Taking it further -- all that matters is proximity to trade routes. SF has (had) a port, and so it grew first. Jobs resulted. The effects were compounded over years.
Sacramento has a river. The river is why Sacramento is not Vacaville. Also, it was selected as the state capital (partially for the available and inexpensive land!), which has greatly accelerated its growth.
Sacramento is the fastest-growing city in CA. It's actually almost as populous as SF, though of course much less dense. And the job market is good, but the jobs are not the same kind as in SF (and fewer are applicable to the typical HN denizen).
I really don't know what you're going for here. Different places are different, for myriad reasons. It's not as one-dimensional as you seem to suggest.
Taking it further -- all that matters is proximity to trade routes. SF has (had) a port, and so it grew first. Jobs resulted. The effects were compounded over years.
Sacramento has a river. The river is why Sacramento is not Vacaville. Also, it was selected as the state capital (partially for the available and inexpensive land!), which has greatly accelerated its growth.
Sacramento is the fastest-growing city in CA. It's actually almost as populous as SF, though of course much less dense. And the job market is good, but the jobs are not the same kind as in SF (and fewer are applicable to the typical HN denizen).
I really don't know what you're going for here. Different places are different, for myriad reasons. It's not as one-dimensional as you seem to suggest.