Historical St Louis population decline

[SouthCityResident]

Originally Posted by stlcitygirl

Sorry, I don't think you know what you are talking about. Much of the inner ring has improved drastically in the last 10 years. Soulard, Lafayette Square, Benton Park, Lasalle Park, Tower Grove South, Shaw, Southwest Gardens, Central West End are all great neighborhoods. My neighborhood, Fox Park looks light night and day different than even just 5 years ago. The city has increased in population. Just in my particular case, we moved in from the county 3 years ago, all our other friends followed suit, we only have one couple left in O'Fallon. I am on the board of my neighborhood so I see new people moving in all the time, professionals, young families and empty nesters are moving in from the county and other cities around the country. You sound like my mother in law, she has lived in St Charles most of her life, the only thing she knows about the city is what she hear from her other teachers and media, when she actually knows nothing. That is the one thing that I hate about this area, the older generation that fled for the suburbs, will always have a preconceived notion about the city. Young professionals want to have a strong urban core, they don't want to live and work in the burbs. The entire region needs to be behind the city growth and improvements.

I am so glad you told jules1966 that he/she doesn't know what they are talking about! I live in McKinnely Heights (historic neighborhood south of Lafayette Square and West of Soulard) and the area is wonderful! I have been here going on 6 years! The entire 6 years, I have seen progression in the neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods! I was just complaining to my boyfriend about how my brother-in-law thinks that the "city" is so bad, etc...and he sent me a snippet of your post! Just wanted to get on here and say thanks for reminding people that the city is coming back and it is what the people in it, make it!

[ktCakes]

College students are not counted as residents. That's a ridiculous statement. If that were true the population of towns like Madison and South Bend would be double.

[1greatcity]

^Not true. The US Census Bureau states that college students who go away to school are counted as residents of where they are living in while in college. For example, a Chicagoan living in the city of St Louis while attending SLU is counted as a resident of St Louis city. Here's the exact wording from www.census.gov:


STUDENTS

1. Boarding school students - Counted at their parental home rather than at the boarding school.
2. College students living away from home while attending college - Counted where they are living at college.
3. College students living at their parental home while attending college - Counted at their parental home

(Back to my comments...)
So, ALL college students living in the city of St Louis are city residents, regardless of where they may be originally from.
However, the proportion of students attending SLU and Harris Stowe who come here from other states is not that significant-- and certainly not the sole explanation for the recent increases in St Louis city population.

[billiken]

SLU is about 60% out of state. There's about 8,000 students, but the people who graduate are constantly being replaced by incoming freshmen, so the population from students stays pretty steady.

[ktCakes]

huh. when I filled out census forms when in college it said to use my permanent address. Which was my home address, not my dorm address. Tax-wise to college kids pay city tax on wages? Do they list their college address on their tax forms?

[billiken]

I listed my IL address on tax forms, but still paid city wage tax, since I worked in the city...

[Brickmama]

Originally Posted by jules1966

This is not true! The increase of population is due to the colleges getting bigger. People are still leaving St Louis at a fast rate. The best neighborhoods left now are the ones closest to the county. The rest of St Louis has steady declined over the years with the exception of Dowtown. which is actually getting a bit nicer. And i think thats also due to college students! IMHO

Translation...I have no idea what I am talking about. Its a shame you are missing out on some great things going on in the city.

Yeah I would definatly look downtown if I were you. Lots of cool spaces and gaining residents every year,