went through and the subdivisions started sprouting, it became a suburb of Cleveland as far as the newer residents were concerned.  The dividing line these days isn't the county line, it's the western border of Avon/Avon Lake.

Wadsworth is or isn't an Akron suburb in exactly the same way that Akron is or isn't a Cleveland suburb- they were separate towns that have grown together because of the automobile, but that still maintain there own identity from that time.

 

Someone mentioned Lorain/Elyria upthread, and it is the same there as it is in Akron.  A lot of people from Lorain County don't consider themselves "Clevelanders", but "from Lorain" or "Elyria".  But they still watch Cleveland sports, TV/radio, read the PD, etc.  I grew up in Avon Lake, and can tell you that a lot of old-school Avon Lakers considered themselves to be living in a suburb of Lorain, but when 90 went through and the subdivisions started sprouting, it became a suburb of Cleveland as far as the newer residents were concerned.  The dividing line these days isn't the county line, it's the western border of Avon/Avon Lake.

 

I’m must respectfully disagree.  The relationship between Wadsworth and Akron does not mirror the relationship between Akron and Cleveland.  Wadsworth was a small town(some would still refer to it as such) that developed into a bedroom community to Akron.

 

Concerning Lorain/Elyria they would be satellite cities of Cleveland IMO.  They don’t have some of the things that Akron has that makes it it’s own city.  My wife grew up in Elyria and spending time there you certainly don’t feel as if you are in Cleveland but it feels more connected to Cleveland then Akron does imo.

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

Hm I wonder why you like those numbers better?

 

Hm I wonder. Maybe because they're not 8 years out of date?

Is it fair to say that Akron is a Cleveland Exurb, considering we share the Cuyahoga?

Even just a little?

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

Hm I wonder why you like those numbers better?

 

Hm I wonder. Maybe because they're not 8 years out of date?

 

Exactly. That is why I added the "2018" in parentheses.

If anything, using MSA numbers inflates EVERY city's size and influence because it includes completely rural areas. Urbanized Area populations are always smaller. Here's Ohio from the 2010 Census:

 

Cleveland --- 1.78 million

Cincinnati --- 1.62 million

Columbus --- 1.37 million

Dayton --- 724,091

Akron --- 569,499

Toledo --- 507,643

Youngstown --- 387,550

Canton --- 279,245

 

 

 

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

 

 

Based on these statistics, Columbus actually as a higher population density than both Cleveland and Cincinnati. Pretty interesting in my opinion.

 

 

It was discussed a few pages ago that a lot of that has to do with topography. Columbus has evenly distributed lots on all sides of the city and does not lose anything to hillsides and lakes.  Cleveland for the most part has a very barren North side of town with zero density and Clincinnati has a lot of breaks due to hills and topography that make it difficult to develop in certain areas. This is part of the reason why a lot of people say Cincy and Cleveland feel so much bigger or more dense because their density is in a much more compacted area.

It was discussed a few pages ago that a lot of that has to do with topography. Columbus has evenly distributed lots on all sides of the city and does not lose anything to hillsides and lakes.  Cleveland for the most part has a very barren North side of town with zero density and Clincinnati has a lot of breaks due to hills and topography that make it difficult to develop in certain areas. This is part of the reason why a lot of people say Cincy and Cleveland feel so much bigger or more dense because their density is in a much more compacted area.

 

I think you mean barren east side and really south of downtown is the industrial valley. The north side has a 10,000 square mile lake in the way.

It was discussed a few pages ago that a lot of that has to do with topography. Columbus has evenly distributed lots on all sides of the city and does not lose anything to hillsides and lakes.  Cleveland for the most part has a very barren North side of town with zero density and Clincinnati has a lot of breaks due to hills and topography that make it difficult to develop in certain areas. This is part of the reason why a lot of people say Cincy and Cleveland feel so much bigger or more dense because their density is in a much more compacted area.

 

And Cincy/Cleveland have large areas devoted to industrial land uses. Population weighted density, or lived density, is the term we're concerned with. LA is actually denser than NYC at the metro level, but the lived density of most New Yorkers is much higher than that of most Angelenos.

It was discussed a few pages ago that a lot of that has to do with topography. Columbus has evenly distributed lots on all sides of the city and does not lose anything to hillsides and lakes.  Cleveland for the most part has a very barren North side of town with zero density and Clincinnati has a lot of breaks due to hills and topography that make it difficult to develop in certain areas. This is part of the reason why a lot of people say Cincy and Cleveland feel so much bigger or more dense because their density is in a much more compacted area.

 

I think you mean barren east side and really south of downtown is the industrial valley. The north side has a 10,000 square mile lake in the way.

 

I was implying North Side being that you obviously cant develop a dense community that direction because of the lake.

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

Hm I wonder why you like those numbers better?

 

Hm I wonder. Maybe because they're not 8 years out of date?

 

In some sense. Yet the 2010 numbers are far more reliable. In my work, we still use 2010 for just about everything we can. Once the 2020 census results come out, we'll use those for the next decade.

Having Lake Erie benefitted Cleveland's density. Not sure how you could argue otherwise.

I think topography and land use certainly play a part in the differences in population density, but I don't think that's the whole story.

 

Take a look at the total square miles that are considered to be part of these urban areas. Cleveland has a total population of 1,760,000 over 772 square miles for a population density of 2,300. Cincinnati has a total population of 1,675,000 over 788 square miles for a population density of 2,100. Columbus has a total population of 1,540,000 over 510 miles for a population density of 2,700.

 

With that in mind, I think another factor is that Cleveland and Cincinnati have low-density suburbs extending further from the urban core than what Columbus has which are still considered part of the urban area. This is likely due to the time in which the three cities saw population growth and also their proximity to other mid-sized cities. The Cleveland suburbs had the Akron suburbs to connect to, and the Cincinnati suburbs had the Dayton suburbs to connect to. Columbus didn't have another citiy's suburbs to connect to, so it grew fairly evenly in each direction until recently. We are now seeing the northern suburbs in Delaware County growing like crazy because it has Delaware to connect to, and we are also seeing the New Albany area grow eastward toward Granville/Newark.

 

 

I like these urban area definitions(2018):

 

Cleveland: 1,760,000

Cincinnati: 1,675,000

Columbus: 1,540,000

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf

 

Hm I wonder why you like those numbers better?

 

Hm I wonder. Maybe because they're not 8 years out of date?

 

In some sense. Yet the 2010 numbers are far more reliable. In my work, we still use 2010 for just about everything we can. Once the 2020 census results come out, we'll use those for the next decade.

 

2010 numbers are reliable for what reality was in 2010, but not for 2018. Columbus was very different in 2010 than it is in 2018. All you have to do is spend an hour driving around the city to see the growth. 

 

Now, I would agree that 2010 census figures paint a more accurate picture of what reality was in 2010 than 2018 estimates do for 2018.

 

 

 

2010 numbers are reliable for what reality was in 2010, but not for 2018. Columbus was very different in 2010 than it is in 2018. All you have to do is spend an hour driving around the city to see the growth. 

 

Now, I would agree that 2010 census figures paint a more accurate picture of what reality was in 2010 than 2018 estimates do for 2018.

 

Yeah, it's more of a conundrum for regions with big changes like Columbus. Estimates are notoriously prone to major corrections, so it's just problematic overall that there isn't any good data for 2018.

2010 numbers are reliable for what reality was in 2010, but not for 2018. Columbus was very different in 2010 than it is in 2018. All you have to do is spend an hour driving around the city to see the growth. 

 

Now, I would agree that 2010 census figures paint a more accurate picture of what reality was in 2010 than 2018 estimates do for 2018.

 

Yeah, it's more of a conundrum for regions with big changes like Columbus. Estimates are notoriously prone to major corrections, so it's just problematic overall that there isn't any good data for 2018.

 

Agreed. For Cleveland, 2010 numbers might be fairly accurate for today. But for Columbus, it's already extremely outdated.

I think topography and land use certainly play a part in the differences in population density, but I don't think that's the whole story.

 

Another part of the story is that density's primary benefit is creating fertile ground for walkability. Which depends upon the distribution of businesses and services, and isn't measured by the Census.

I think topography and land use certainly play a part in the differences in population density, but I don't think that's the whole story.

 

Take a look at the total square miles that are considered to be part of these urban areas. Cleveland has a total population of 1,760,000 over 772 square miles for a population density of 2,300. Cincinnati has a total population of 1,675,000 over 788 square miles for a population density of 2,100. Columbus has a total population of 1,540,000 over 510 miles for a population density of 2,700.

 

With that in mind, I think another factor is that Cleveland and Cincinnati have low-density suburbs extending further from the urban core than what Columbus has which are still considered part of the urban area. This is likely due to the time in which the three cities saw population growth and also their proximity to other mid-sized cities. The Cleveland suburbs had the Akron suburbs to connect to, and the Cincinnati suburbs had the Dayton suburbs to connect to. Columbus didn't have another citiy's suburbs to connect to, so it grew fairly evenly in each direction until recently. We are now seeing the northern suburbs in Delaware County growing like crazy because it has Delaware to connect to, and we are also seeing the New Albany area grow eastward toward Granville/Newark.

 

I won't dispute this, but topography and land use are the primary reasons why this is the case. Cincinnati and Cleveland's suburbs extend further out because there is a lack of flat/appropriate land close in. When you have flat open land in any direction you can just develop it.