What are St. Louis and Minneapolis doing right that Pittsburgh isn't? (McKeesport: fit in, real estate)

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Seattle is quite a bit more impressive than St. Paul or Minneapolis. Seattle is a growing city for not the same reasons. In fact, the entire Pacific Northwest is largely growing. Actually, unless I'm mistaken, the city of Minneapolis lost population from 2000 to 2005.

Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to draw any particular analogies between Minneapolis and Seattle. I was just noting there are no cities of a comparable size in the very large area between Minneapolis and Seattle, unless you go as far south as Denver.

[guylocke]

I was just noting there are no cities of a comparable size in the very large area between Minneapolis and Seattle, unless you go as far south as Denver.

True dat! Yeah, until you get to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland) there is NOTHING. lol.

[Katarina Witt]

The Minneapolis metro has been losing population since about 2001. Not huge amts, but still a loss. Still more births than deaths, though. That is a good sign.

It is 400 miles from Chicago, 337 from Milwaukee, 378 from Omaha. So it's not as isolated as it sounds.

[guylocke]

Still more births than deaths, though. That is a good sign.

Is it...... ? No, really, I'm not sure, you can tell me. But wouldn't that be more alarming if a city had more births than deaths but was still losing population?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by guylocke

Is it...... ? No, really, I'm not sure, you can tell me. But wouldn't that be more alarming if a city had more births than deaths but was still losing population?

Well, I think it's a good thing. It means it doesn't have a huge elderly population, like Pittsburgh does. Only about half of Pittsburgh's population loss is due to deaths > births.

Pittsburgh, PA MSA Population and Components of Change

[guylocke]

Well, I think it's a good thing. It means it doesn't have a huge elderly population, like Pittsburgh does.

LOL. We all know all about the demographics of Pittsburgh, I didn't even mention Pittsburgh in my question. Can someone answer my question? I mean, Pittsburgh has a higher death rate than birth rate and we have been experiencing population loss, but at least it sort of makes sense. Tragic, but understandable. What is causing a place like Minneapolis to lose population while more people are being born?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by guylocke

LOL. We all know all about the demographics of Pittsburgh, I didn't even mention Pittsburgh in my question. Can someone answer my question?

It means it has a good size population of women of childbearing age, relative to the elderly population. The kind of people who are working and keeping a place going. You can look up other cities with that link, too.

[BrianTH]

This is just a guess, but given the relatively low average age, I would assume a good number of retiree-age people have been moving from Minneapolis to Sun Belt cities.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

This is just a guess, but given the relatively low average age, I would assume a good number of retiree-age people have been moving from Minneapolis to Sun Belt cities.

Lots go to Arizona to get away from the cold. Might account for some of the pop. loss.

[BrianTH]

I just checked the link above, and it appears the MSA has actually been growing:

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA) Population and Components of Change

So, if the city proper is losing population, that also suggests migration to the suburbs.