Large Nebraskan towns/small cities growth

[Go Ne]

Sure, and I forgot Beatrice and South Sioux City too,
Fremont 25,174 to 25,353 (+.3%)
Beatrice 12,496 to 12,873 (+2.6%)
South Sioux City from 11,925 to 12,001 (+.2%)

If you wanted me too, I could also do Micropolitian Areas too, and maybe a Tri City CSA.

[SCGranny]

The question is, what KIND of growth is it?
People who are coming to town for jobs, people raising their standard/quality of life, people who are an active part of viable communities, people who are bringing children (or the possibility of them), people who are buying new homes with the ability to afford them, college students who are becoming part of the learning/working environment, people who are giving more business to local businesses, working citizens who become a part of the tax structure?

Or - people who are moving from the rural areas to the cities for more tax-paid services, or who are part of the drug culture, or who are dependent on handouts and government supplies, or who are either desperate to change their lifestyles and using the cities as a last resort, or who are determined to live their own lives as dependents of others? Are they developers who are taking advantage of tax breaks and incentives to build businesses that employ from a handful to a boatload, luring them to the cities with promises of an improved lifestyle and income - only to abandon those buildings and businesses when the tax breaks and incentives run their course, leaving the unemployed and the empty buildings in their wake as drains on the tax structure?

Not all growth is good.

[tpabes]

I would say, for the most part, the growth in these cities fit into the first category. There are those that fit into the second category, for sure, but the majority fit into the first category.

I was suprised Fremont wasn't more. To me it always seemed poised to grown with its proximity to West Omaha.

[Go Ne]

Well, maybe its because there are still so many towns in between Omaha and Fremont, like Valley Wahoo, Elkhorn and West Omaha itself that are so much more appealing.

[ehenningsen]

Originally Posted by Go Ne

Well, maybe its because there are still so many towns in between Omaha and Fremont, like Valley Wahoo, Elkhorn and West Omaha itself that are so much more appealing.

I think you nailed this one Go Ne! I lived in Fremont and believe me, the town is a bit on the loopy side.

[Chris19]

I have been to the Tri Cities, mainly Grand Island and Kearney, when going to Colorado or Las Vegas. I can see why Grand Island and Kearney are growing. Here are my guesses. Grand Island is a regional center and centrally located and Kearney is progressive and along the interestate (in addition to a decent-sized state university). Why is Hastings growing some? Just curious.

[Go Ne]

It also has a pretty good sized University.

[tpabes]

Actually Go_Ne, Hastings College has a smaller student population (I think last year is was just over 1100), but Hastings does have a large CCC campus also. If there is any reason for Hastings growth, I think its because they annexed the lochland area in the last few years, but I could be wrong on that.

[PaulaW]

ehenningsen ... I wonder what it was about your experience in Fremont that made it seem loopy? My family has been looking at houses there because we cannot believe the value of what we have seen online. Lots of square footage at a low price. However we do not know anything about the town.