Cincinnati is now the largest metropolitan in Ohio, according to the latest census numbers. It's nice to have statistical backing, as I always tell detractors of our city that the influence of our region is as large as it ever has been [note: Cincy is the 24th largest metropolitan area of our country]. This statistic is enlightening, but also frustrating. Citizens of neighboring counties benefit from being in the vicinity of the city, yet are quick to criticize the ills of the city itself. I've noted before that there is great benefit to living just outside an urban area because you can take advantage of all the good things city offer while never really having to deal with the problems that accompany it. That's why I always laugh when I read letters to the editor in the Enquirer criticizing things like the city's streetcar proposal, only to see a "Morrow" or "Villa Hills" locale attached to the letter.
I know this seems to be a consistent topic for me lately [the relationship between the city and the 'burbs] but it's an issue with many prejudices [not necessarily racial] attached to it; both urbanites and suburbanites need to wrestle with the way we view this relationship. The better we understand those nuances, the better our region will be.