I consider peers to be other metropolitan areas of similar size. We've become too global to limit ourselves to southern metros. Thus, I'd say Charlotte, Nashville, Hampton Roads, Milwaukee, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Richmond, New Orleans, Hartford, Raleigh, Birmingham, Buffalo, Salt Lake City, Grand Rapids, etc. Growth in a few of these communities (ex. Charlotte, Nashville, etc.) over the last 15 years may have some people believing they are no longer peers. However, I view it more as when you start to have quality growth and development, they represent how rapidly your atmosphere can transform over a decade or two. On the bottom side of that, you have Buffalo. A top 10 city and comparable with San Francisco a century ago, it's been in a pretty big free fall since 1950 and countless cities, including Jax, have passed it by.
Out of the list of cities mentioned above, Birmingham is the one I've recently visited, that I felt was on par with DT Jax's progress. But if one considers UAB and the Southside, then Birmingham is seeing more infill urban development as well.
