Melanie MoralesEvery city in the world has distinctive features, of course. But sometimes, it’s fun to compare them to each other – because sooner or later, you’ll spot something in common!
Anyway, we got around to doing this at the Best in Edmonton office on one lazy afternoon. At first, we were just comparing Edmonton to other Canadian cities. But at some point, someone asked which US cities were most like our beloved city.
Well, it certainly got us thinking…
The American cities that share similarities with Edmonton are arguably Houston and Minneapolis. Edmonton is most comparable to these cities in terms of demographics, culture, climate, lifestyle, and general vibes.
Again, it’s best to remember that no two cities are exactly the same. However, there is certainly room for comparison between these three.
To see why we chose Houston and Minneapolis to compare Edmonton, let’s go over their similarities in detail!
Comparing Edmonton and Houston
Edmonton is often compared to Houston, just like how people compare Alberta to Texas. There are similarities in their economy, culture, diversity, and even some of their attractions.
One of the biggest similarities between Edmonton and Houston is seen in their economies. Both cities have strong industrial hubs and business centers and boast abundant sources of oil and cattle.
The two cities are also home to some of the largest shopping malls in North America.
The West Edmonton Mall has a total area of 5.3 million square feet, and it’s the largest shopping complex in Alberta.
Meanwhile,The Houston Galleria, with a total area of 2.4 million square feet, is the largest in Texas.
And when it comes to culture, Edmonton and Houston share common ground in their cowboy culture too!
Aside from that, yet another thing the cities have in common is that they have diverse racial demographics. You see, both are known to be ethnically diverse.
Based on Fox26 Houston‘s report, Houston ranked 9th as the most ethnically diverse city in the USA. Meanwhile, Edmonton is the third most diverse municipality in Alberta, according to the Business Council of Alberta.
Sourced data from Greater Houston Partnership also supports this claim because based on their report, 24.1% of Houston’s population are immigrants, while the Government of Canada states that 24% of the population in Edmonton are immigrants.
Apart from that, both cities are also significantly diverse in spoken language. Over 100 languages are spoken in Edmonton, while more than 145 languages are used and spoken in Houston.
Comparing Edmonton and Minneapolis
Another American city counterpart of Edmonton is Minneapolis – one of the twin cities of Minnesota. The two cities are similar in terms of climate, lifestyle, and attractions.
Both cities have a cozy downtown vibe despite being metropolitan cities. The cities feature overflowing natural attractions, amidst urban developments, including parks, lakes, and gardens.
In Edmonton, there are over 400 parks, 12 lakes, and 80 community gardens, while Minneapolis has 180 parks, 22 lakes, and 200 community gardens.
Besides that, both are home to famous rivers. Edmonton is home to the North Saskatchewan River, while Minneapolis is home to the Mississippi River.
When it comes to modern conveniences and attractions, Edmonton and Minneapolis are also pretty similar.
You see, just like Houston and Edmonton, Minneapolis is also where you can find one of North America’s largest shopping malls. The city is home to West Edmonton Mall’s sister company, Mall of America, which has a total area of 5.6 million square feet.
In terms of climate, we can say that the two cities also share similarities. The climate in Edmonton is humid continental, while in Minneapolis, the climate is hot-summer humid continental without a dry season.
Both cities experience extreme and unpredictable weather throughout the year. This means that summers can be extremely hot, and winters are harshly cold.
