why are cities across the river from cities on a state line often

[freepcrusher]

get a bad rap?

Examples:
St Louis>East St Louis
Philadelphia>Camden
Omaha>Council Bluffs
Cincinnati>Covington
KCMO>KCK

Now obviously Council Bluffs and Covington are not the same as the other cities mentioned and are not particularly violent. But in those metro areas it has a sort of "wrong side of the river" feel to it and Council Bluffs is nicknamed Counciltucky. Vancouver, WA is not actually a bad place at all, but even that city has a reputation as being the redneck part of the Portland area.

[Bacon King]

NYC>Newark

[Boris]

Council Bluffs inexplicably gets a sh**tload of concerts. I have no idea why, since everyone who goes to these types of things is from Omaha/Lincoln and therefore has to drive. KCK might have the best barbecue joint in the country (disclaimer: never been to Texas), but otherwise seems pretty dumpy.

[Linus Van Pelt]

There was a thread about this topic (roughly) here:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=185510.0

Basically the answer is:

State lines cut up urban areas, making technical "suburbs" of what would have been inner city districts otherwise.

[Sol]

In the case of urban ones, it's often the case that they're equivalent to a more disadvantaged neighborhood of the city.

Also, exceptions:
-Arlington/Alexandria
-Cambridge
-Charlotte Burbs in SC
-Desoto County, MS

[dead0man]

I've spent the vast majority of my life in 2 of the examples...21 years in the StL area and 17 years in Omaha.  I was on the "wrong" side in St.Louis, though my city (Alton, Franzl is from there too) isn't the train wreck E.Stl is, it's not exactly a nice place.  I have no idea why this happens, but it's probably the "disadvantaged neighborhood" thing Sol mentioned.

[RI]

Lewiston and Clarkston are pretty similar. Vancouver, WA isn't a bad place.

[memphis]

1. You can add West Memphis, AR to the list of across the river dumps.
2. For whatever reason, people like boundaries that are mental just as much as physical. Train tracks often serve this purpose in my hometown. Highways also work like this sometimes. Even regular streets here and there.

[Simfan34]

Yes. Park Avenue's (and by extention, the Upper East Side's) abrupt "end" at 96th Street, where the Grand Central viaducts emerge, makes me chuckle every time I see it. You could be forgiven for thinking the Easy River was there. It's a bit sad though, you wonder what things could have been like if the whole thing had been buried in Manhattan.

[CatoMinor]

Iowa's side of the Quad Cities > Entire state of Illinois

[CountyTy90]

Iowa's side of the Quad Cities > Entire state of Illinois

Hahaha, this. But in all honesty, Davenport is quite nice.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

NYC>Newark

Newark doesn't border NYC or the Hudson River.

[KingSweden]

Lewiston and Clarkston are pretty similar. Vancouver, WA isn't a bad place.

Besides the populace's almost irrational hatred/fear/loathing of light rail and toll bridges, Vancouver is actually pretty sweet. The fort is awesome.