WalletHub Study: 2014’s Metro Areas that Most and Least Resemble the U.S.

Have you ever wondered which cities bleed the most red, white and blue? The leading personal finance social network WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2014's Metro Areas that Most and Least Resemble the U.S.

Some families might wish to live in a city that resembles the U.S. in order to make it easier for their children to adapt to other parts of the country. Others may want to live in cities that are less representative of the U.S. in certain dimensions such as education standards or cultural variety. On the other hand, entrepreneurs can use the information to determine the most fertile ground for their business ideas.

To determine which cities mirror the United States more than others, WalletHub examined various demographical statistics for 366 of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. The data set includes 26 key metrics, among which are age, gender and income as well as household makeup and housing tenure. By studying these factors, we aim to help consumers identify the cities that best address their different priorities.

Metro Areas that Most Resemble the U.S. Metro Areas that Least Resemble the U.S.
1 Nashville, TN 357 El Centro, CA
2 Cincinnati, OH 358 Barnstable, MA
3 Indianapolis, IN 359 Laredo, TX
4 Charleston, SC 360 Johnstown, PA
5 Jacksonville, FL 361 Ames, IA
6 Greenville, SC 362 Yuma, AZ
7 Oklahoma, OK 363 Brownsville, TX
8 Phoenix, AZ 364 Altoona, PA
9 Albuquerque, NM 365 Boulder, CO
10 Winston-Salem, NC 366 McAllen, TX
Key Stats
In terms of gender, Albuquerque, N.M., most closely resembles the country. Hanford, Calif., has the least resemblance, with 24.7 percent less females than males.

In terms of age, Tulsa, Okla., most closely resembles the country. Provo-Orem, Utah, has the least resemblance, with 8.8 percent more residents who are between 20 to 24 years old.

In terms of race, Denver most closely resembles the country. Altoona, Pa., has the least resemblance, with 22.2 percent more residents in the white population bracket.

In terms of housing tenure, Las Cruces, N.M., most closely resembles the country. Los Angeles has the least resemblance, with 48.6 percent more renter-occupied housing units than owner-occupied housing units.
In terms of income, Detroit most closely resembles the country. Washington has the least resemblance, with 15.4 percent more earners in the $150,000 and over income bracket.
In terms of education, Greensboro, N.C., most closely resembles the country. Boulder, Colo., has the least resemblance, with 29.3 percent more people with a bachelor's degree or higher.
For the full report and to see where your city ranks, please visit:
http://wallethub.com/edu/metro-areas-that-most-and-least-resemble-the-us/6109/

Follow us at @AmericanNewsSer on Twitter
Facebook American-News-Service-dot-Org
www.AmericanNewsService.Org