Mayberry, the fictional community at the center of the iconic sitcoms "The Andy Griffith Show," had 5,360 residents, according to an Atlanta Journal Constitution article.
With a population of 799,232, the Dayton metropolitan area is the fourth largest in the nation's 7th most populous state, according to the State of Ohio.
It is behind Cleveland (2,077,240), Columbus (1,901,974) and Cincinnati (1,675, 406).
Numbers aren’t everything, and sometimes not being the biggest makes you feel like the smallest.
So how ‘big’ is Dayton?
Below are responses some of my Facebook friends left on a post about the topic.
David B. Sparks — "55 square miles."
Scott Elliott — "Lived in Indy now three years after 25 in Dayton. Biggest advantage of a bigger city is more commerce and better leadership across the board. But I'd second most of the positive sentiments about Dayton - great location, friendly people, cool history, lots of community assets… I grew up in NJ and now live in Indiana but Dayton has always felt most like home to me."
Bill Abbott — Bigger than a breadbox
A.J. Wagner — "I came from a small town of about 10,000. When I drove into Dayton I was in the big city. Now I look at it as home, and its size doesn't matter so much as its people and their warmth."
Darrell McKinney — Perfect size city. The access to other bigger cities in 90 minutes, the 75/70 /675/ interchange gives you the perfect day trip opportunities for sports & arts through Ohio,Indiana & Kentucky.
E Ryan Roth — " I'd call it a miniopolis."
Anthony Shoemaker — "Medium size city. In 8 states, Dayton would be the largest city. The Dayton metro area would be the largest in about 16 states. We're bigger than we think we are…
… some people around here have the attitude they live in some podunk small town. People here need higher self-esteem about the region.”
Cathy Mong — "Big enough to think it's something but small enough to be whatever anyone wants it to be."
Theresa Gasper — "I often think the best thing we could do to advance Dayton is to send all the natives who have never left town on a road trip so they have something to compare.
I’ve had the opportunity to travel a fair amount and what I’ve learned is there is no place else I’d rather live. Plus the cost of living here is so affordable that less money goes to living expenses freeing up more to use for travel….
More than that, the “movers and shakers” here are accessible. How many have shared an impromptu beer with (then) Mayor Leitzell? How easy would that be with Bloomberg in NYC or Emanuel in Chicago?”
Gina Jones — "Big enough that you might not know everyone but small enough to play 6 degrees of separation."
Lwv Dayton OH — "Coming from Chicago, obviously bigger and flashier, but I prefer Dayton. Where else can you chat with the mayor on a street corner or run into your county treasurer or county commissioner in any local restaurant? Or the editor of your local newspaper or their spouse at a candidate event? Having a say in your community is easier. People care about this city. That is what makes it bigger with a brighter future."
William Kirkpatrick Autrey — "Big enough to have a functioning downtown scene, but small enough to still NOT be accurately depicted in the world of Hollywood cinema."
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