all of the following cities were within 300K (many much closer) in size to South Bend [View all]

based off the last full Federal census (final figures released a month or 2 before (some even after) Pete was elected Mayor in 2011)

(South Bend was 101,168)

Atlanta was just over the cut off point of 300K larger or less at 420,003

so we have

Miami 399,457
Cleveland 396,815
Oakland 390,724
Minneapolis 382,578
New Orleans 343,829
Honolulu 337,256
Tampa 335,709
St. Louis 319,294
Pittsburgh 305,704

Cincinnati 296,943
Newark 277,140 (Booker BTW, was mayor for less time there than Buttigieg was of South Bend)
Buffalo 261,310
St. Petersburg 244,769
Orlando 238,300
Birmingham 212,237
Des Moines 203,433

Salt Lake City 186,440
Tallahassee 181,376
Providence 178,042
Fort Lauderdale 165,521
Kansas City KS 145,786
Dayton 141,527
Columbia SC 129,272
Hartford 124,775
Green Bay 104,057
Boulder 97,385


Also, the South Bend metropolitan combined statistical area is is 721,296 and was close to 1 million at it's peak in the mid 1960's (massive drop off due to the rust belt de-industrialisation coming in). It isn't like it is some sleepy country village area. That 720K is bigger than 5 STATES' entire populations were when he took office. 4 now, due to ND exploding a bit due to the oil drilling/fracking over the last 10, 15 years.