Pittsburgh now #60 is city proper population (Clark: 2010, apartments, lofts)

[nuwaver88]

Pittsburgh dips to 60th in population among U.S. cities - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh is not losing population as rapidly as it once was in the city proper, but the trend continues. This trend is expected to change in the next decade. We will need more jobs, of course, and quality housing that is affordable. We have the latter, to some degree, but it would be nice to see more lofts, condos, and apartments built in our great neighborhoods that recent college grads can afford, if they can get a job.

[BrianTH]

As an aside, I think there is decent reason to suspect the Census population estimates for Pittsburgh are off a bit (due to a complex methodological issue with how the Census estimates populations for subcounty places).

But in any event, I agree about housing. I specifically think it is great that there are lots of loft/condo/apartment projects in the pipeline for the Greater Downtown area, which is a natural place for young people to start out in the City, particularly if they are also working in the Greater Downtown area.

[AaronClark]

Only lost 1k people! Sounds ridiculous to be happy about something like that, but compared to what Pittsburgh has experienced in the past, that's definitely going the right direction. Hope this keeps up. I'd love to be surprised by the 2010 census. I think there's a good chance we actually might be, too.

[bradjl2009]

I really think the city should question the Census' estimates. They are working from how the country was around 2000 and are just making some slight changes IMO. Hell they should have been questioning the estimates for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if the population for Allegheny County and Pittsburgh are a little higher than what the estimates are saying with the current recession.

[Katiana]

Well, next year will be the real count.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

I really think the city should question the Census' estimates. They are working from how the country was around 2000 and are just making some slight changes IMO.

I agree the Census estimate methodology is flawed as applied to the City, but the basic problem is that there is no real substitute for an actual Census, meaning any estimation procedure is going to have some sort of flaws as applied to at least some places.

Oh well. At least we are getting an actual Census soon, and I am particularly interested to see some of the neighborhood results.

[AaronClark]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

At least we are getting an actual Census soon, and I am particularly interested to see some of the neighborhood results.

Me too. I'm going to be geeking out pretty hard when the statistics are finally released. My prediction: Pittsburgh metro holds steady in population and the drain stops. Some suburbs lose, the city may post a tiny gain and certain suburbs will show actual evidence of developing into ethnic parts of the metro...specifically Latinos in the inner ring south hills and Indians in the west.

[Hopes]

Perhaps off-topic, but I hate when the term 'proper' is used to describe a city area.

[Katiana]

^^Generally it refers to the city limits.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by AaronClark

My prediction: Pittsburgh metro holds steady in population and the drain stops. Some suburbs lose, the city may post a tiny gain and certain suburbs will show actual evidence of developing into ethnic parts of the metro...specifically Latinos in the inner ring south hills and Indians in the west.

Even as of the last Census, what the Census defined as Pittsburgh's "urbanized area" (basically the City and close suburbs) actually increased in population--it was the rural and small town parts of the metro area that lost population, and obviously they lost enough to make the whole metro area net out to a population loss. I would expect that overall pattern to continue, so unfortunately I think the whole metro area may be down again since 2000. But I also think the urbanized area is likely to have continued its population growth, and in fact I suspect even the metro area is now pretty stable (as of 2009)--it is just the losses earlier in the decade that I think may still show up in the topline numbers.

I think your suggestion of looking for emerging ethnic enclaves is a good one. I'm also going to try to track changes in young adults and young families--I suspect some neighborhoods are going through a little boom in those brackets, and indeed I think that will end up contributing significantly to any underestimation of the City population (assuming that is true).