This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we released two episodes that highlight the overlooked power of mid-sized cities in driving balanced progress. Episode 377R featured a debate summarising Andrés Rodríguez-Pose and Jamie Griffiths’s 2021 paper on Developing intermediate cities, arguing for their efficiency in poverty reduction and national growth. Then, episode 378I brought in Remco Deelstra, strategic housing advisor for the Municipality of Leeuwarden, who shared views on reevaluating city functions, fostering economic vibes, and cultivating urban evolution. These discussions reveal how shifting focus from mega-cities to mids could create more equitable, vibrant places. They encourage a fresh look at urban scales and management.

Lesson 1: Mid-sized cities offer efficient poverty reduction and balanced growth

The debate in episode 377R challenges the mega-city focus, noting that intermediate cities (300,000 to 5 million people) reduce poverty more effectively – each new job lifts 5.74 people out of poverty, versus 1.01 in large metros. They attract nearly half of Fortune Global 500 firms while providing better quality of life, like Vienna’s top liveability rankings, avoiding mega-city dis-economies such as congestion and inequality. Deelstra in 378I complements this by stressing reevaluation: “We have to have the courage to leave some thoughts… is this how we wanted the city to function… or is there a better way?” He sees mids as pressure cookers for opportunities, balancing negatives like tensions with positives like new economies. The lesson? Prioritise mids for national strategies that spread prosperity without over-concentration, fostering inclusive progress.

Lesson 2: Business-friendly zoning unlocks mixed-use urban vitality

Episode 377R points to policy neglect hindering mids, like resource gaps from mega-city bias, but simple interventions could leverage their potential for specialisation and talent retention. Deelstra expands this in 378I with Japan’s zoning model: “The government has to send out a message. We’re business friendly… making zoning so simple… everybody has the right to start its own business at home.” This integrates breweries, offices, and retail into fabric, sparking a housing boom in Leeuwarden by abolishing parking norms. The key: Inclusive zoning creates vibrant, accessible marketplaces, turning mids into hubs where opportunities bloom without rigid separation.

Lesson 3: Cultivation over control allows natural urban evolution

The debate in 377R warns against diluting agglomeration by spreading resources thin, but mids’ scale enables efficient connections and innovation without mega-city stress. Deelstra in 378I advocates shifting “from control to cultivation“: “Opportunity… is that you change the way that you’re looking at the city but also managing… from control to cultivation.” He likens cities to meadows – over-mowing stifles growth; tactical urbanism adds value but needs balance across timescales. The lesson: Governments should facilitate, not dictate, letting cities heal and reinvent, as seen in North American recoveries, for resilient, organic development.

Lesson 4: Reevaluation counters outdated ideas for fresh opportunities

Episode 377R critiques mega-city primacy in places like Eastern Europe, where capitals grew fastest post-transition, but mids could better integrate regions and compete globally. Deelstra stresses courage in 378I: “Re-evaluating… better way amid climate, inequality, new economy.” He views cities as humanity’s progress manifest, urging mindset shifts to grab positives while mitigating negatives. The takeaway: Regular reassessment – like abolishing norms – ignites booms, turning challenges into catalysts for mids to thrive as free, opportunity-rich spaces.

Lesson 5: Attentive, kind communities strengthen city cores

The debate in 377R notes mids’ liveability magnets for skilled workers, fostering stability over mega-city friction, essential for long-term national budgets. Deelstra in 378I calls for attentiveness: “Being attentive to yourself, to the surroundings… in a kind way.” He sees cities as connectors, not zero-sum games, where caring actively builds cohesion. The lesson: Mids excel by nurturing inclusive mindsets, retaining talent through quality, and creating marketplaces where humanity flourishes beyond competition.

These five lessons form a call to action: harness mids’ efficiency for poverty reduction; simplify zoning for vitality; cultivate evolution over control; reevaluate for opportunities; and foster attentive communities. The 377R debate’s scale analysis pairs with Deelstra’s grounded optimism, showing mids as equitable engines.

What mid-sized strength inspires you?

Explore episodes 377R and 378I for more, then share below or on social media.

---

Next week we are investigating decentralised autonomous organisations – a.k.a. DAOs – for better urban management, with Adam Miller!

---

Share your thoughts – I’m at wtf4cities@gmail.com or @WTF4Cities on Twitter/X.

Subscribe to the What is The Future for Cities? podcast for more insights, and let’s keep exploring what’s next for our cities.