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So, it's not my imagination that a lot of people on these forums are saying they're moving to Columbia. The MSA population figures released a week or so ago have Columbia in the top 25 MSAs for the greatest positive migration both domestic and international.
Population Estimates (http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/CBSA-est2009-comp-chg.html - broken link)
Never mind that the downtown Columbia is up against the Congaree river with Lexington County starting on the opposite riverbank. This is the Columbia forum, and the geography of Columbia is why I was talking about MSAs and not counties.
Actually, looking at the numbers on the forums Charleston is first followed closely by Greenville. Not bad for a place with no government, large college, or tourism to help it grow or gain popularity.
MSA population growth (number of people, not growth percentage) in South Carolina From July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009: Columbia 12,172; Charleston 11, 997; Greenville 9,519; Spartanburg 6,276, Myrtle Beach 5,078; Anderson 1,964. I just copied these numbers straight off of my printout from the attached Census Bureau report.
Population Estimates (http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/CBSA-est2009-pop-chg.html - broken link)
It's ok; it's not the end of the world that Columbia gained more than any other MSA in the state. To talk about county growth in Columbia's case makes no sense because, as I stated before and have stated so many times, Lexington County starts on the opposite riverbank from downtown Columbia. Lexington is not nearly as large as Spartanburg or Anderson. If there were no Columbia, Lexington County would be very rural and would most likely be losing people. If there were no Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson would still each be an MSA.
MSA population growth (number of people, not growth percentage) in South Carolina From July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009: Columbia 12,172; Charleston 11, 997; Greenville 9,519; Spartanburg 6,276, Myrtle Beach 5,078; Anderson 1,964. I just copied these numbers straight off of my printout from the attached Census Bureau report.
Population Estimates (http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/CBSA-est2009-pop-chg.html - broken link)
It's ok; it's not the end of the world that Columbia gained more than any other MSA in the state. To talk about county growth in Columbia's case makes no sense because, as I stated before and have stated so many times, Lexington County starts on the opposite riverbank from downtown Columbia. Lexington is not nearly as large as Spartanburg or Anderson. If there were no Columbia, Lexington County would be very rural and would most likely be losing people. If there were no Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson would still each be an MSA.
Greenville msa was 624,715 July 1 2008 and 639,617 on July 1 2009! I'm not a math wiz, but that's over 14k+! Greenville county grew at almost 9k by itself! And more in 2008. So are telling me a county can outgrow its msa? Hmmm? Check county estimates for 2008 and 2009 and tell me how that makes sense? It doesn't. There is a dead cat somewhere.
Guys - we need to compare apples and oranges as much as possible. Compare the Greenville MSA to the Columbia MSA - that's about the only fair comparison. To single out Greenville vs. Richland Counties is an unfair comparison - Greenville County has the vast majority of the the Greenville MSA's suburban growth, whereas Columbia's is spread out over two counties - that's an accident of geography and not anyone's "fault". To leave out Lexington County in the analysis is sloppy.
One problem with the upstate is that MSA definititions seem to be more fluid between census periods, especially since there are lot more larger towns & cities that can be put together or pulled apart in different ways. Is it the Greenville MSA? The Greenville-Anderson MSA? The Greenville-Spartanburgh MSA? The I-85 corridor in the upstate has a lot of urban areas strung out along it, and so putting together MSA boundaries seems a bit more arbitrary than the Midlands, where there is a clear-cut central core. More outlying counties have been added recently (Fairfield, Kershaw, Calhoun, etc.), but the MSA is otherwise relatively stable boundary-wise. This is not to take away anything from Greenville as a city, county, or MSA, but just the reality of political and geographic boundaries.
Based on the data shared above, Greenville and Spartanburg counties alone gained more than the entire Columbia MSA.
Regional comparisons aside, I do not doubt the potential magnetism of our state's largest metropolitan areas. Each has experienced steady growth for more than a decade, including transplants from many other parts of the nation. Charleston has been a magnet city for quite a while thanks to its rich history and growing tourism industry. Greenville has steadily built a positive reputation by capitalizing on its attractive location and history of solid international business investment. Columbia has similarly built a positive reputation with the help of its large government partner and state university.
Let's face it, this state is fortunate to be located centrally between the colder North and hotter South. Additionally, many people have begun to look in this area because of higher taxes in the North and growing traffic in the South.
Why is it whenever Columbia outshines Greenville for whatever reason (population growth, income, education, etc...) do we have Greenville boosters tagging on information that isn't apart of the original topic? If you want to discuss the gain or size of Greenville's CSA, MSA, or county population discuss it in your own forum, stop hijacking the threads boosting your area. Are you guys scared that someone from outside of SC forum will actually read the discussion and accept what the rest of the nation has for the past 10 years now? Get over it Columbia at least according to the United States Government is the state's largest MSA. It's unbelievable.
Based on the data shared above, Greenville and Spartanburg counties alone gained more than the entire Columbia MSA.
Regional comparisons aside, I do not doubt the potential magnetism of our state's largest metropolitan areas. Each has experienced steady growth for more than a decade, including transplants from many other parts of the nation. Charleston has been a magnet city for quite a while thanks to its rich history and growing tourism industry. Greenville has steadily built a positive reputation by capitalizing on its attractive location and history of solid international business investment. Columbia has similarly built a positive reputation with the help of its large government partner and state university.
Let's face it, this state is fortunate to be located centrally between the colder North and hotter South. Additionally, many people have begun to look in this area because of higher taxes in the North and growing traffic in the South.
So one MSA plus the vast majority of a second MSA gained more people than the Columbia MSA. I started this topic because the Census Bureau just released their latest MSA figures. Counties bore me.
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