Census data is already in for a couple of dozen states, and already blogs are starting to speculate about their lessons for American cities. Some commentators look at the continued decline of Rust Belt cities like Chicago and St. Louis, and suggest that suburban sprawl continues (and will forever continue) unabated. But reality is not quite so simple.
2010 Census
The Second Coming of Marked-Down Detroit
The 2010 Census reveals that Detroit's population is approaching the 1910's level. Of the City's 714,000 residents, 83% are black and nearly 40% live in poverty. With virtually every statistic going against its favor, can Motown make a comeback?
The Economist
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All That Glitters in Provincetown, Mass.
With same-sex couples coming out in record-breaking number on the 2010 Census, West Hollywood and San Francisco are dethroned as the meccas of gay cities - at least for those who chose to settle down.
The New York Times
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Minorities Transform Metro Areas, Inch Closer to Majority
Minorities comprise in 2010 more than half the population in 22 of the largest metro areas in and 98 percent population growth in large metro areas from 2000 to 2010, a recent report by The Brookings Institute shows.
The Brookings Institution
Minorities Move Up Social Ladder, Stay in Poorer Neighborhoods
A new study shows how even as minorities move up the social ladder, they tend to live in poorer neighborhoods, reports Joanna Lin for California Watch.
California Watch
McMansion No More
2010 Census offers telling evidence of America's shifting demographics. Diana Olick of CNBC contextualizes the new U.S. household data in terms of real estate development.
CNBC
Federal Funds on the Line as Cities Challenge Census Results
The U.S. Conference of Mayors expect the number of challenges to be higher than the 1,200 challenges filed for the 2000 Census because regions claimed to have received low population counts.
Associated Press
Graying of the Suburban Image
The 2010 Census showed that the baby-boom generation led to the growth of older populations settling in suburbs, which is causing local governments to rethink whom their services should cater to.
The Washington Post
The Fastest-Growing City in the U.S.
Would you believe its Olive Branch, Mississippi? Since 1990, the Memphis suburb has grown an astonishing 838 percent.
The Commercial Appeal
Detroit Census Confirms Unprecedented Desertion
Detroit's population plunged by 25% over the last decade, according to census figures - the largest decline of any major city in American history.
New York Times
Dwindling Small Towns Fight Back
Census data shows that Lacrosse, WA (pop. 315) and other small, rural towns are getting smaller. Some blame the Conservation Reserve Program. But Lacrosse and many others aren't going quietly - they're fighting to hang on.
The Spokesman-Review
St. Louis Loses People to Exurbs
St. Louis is reeling from the news that it lost 29,000 residents, or 8%, of its population since 2000. Bi-annual population estimates had led many to believe the city had finally turned a corner. Meanwhile, exurban counties posted 30+ percent growth.
Streetsblog Network
Unusual Findings from Census 2010
Laurent Belsie takes a first look at some unexpected results from Tuesday's data release.
The Christian Science Monitor
New Study Reveals Poverty Growing Twice as Fast in Suburbs
A Brookings Study of census data finds that since 2000, the number of poor people in the suburbs jumped by 37.4% to 13 million and "the growth rate of suburban poverty is more than double that of cities."
Los Angeles Times
State Seeks 1.5 Million Missing People in 2010 Census
How many people live in California? The current count could be off by 1.5 million people, and a lot is riding on the results of the 2010 Census. Josh Stephens talks to planners and state leaders about the flaws in the Census and how they'll shape state policy.
Census a Challenge in Abandoned Neighborhoods
Cincinnati's Tract 16 is the neighborhood deemed hardest to count in Ohio by census takers. As the Enquirer puts it, "high numbers of abandoned buildings, low literacy rates and urban poverty make it a people-counting quagmire."
Cincinnati Enquirer
Small and Illegal Places Pose Challenge for Census Takers
Census takers in New York City will face the tough challenge of tracking down people living in often illegally-built and hard to find small rooms and apartments.
The New York Times
Count Trouble Foreseen As Census Approaches
The recession, the housing bust and the rise in immigrant populations are cited as some of the main challenges facing the U.S. Census Bureau as it prepares for its decennial count in April.
The Seattle Times
2010 Census Faces Foreclosure Challenges
The high amount of foreclosures is expected to make things tougher for Census officials as they prepare for 2010 Census enumeration.
The Associated Press
Census 2010: What's Happening Now and What To Expect
Mon, 07/20/2009 - 18:47
One of the interesting parts of my position at the Boston Metropolitan Area Planning Council over the past year has been working with U.S. Census Bureau surveys and data. Since last September, this work has included preparations to ensure the region is prepared for the 2010 Census.
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution to determine political representation, every planner knows the U.S. Census has become the single most important data source for studying American cities. The U.S. Census Bureau produces dozens of surveys, the Census held once every ten years is by far the most important. Many of the other surveys, as well as countless private sector studies and projections, depend on the decennial census numbers.
