Data Study · 4 min read
Beyond the Biggest Cities: Who Lives Near Downtown in the Next 25 US Metros
Published October 20, 2026 by the Demografics team
Our first downtown study covered the principal cities of the 25 largest US metros. Many retail and franchise expansions, though, target the next tier: metros of roughly one to two and a half million people, where rents are lower and competition is often thinner. This study applies exactly the same method to the principal cities of the 26th to 50th largest metros.
The typical downtown in this group is smaller and less dense than in the top 25. The median 3-mile population is 131,476, against 190,393 in the largest metros, and the median density is 4,650 residents per square mile against 6,734. Incomes are lower too: a median of $54,990 compared with $84,412.
How we measured
We drew a 3-mile radius around City Hall in each city and combined US Census American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 data for the census tracts inside it. Each city is measured from its City Hall at its street address. Pittsburgh's address (414 Grant Street) is shared by the City-County Building and the Allegheny County Courthouse. Virginia Beach City Hall is in the Municipal Center, about 8 miles from the oceanfront, so its circle describes that area rather than a traditional downtown. Trade-area figures combine every 2020 census tract whose internal point lies inside the radius. Counts are summed; the median household income and median age of an area are household- and population-weighted averages of the tract medians, a standard approximation. ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error, so small differences between places should not be over-read.
| City | Population | Median household income | Median age | Renter-occupied homes | Residents per sq mi | Largest industry of residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | 258,194 | $111,745 | 35.0 | 60% | 9,132 | Professional, Scientific & Admin Services (19.6%) |
| Providence, RI | 218,776 | $64,885 | 33.5 | 59% | 7,738 | Education & Health Care (29.4%) |
| Milwaukee, WI | 185,924 | $47,541 | 30.2 | 75% | 6,576 | Education & Health Care (24.9%) |
| New Orleans, LA | 181,318 | $58,920 | 38.6 | 58% | 6,413 | Education & Health Care (26.3%) |
| Austin, TX | 168,597 | $91,676 | 32.3 | 68% | 5,963 | Professional, Scientific & Admin Services (25.4%) |
| Las Vegas, NV | 165,929 | $44,189 | 36.1 | 68% | 5,869 | Arts, Hospitality & Food Services (25.9%) |
| Hartford, CT | 153,229 | $50,759 | 35.1 | 70% | 5,419 | Education & Health Care (27.1%) |
| Sacramento, CA | 151,039 | $87,091 | 36.6 | 59% | 5,342 | Education & Health Care (23.7%) |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 151,008 | $57,007 | 34.1 | 57% | 5,341 | Education & Health Care (29.9%) |
| Richmond, VA | 141,297 | $56,512 | 33.8 | 63% | 4,997 | Education & Health Care (24.4%) |
| Columbus, OH | 139,237 | $61,596 | 30.3 | 70% | 4,925 | Education & Health Care (26.5%) |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 135,452 | $66,812 | 33.0 | 59% | 4,791 | Education & Health Care (25.9%) |
| Cincinnati, OH | 131,476 | $52,465 | 32.7 | 67% | 4,650 | Education & Health Care (22.5%) |
| Nashville, TN | 113,541 | $68,678 | 30.5 | 68% | 4,016 | Education & Health Care (26.4%) |
| Louisville, KY | 107,132 | $44,746 | 35.6 | 63% | 3,789 | Education & Health Care (25.4%) |
| Indianapolis, IN | 107,067 | $54,990 | 33.4 | 58% | 3,787 | Education & Health Care (21.7%) |
| Buffalo, NY | 105,787 | $47,120 | 34.8 | 65% | 3,741 | Education & Health Care (29.8%) |
| Raleigh, NC | 105,429 | $69,574 | 32.0 | 59% | 3,729 | Education & Health Care (21%) |
| Kansas City, MO | 85,117 | $51,087 | 33.8 | 68% | 3,010 | Education & Health Care (19.7%) |
| Jacksonville, FL | 78,313 | $48,806 | 38.4 | 60% | 2,770 | Education & Health Care (22.7%) |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 76,924 | $50,811 | 32.5 | 59% | 2,721 | Education & Health Care (18.3%) |
| Cleveland, OH | 71,166 | $42,320 | 33.0 | 77% | 2,517 | Education & Health Care (27%) |
| Birmingham, AL | 67,720 | $44,157 | 36.5 | 62% | 2,395 | Education & Health Care (31.3%) |
| Memphis, TN | 59,551 | $53,535 | 36.2 | 70% | 2,106 | Education & Health Care (28.7%) |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 27,818 | $114,508 | 38.8 | 8% | 984 | Education & Health Care (25.5%) |
How the two tiers compare
| Measure | Top 25 metros | Metros 26–50 |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 190,393 | 131,476 |
| Residents per sq mi | 6,734 | 4,650 |
| Median household income | $84,412 | $54,990 |
| Renter-occupied homes | 65% | 63% |
| Median age | 34.8 | 33.8 |
Renters still dominate: 24 of the 25 downtowns in this tier have more renter-occupied than owner-occupied homes within 3 miles, led by Cleveland (77%), Milwaukee (75%) and Hartford (70%). The highest downtown incomes are in Virginia Beach, VA ($114,508), San Jose, CA ($111,745) and Austin, TX ($91,676); the lowest are in Cleveland, OH ($42,320), Birmingham, AL ($44,157) and Las Vegas, NV ($44,189).
What this means for expansion
- Smaller downtown populations mean a store in these cities usually draws from a wider area than the 3-mile circle; check the 5-mile figures for any specific site.
- Lower density favors drive-to formats over walk-in ones. A concept that relies on foot traffic in New York or Chicago may need a different site type here.
- Lower incomes are partly offset by lower costs. These figures do not include rents or wages, which also tend to be lower in mid-size metros.
- Run the exact address before deciding: downtown edges, rivers and highways make every circle different.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2018–2022 (tables B01001, B01002, B01003, B11001, B19001, B19013, B25003, C24050).
- U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb 2020 census tract boundaries (used to find the tracts inside each trade radius).
More data studies
- Who Lives Within 3 Miles of Downtown? Census Profiles of 25 Major US Cities
- 1, 3 or 5 Miles? How a Trade Radius Changes the Picture in 25 US Downtowns
- Is Downtown Richer or Poorer Than the Metro? Income in 25 US Cities Compared
- Where Young Adults Live: The 18–34 Share in the 50 Largest US Metros and 25 Downtowns