Like all big cities, Chicago is constantly compared with its rivals. But how does it really stack up against the rest of urban America? To find out, we tapped into scores of data sources to see just how Chicago rates against the nine other most-populous metropolitan regions in the country. (According to the 1990 census, Chicago`s No. 3, behind Los Angeles and New York.) So whether you want to know how bad the crime really is here, how good-looking the people are, how bored of education the high school students are, or how many cellular phones are ringing, we`ve got the complete lowdown. And be prepared-there are lots of surprises:
Vital statistics
HEAD COUNT
Most-populous metropolitan areas, according to the 1990 U.S. census:
First: Los Angeles-8,863,164
Second: New York-8,546,846
Third: Chicago-6,069,074
Fourth: Philadelphia-4,856,881
Fifth: Detroit-4,382,299
Sixth: Washington-3,923,574
Seventh: Houston-3,301,937
Eighth: Atlanta-2,870,669
Ninth: Boston-2,833,511
Tenth: Dallas-2,553,362
SIZING UP
Total square miles within city limits:
Sprawlsville: Houston-579
Second: Los Angeles-470
Third: Dallas-378
Fourth: New York-314
Fifth: Chicago-228
Ninth: Washington-68
Tight quarters: Boston-47
SARDINE FACTOR
Population density per square mile in city:
First: New York-23,494
Second: Chicago-13,180
Third: Los Angeles-6,380
Fourth: Atlanta-3,244
Tenth: Dallas-2,715
GETTING HIGH
Number of 50-plus-story buildings in metro area:
New York-50
Chicago-24
Houston-11
Dallas-10
Los Angeles-10
Washington-0
ACTING OUR AGE
Average age of population in city:
New York-36.3 years
Philadelphia-34.6
Washington-34.3
Chicago-33.9
Los Angeles-33.9
Detroit-33.1
Houston-31.5
ACTING OUT
Members of the Screen Actors Guild as of December 1990:
First: Los Angeles-32,985
Second: New York-23,738
Third: Chicago-2,538
Fourth: Washington-1,128
Tenth: Houston-301
GETTING HITCHED:
Annual marriages per 1,000 population, metro area:
First: Dallas-11.8
Second: Houston-10.6
Fifth: New York-9.4
Sixth: Los Angeles-9.1
Seventh: Chicago-8.2
Tenth: Philadelphia-7.2
SPLITSVILLE
Annual divorces per 1,000 population, metro area:
First: Dallas-6.6
Second: Houston-6
Fourth: New York-4.4
Sixth: Los Angeles and Washington-4.1
Eighth: Chicago-3.8
Tenth: Boston-2.7
AND BABY MAKES 3.29
Average number of family members in city:
First: Los Angeles-3.38
Second: Chicago-3.29
Ninth: New York-3.16
Tenth: Atlanta-3.14
HOME SWEET SIDEWALK
Number of homeless living on the streets in city, according to 1990 census:
First: New York-10,447
Second: Los Angeles-3,109
Third: Chicago-1,584
Fourth: Philadelphia-1,069
Tenth: Atlanta-60
SEE SPOT`S HEADSTONE
Number of pet cemeteries in metro area:
First: New York-11
Second: Detroit-8
Third: Chicago and Dallas-6
Ninth: Los Angeles-3
The tail end: Philadelphia-2
Moving acts
BUMPER-TO-BUMPER BUMMER
The most congested cities, according to the Federal Highway Administration:
First: Los Angeles
Third: Washington
Fifth: Houston
Sixth: Atlanta
Ninth: New York
Twenty-fifth: Chicago
9 TO 5 (AND THEN SOME)
Average daily commute to and from work in metro area, according to the 1989 Places Rated Almanac:
New York-81 minutes
Washington-64.5
Chicago-63.8
Houston-58.5
Philadelphia-56.3
Atlanta-54.3
Los Angeles-53.5
Dallas-52.8
Boston-51.7
Detroit-51.3
SOBERING STATISTIC
Number of drunken-driving arrests by city police departments for 1989:
Atlanta-5,642
Chicago-4,295
Washington-3,258
Los Angeles-2,552
Philadelphia-2,229
Boston-992
How others see us
THE GOOD …
The best big cities in America, according to a 1989 Gallup poll:
First-New York
Third-Los Angeles
Eighth-Dallas
Ninth-Chicago
THE BAD …
The worst big cities in America, according to a 1989 Gallup poll:
First-New York
Second-Los Angeles
Third-Chicago
Fourth-Detroit
THE FRIENDLIEST …
The friendliest big cities in America, according to a 1989 Gallup poll:
First-Atlanta
Second-Dallas
Third-Los Angeles
Eighth-Chicago
Meanest-New York
NOBODY`S PERFECT
Cities with the most-attractive women:
First-Los Angeles
Second-New York
Fourth-Dallas
Fifth-Atlanta
Tenth-Chicago
Cities with the most-attractive men:
First-Los Angeles
Second-New York
Fourth-Dallas
Fifth-Atlanta
Eighth-Chicago
AND NO WONDER
The Top 5 cities in number of cosmetic surgeons:
Los Angeles-289
New York-271
Houston-119
Philadelphia-108
Chicago-106
Weather watch
NOW THEY TELL US
Overall climate ranking, according to 1989 Places Rated Almanac (333 U.S. cities rated):
Los Angeles-fifth (San Francisco-Oakland rated No. 1)
Atlanta-24th
New York-44th
Washington-51st
Philadelphia-52nd
Boston-56th
Dallas-161st
Detroit-176th
Chicago-211th
Houston-290th
SUN SPOTTING
Clear days per year:
Los Angeles-186
Dallas-138
Atlanta-108
New York-107
Washington-101
Chicago-94
Cloudy days per year:
Detroit-180 days
Chicago-168
Houston-162
Boston and Philadelphia-160
Los Angeles-107
IT`S A BREEZE
No, Chicago isn`t the windiest city. Here are some average annual wind speeds: Blown away: Boston-12.4 m.p.h.
Second: Dallas-10.8
Third: Detroit-10.3
Fourth: Chicago-10.2
Calmest: Los Angeles-6.2
CHOKED UP
Average number of days per year in which air in metro area exceeds national air-quality standards for ozone:
First: Los Angeles-145.4
Second: Chicago-21.2
Third: New York-18
Eighth: Washington-8.3
Ninth: Dallas-5.8
Tenth: Detroit-3.3
SNEEZE `N` WHEEZE
Ragweed pollen index (anything higher than 10 spells discomfort):
Achoo!: Dallas-115
Second: Houston-68
Third: Chicago-62
Fourth: Detroit-59
Nothing to sneeze at: Los Angeles-0.5
