Fastest Growing Cities in Iowa (2007 Census Estimates) (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: neighborhood, school)

[ehenningsen]

Sunbelt type of growth is like 20% over a decade on average, some higher and some lower..

You guys have to remember something, with technology as it is, the small towns have very little chance of surviving whether on the plains or anywhere for that matter... The plains small town decline is more rapid because of the fact that there are no regional centers to commute too.. You will notice that within 150 miles of each metro area, the decline is substantially less than areas that are further away..

There is no reversing this trend, all you can do is provide regional centers for these people to move too..

Also Des Moines is growing at a much faster average than Kansas City to be quite frank, Des Moines may be on pace for a 25% growth rate, Kansas City and Omaha will have to settle for moderately above the national average for growth at near 15%

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by ehenningsen

Also Des Moines is growing at a much faster average than Kansas City to be quite frank, Des Moines may be on pace for a 25% growth rate, Kansas City and Omaha will have to settle for moderately above the national average for growth at near 15%

Once Des Moines extracts what it can from the dying rural areas around Iowa, that growth rate will eventually decelerate. While the general trend should continue for awhile, the amount of available rural population to siphon will become increasingly smaller with each passing year.

[ehenningsen]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

Once Des Moines extracts what it can from the dying rural areas around Iowa, that growth rate will eventually decelerate. While the general trend should continue for awhile, the amount of available rural population to siphon will become increasingly smaller with each passing year.

By then Des Moines will have over 2 million people...

When Des Moines gets close to 1 million people it hits a stage where it more and more becomes a national city..

Believe me, Des Moines is set for great growth for a long long time..

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by ehenningsen

By then Des Moines will have over 2 million people...

When Des Moines gets close to 1 million people it hits a stage where it more and more becomes a national city....

Des Moines at 2,000,000? What year does this happen?

[ehenningsen]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

Des Moines at 2,000,000? What year does this happen?

Well, Des Moines just passed 600,000 and it isn't all that far from 3 growing metro areas..

I see Des Moines as a well-established US metro in less than 30 years..

I predict that Des Moines will have over 1.3 million in 30-35 years.. Based off of growth, new counties being added to the metro and etc..

Heck, KC in 1980 has 960,000 (before the additional counties that were added and the estimates were later adjusted)

And Omaha had 585,000 in 1980 and 635,000 in 1990.. and now has 850,000.. Des Moines too will see more counties added including the Ames MSA not that far down the road..

heck, it may reach 2,000,000 in 30 years..

[mfrerkes]

2,000,000 in 30 years, huh?

So basically, watch out Phoenix and Las Vegas, because Des Moines is poised for 330% growth over the next three decades??? Interesting, even if it's not the slightest bit realistic.

[ehenningsen]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

2,000,000 in 30 years, huh?

So basically, watch out Phoenix and Las Vegas, because Des Moines is poised for 330% growth over the next three decades??? Interesting, even if it's not the slightest bit realistic.

The difference between Des Moines and Pheonix is that Pheonix has almost zero people outside of the metro versus cities like KC, Des Moines and OMaha which have many metros and counties that will be added in the future..

Phoenix is growing like crazy, but the fact of the matter is that the percentages of 15-25% is real growth, however, every ten years counties get added to the midwestern cities..

Omaha had three counties in 1973, four in 1983, five in 1993 and eight in 2003..

lincoln added a county in 2003 and des Moines added 3 counties in 2003.

Growth is percentages and county acquisition in growth too.

[ehenningsen]

Think about this, Des Moines had about 400,000 people in 1990? or was it a bit less than that, and then the three counties were added and now it is past 600,000 and will probably reach 650,000...

and after 2010 I guarentee that there will another county or two added and Des Moines will be pushed up to over 700,000 and if ames is added then maybe 800,000

[Jess5]

I think my relatives are about the only people who live in Fairfax.

[zz4guy]

Originally Posted by ehenningsen

Think about this, Des Moines had about 400,000 people in 1990? or was it a bit less than that, and then the three counties were added and now it is past 600,000 and will probably reach 650,000...

and after 2010 I guarentee that there will another county or two added and Des Moines will be pushed up to over 700,000 and if ames is added then maybe 800,000

And then DSM population = Omaha population and we can stop having silly pissing matches over who's town is better! I can't wait