When asked to describe people in Denver, city residents favored adjectives like “intelligent,” “adventurous,” “charitable” and “eco-conscious,” according to a .
They stayed away from terms like “lazy,” “close-minded,” “shallow” and “rude.” Oh, and please don’t say “sophisticated.” That’s not a term respondents think fits Denver.
Residents of Boston and Washington, D.C., were the most likely to say the term “intelligent” applied to people who lived in those cities, at 46 percent. But Denver wasn’t far behind. About 43 percent of Denverites felt that term properly described the city’s residents.
And no other city of the 20 in the study was associated with the term “adventurous” as much as Denver. Forty-three percent of respondents thought the term fit the Mile High City. Next closest were Seattle and Portland at just under 30 percent.
While it may be tempting to assume people in every city were willing to toot their own horn, that wasn’t always the case. About a quarter of Miami residents described people’s attitudes as “selfish” and “shallow” and in Phoenix, a quarter were willing to use the term “close-minded” to describe their fellow residents.
And one in four New Yorkers and Philadelphians said “rude” properly described their compatriots.
Perception doesn’t always line up with reality. About 46 percent of those participating said “eco-conscious” was a good adjective for Denverites, even though the city has one of the worst recycling rates in the country. Not being rude here.
