What are these?

[CamKing]

Thank you for the post David. Most do not understand. But the rest of the world is following our model (USA). 100 years ago we were a rural nation. We are now an urban/suburban nation. The world is following.

But here in the US, we are now leaving the cities. Urban populations are shrinking. Businesses are fleeing the big cities, for less restrictive counties. We're moving into the suburbs, and rural areas.

[David Redszus]

Following is a list from the Census Bureau showing the numerical and percentage change of the top 280 metropolitan areas from 1990 to 2000. It clearly shows that metropolitan areas are growing much faster than the general population and of rural areas. Much growth is to be found not within cities but within their suburbs where, logically, there is space to develop housing. New census data, showing the latest population trends will not be available until the 2010 census results are published.

While some larger metro areas do not show impressive growth numbers measured as a percentage, they do show very large increases in population in sheer number. Smaller metro areas typically show both a small real growth number and a more modest percentage growth.

Rank Metropolitan Area Name Census Population Change, 1990 to 2000
April 1, 2000 April 1, 1990 Number Percent
1 Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, CA CMSA 16,373,645 14,531,529 1,842,116 12.7%
2 New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island, NY--NJ--CT--PA CMSA 21,199,865 19,549,649 1,650,216 8.4%
3 Dallas--Fort Worth, TX CMSA 5,221,801 4,037,282 1,184,519 29.3%
4 Atlanta, GA MSA 4,112,198 2,959,950 1,152,248 38.9%
5 Phoenix--Mesa, AZ MSA 3,251,876 2,238,480 1,013,396 45.3%
6 Houston--Galveston--Brazoria, TX CMSA 4,669,571 3,731,131 938,440 25.2%
7 Chicago--Gary--Kenosha, IL--IN--WI CMSA 9,157,540 8,239,820 917,720 11.1%
8 Washington--Baltimore, DC--MD--VA--WV CMSA 7,608,070 6,727,050 881,020 13.1%
9 San Francisco--Oakland--San Jose, CA CMSA 7,039,362 6,253,311 786,051 12.6%
10 Las Vegas, NV--AZ MSA 1,563,282 852,737 710,545 83.3%
11 Miami--Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA 3,876,380 3,192,582 683,798 21.4%
12 Denver--Boulder--Greeley, CO CMSA 2,581,506 1,980,140 601,366 30.4%
13 Seattle--Tacoma--Bremerton, WA CMSA 3,554,760 2,970,328 584,432 19.7%
14 Portland--Salem, OR--WA CMSA 2,265,223 1,793,476 471,747 26.3%
15 Minneapolis--St. Paul, MN--WI MSA 2,968,806 2,538,834 429,972 16.9%
16 Orlando, FL MSA 1,644,561 1,224,852 419,709 34.3%
17 Austin--San Marcos, TX MSA 1,249,763 846,227 403,536 47.7%
18 Boston--Worcester--Lawrence, MA--NH--ME--CT CMSA 5,819,100 5,455,403 363,697 6.7%
19 Charlotte--Gastonia--Rock Hill, NC--SC MSA 1,499,293 1,162,093 337,200 29.0%
20 Raleigh--Durham--Chapel Hill, NC MSA 1,187,941 855,545 332,396 38.9%
21 Tampa--St. Petersburg--Clearwater, FL MSA 2,395,997 2,067,959 328,038 15.9%
22 San Diego, CA MSA 2,813,833 2,498,016 315,817 12.6%
23 Sacramento--Yolo, CA CMSA 1,796,857 1,481,102 315,755 21.3%
24 Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA--NJ--DE--MD CMSA 6,188,463 5,892,937 295,526 5.0%
25 Detroit--Ann Arbor--Flint, MI CMSA 5,456,428 5,187,171 269,257 5.2%
26 West Palm Beach--Boca Raton, FL MSA 1,131,184 863,518 267,666 31.0%
27 San Antonio, TX MSA 1,592,383 1,324,749 267,634 20.2%
28 Salt Lake City--Ogden, UT MSA 1,333,914 1,072,227 261,687 24.4%
29 Nashville, TN MSA 1,231,311 985,026 246,285 25.0%
30 Indianapolis, IN MSA 1,607,486 1,380,491 226,995 16.4%
31 Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA 1,251,509 1,050,304 201,205 19.2%
32 Columbus, OH MSA 1,540,157 1,345,450 194,707 14.5%
33 Jacksonville, FL MSA 1,100,491 906,727 193,764 21.4%
34 Kansas City, MO--KS MSA 1,776,062 1,582,875 193,187 12.2%
35 McAllen--Edinburg--Mission, TX MSA 569,463 383,545 185,918 48.5%
36 San Juan--Caguas--Arecibo, PR CMSA 2,450,292 2,270,808 179,484 7.9%
37 Tucson, AZ MSA 843,746 666,880 176,866 26.5%
38 Fresno, CA MSA 922,516 755,580 166,936 22.1%
39 Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH--KY--IN CMSA 1,979,202 1,817,571 161,631 8.9%
40 Grand Rapids--Muskegon--Holland, MI MSA 1,088,514 937,891 150,623 16.1%
41 Boise City, ID MSA 432,345 295,851 136,494 46.1%
42 Greenville--Spartanburg--Anderson, SC MSA 962,441 830,563 131,878 15.9%
43 Richmond--Petersburg, VA MSA 996,512 865,640 130,872 15.1%
44 Memphis, TN--AR--MS MSA 1,135,614 1,007,306 128,308 12.7%
45 Norfolk--Virginia Beach--Newport News, VA--NC MSA 1,569,541 1,443,244 126,297 8.8%
46 Oklahoma City, OK MSA 1,083,346 958,839 124,507 13.0%
47 Albuquerque, NM MSA 712,738 589,131 123,607 21.0%
48 Colorado Springs, CO MSA 516,929 397,014 119,915 30.2%
49 Bakersfield, CA MSA 661,645 543,477 118,168 21.7%
50 St. Louis, MO--IL MSA 2,603,607 2,492,525 111,082 4.5%
51 Fort Myers--Cape Coral, FL MSA 440,888 335,113 105,775 31.6%
52 Provo--Orem, UT MSA 368,536 263,590 104,946 39.8%
53 Knoxville, TN MSA 687,249 585,960 101,289 17.3%
54 Sarasota--Bradenton, FL MSA 589,959 489,483 100,476 20.5%
55 Fayetteville--Springdale--Rogers, AR MSA 311,121 210,908 100,213 47.5%
56 Naples, FL MSA 251,377 152,099 99,278 65.3%
57 Tulsa, OK MSA 803,235 708,954 94,281 13.3%
58 Daytona Beach, FL MSA 493,175 399,413 93,762 23.5%
59 El Paso, TX MSA 679,622 591,610 88,012 14.9%
60 Cleveland--Akron, OH CMSA 2,945,831 2,859,644 86,187 3.0%
61 Reno, NV MSA 339,486 254,667 84,819 33.3%
62 Columbia, SC MSA 536,691 453,331 83,360 18.4%
63 Stockton--Lodi, CA MSA 563,598 480,628 82,970 17.3%
64 Milwaukee--Racine, WI CMSA 1,689,572 1,607,183 82,389 5.1%
65 Birmingham, AL MSA 921,106 840,140 80,966 9.6%
66 Lakeland--Winter Haven, FL MSA 483,924 405,382 78,542 19.4%
67 Omaha, NE--IA MSA 716,998 639,580 77,418 12.1%
68 Melbourne--Titusville--Palm Bay, FL MSA 476,230 398,978 77,252 19.4%
69 Louisville, KY--IN MSA 1,025,598 948,829 76,769 8.1%
70 Modesto, CA MSA 446,997 370,522 76,475 20.6%
71 Brownsville--Harlingen--San Benito, TX MSA 335,227 260,120 75,107 28.9%
72 Baton Rouge, LA MSA 602,894 528,264 74,630 14.1%
73 Lexington, KY MSA 479,198 405,936 73,262 18.0%
74 Little Rock--North Little Rock, AR MSA 583,845 513,117 70,728 13.8%
75 Fort Pierce--Port St. Lucie, FL MSA 319,426 251,071 68,355 27.2%
76 Pensacola, FL MSA 412,153 344,406 67,747 19.7%
77 Fort Collins--Loveland, CO MSA 251,494 186,136 65,358 35.1%
78 Ocala, FL MSA 258,916 194,833 64,083 32.9%
79 Mobile, AL MSA 540,258 476,923 63,335 13.3%
80 Des Moines, IA MSA 456,022 392,928 63,094 16.1%
81 Augusta--Aiken, GA--SC MSA 477,441 415,184 62,257 15.0%
82 Wilmington, NC MSA 233,450 171,269 62,181 36.3%
83 Springfield, MO MSA 325,721 264,346 61,375 23.2%
84 Wichita, KS MSA 545,220 485,270 59,950 12.4%
85 Laredo, TX MSA 193,117 133,239 59,878 44.9%
86 Madison, WI MSA 426,526 367,085 59,441 16.2%
87 Killeen--Temple, TX MSA 312,952 255,301 57,651 22.6%
88 Spokane, WA MSA 417,939 361,364 56,575 15.7%
89 Visalia--Tulare--Porterville, CA MSA 368,021 311,921 56,100 18.0%
90 Providence--Fall River--Warwick, RI--MA MSA 1,188,613 1,134,350 54,263 4.8%
91 Yuma, AZ MSA 160,026 106,895 53,131 49.7%
92 Myrtle Beach, SC MSA 196,629 144,053 52,576 36.5%
93 New Orleans, LA MSA 1,337,726 1,285,270 52,456 4.1%
94 Biloxi--Gulfport--Pascagoula, MS MSA 363,988 312,368 51,620 16.5%
95 Tallahassee, FL MSA 284,539 233,598 50,941 21.8%
96 Hickory--Morganton--Lenoir, NC MSA 341,851 292,409 49,442 16.9%
97 Huntsville, AL MSA 342,376 293,047 49,329 16.8%
98 Lancaster, PA MSA 470,658 422,822 47,836 11.3%
99 Salinas, CA MSA 401,762 355,660 46,102 13.0%
100 Fort Wayne, IN MSA 502,141 456,281 45,860 10.1%
101 Jackson, MS MSA 440,801 395,396 45,405 11.5%
102 Johnson City--Kingsport--Bristol, TN--VA MSA 480,091 436,047 44,044 10.1%
103 Appleton--Oshkosh--Neenah, WI MSA 358,365 315,121 43,244 13.7%
104 Allentown--Bethlehem--Easton, PA MSA 637,958 595,081 42,877 7.2%
105 York, PA MSA 381,751 339,574 42,177 12.4%
106 Charleston--North Charleston, SC MSA 549,033 506,875 42,158 8.3%
107 Richland--Kennewick--Pasco, WA MSA 191,822 150,033 41,789 27.9%
108 Rockford, IL MSA 371,236 329,676 41,560 12.6%
109 Harrisburg--Lebanon--Carlisle, PA MSA 629,401 587,986 41,415 7.0%
110 Chattanooga, TN--GA MSA 465,161 424,347 40,814 9.6%
111 Lafayette, LA MSA 385,647 344,953 40,694 11.8%
112 Montgomery, AL MSA 333,055 292,517 40,538 13.9%
113 Eugene--Springfield, OR MSA 322,959 282,912 40,047 14.2%
114 Honolulu, HI MSA 876,156 836,231 39,925 4.8%
115 Las Cruces, NM MSA 174,682 135,510 39,172 28.9%
116 Bellingham, WA MSA 166,814 127,780 39,034 30.5%
117 Clarksville--Hopkinsville, TN--KY MSA 207,033 169,439 37,594 22.2%
118 Reading, PA MSA 373,638 336,523 37,115 11.0%
119 Lincoln, NE MSA 250,291 213,641 36,650 17.2%
120 Gainesville, FL MSA 217,955 181,596 36,359 20.0%
121 Rochester, NY MSA 1,098,201 1,062,470 35,731 3.4%
122 Savannah, GA MSA 293,000 258,060 34,940 13.5%
123 Medford--Ashland, OR MSA 181,269 146,389 34,880 23.8%
124 Asheville, NC MSA 225,965 191,774 34,191 17.8%
125 Anchorage, AK MSA 260,283 226,338 33,945 15.0%
126 Yakima, WA MSA 222,581 188,823 33,758 17.9%
127 Sioux Falls, SD MSA 172,412 139,236 33,176 23.8%
128 Green Bay, WI MSA 226,778 194,594 32,184 16.5%
129 Merced, CA MSA 210,554 178,403 32,151 18.0%
130 Macon, GA MSA 322,549 290,909 31,640 10.9%
131 Fort Smith, AR--OK MSA 207,290 175,911 31,379 17.8%
132 Corpus Christi, TX MSA 380,783 349,894 30,889 8.8%
133 Punta Gorda, FL MSA 141,627 110,975 30,652 27.6%
134 Santa Fe, NM MSA 147,635 117,043 30,592 26.1%
135 Bryan--College Station, TX MSA 152,415 121,862 30,553 25.1%
136 Amarillo, TX MSA 217,858 187,547 30,311 16.2%
137 Santa Barbara--Santa Maria--Lompoc, CA MSA 399,347 369,608 29,739 8.0%
138 San Luis Obispo--Atascadero--Paso Robles, CA MSA 246,681 217,162 29,519 13.6%
139 Charlottesville, VA MSA 159,576 131,107 28,469 21.7%
140 Fayetteville, NC MSA 302,963 274,566 28,397 10.3%
141 Auburn--Opelika, AL MSA 115,092 87,146 27,946 32.1%
142 Barnstable--Yarmouth, MA MSA 162,582 134,954 27,628 20.5%
143 Athens, GA MSA 153,444 126,262 27,182 21.5%
144 Fort Walton Beach, FL MSA 170,498 143,776 26,722 18.6%
145 Elkhart--Goshen, IN MSA 182,791 156,198 26,593 17.0%
146 Greenville, NC MSA 133,798 107,924 25,874 24.0%
147 Hartford, CT MSA 1,183,110 1,157,585 25,525 2.2%
148 Waco, TX MSA 213,517 189,123 24,394 12.9%
149 Beaumont--Port Arthur, TX MSA 385,090 361,226 23,864 6.6%
150 Kalamazoo--Battle Creek, MI MSA 452,851 429,453 23,398 5.4%
151 Tyler, TX MSA 174,706 151,309 23,397 15.5%
152 Grand Junction, CO MSA 116,255 93,145 23,110 24.8%
153 Columbia, MO MSA 135,454 112,379 23,075 20.5%
154 Cedar Rapids, IA MSA 191,701 168,767 22,934 13.6%
155 Portland, ME MSA 243,537 221,095 22,442 10.2%
156 Joplin, MO MSA 157,322 134,910 22,412 16.6%
157 Bloomington--Normal, IL MSA 150,433 129,180 21,253 16.5%
158 Lafayette, IN MSA 182,821 161,572 21,249 13.2%
159 Panama City, FL MSA 148,217 126,994 21,223 16.7%
160 Fargo--Moorhead, ND--MN MSA 174,367 153,296 21,071 13.7%
161 Chico--Paradise, CA MSA 203,171 182,120 21,051 11.6%
162 Lynchburg, VA MSA 214,911 193,928 20,983 10.8%
163 Flagstaff, AZ--UT MSA 122,366 101,760 20,606 20.2%
164 Lubbock, TX MSA 242,628 222,636 19,992 9.0%
165 South Bend, IN MSA 265,559 247,052 18,507 7.5%
166 Ponce, PR MSA 361,094 342,660 18,434 5.4%
167 Pueblo, CO MSA 141,472 123,051 18,421 15.0%
168 St. Cloud, MN MSA 167,392 148,976 18,416 12.4%
169 Aguadilla, PR MSA 146,424 128,172 18,252 14.2%
170 Lawrence, KS MSA 99,962 81,798 18,164 22.2%
171 Burlington, VT MSA 169,391 151,506 17,885 11.8%
172 Rochester, MN MSA 124,277 106,470 17,807 16.7%
173 Evansville--Henderson, IN--KY MSA 296,195 278,990 17,205 6.2%
174 Missoula, MT MSA 95,802 78,687 17,115 21.8%
175 Jackson, TN MSA 107,377 90,801 16,576 18.3%
176 Yuba City, CA MSA 139,149 122,643 16,506 13.5%
177 Redding, CA MSA 163,256 147,036 16,220 11.0%
178 Mayaguez, PR MSA 253,347 237,143 16,204 6.8%
179 Shreveport--Bossier City, LA MSA 392,302 376,330 15,972 4.2%
180 Billings, MT MSA 129,352 113,419 15,933 14.0%
181 Dover, DE MSA 126,697 110,993 15,704 14.1%
182 Sherman--Denison, TX MSA 110,595 95,021 15,574 16.4%
183 Lake Charles, LA MSA 183,577 168,134 15,443 9.2%
184 Lansing--East Lansing, MI MSA 447,728 432,674 15,054 3.5%
185 Longview--Marshall, TX MSA 208,780 193,801 14,979 7.7%
186 Iowa City, IA MSA 111,006 96,119 14,887 15.5%
187 Tuscaloosa, AL MSA 164,875 150,522 14,353 9.5%
188 Decatur, AL MSA 145,867 131,556 14,311 10.9%
189 Albany--Schenectady--Troy, NY MSA 875,583 861,424 14,159 1.6%
190 Columbus, GA--AL MSA 274,624 260,860 13,764 5.3%
191 Jonesboro, AR MSA 82,148 68,956 13,192 19.1%
192 Hattiesburg, MS MSA 111,674 98,738 12,936 13.1%
193 Canton--Massillon, OH MSA 406,934 394,106 12,828 3.3%
194 Janesville--Beloit, WI MSA 152,307 139,510 12,797 9.2%
195 State College, PA MSA 135,758 123,786 11,972 9.7%
196 Springfield, IL MSA 201,437 189,550 11,887 6.3%
197 Houma, LA MSA 194,477 182,842 11,635 6.4%
198 Florence, AL MSA 142,950 131,327 11,623 8.9%
199 Odessa--Midland, TX MSA 237,132 225,545 11,587 5.1%
200 Bloomington, IN MSA 120,563 108,978 11,585 10.6%
201 Roanoke, VA MSA 235,932 224,477 11,455 5.1%
202 Florence, SC MSA 125,761 114,344 11,417 10.0%
203 Bismarck, ND MSA 94,719 83,831 10,888 13.0%
204 Eau Claire, WI MSA 148,337 137,543 10,794 7.8%
205 La Crosse, WI--MN MSA 126,838 116,401 10,437 9.0%
206 Wausau, WI MSA 125,834 115,400 10,434 9.0%
207 Wichita Falls, TX MSA 140,518 130,351 10,167 7.8%
208 Rocky Mount, NC MSA 143,026 133,235 9,791 7.3%
209 Victoria, TX MSA 84,088 74,361 9,727 13.1%
210 Texarkana, TX--Texarkana, AR MSA 129,749 120,132 9,617 8.0%
211 Pocatello, ID MSA 75,565 66,026 9,539 14.4%
212 Sioux City, IA--NE MSA 124,130 115,018 9,112 7.9%
213 Topeka, KS MSA 169,871 160,976 8,895 5.5%
214 Sheboygan, WI MSA 112,646 103,877 8,769 8.4%
215 Jackson, MI MSA 158,422 149,756 8,666 5.8%
216 Goldsboro, NC MSA 113,329 104,666 8,663 8.3%
217 Cheyenne, WY MSA 81,607 73,142 8,465 11.6%
218 Albany, GA MSA 120,822 112,561 8,261 7.3%
219 Peoria--Pekin, IL MSA 347,387 339,172 8,215 2.4%
220 Davenport--Moline--Rock Island, IA--IL MSA 359,062 350,861 8,201 2.3%
221 Corvallis, OR MSA 78,153 70,811 7,342 10.4%
222 Rapid City, SD MSA 88,565 81,343 7,222 8.9%
223 Dothan, AL MSA 137,916 130,964 6,952 5.3%
224 Abilene, TX MSA 126,555 119,655 6,900 5.8%
225 Champaign--Urbana, IL MSA 179,669 173,025 6,644 3.8%
226 Glens Falls, NY MSA 124,345 118,539 5,806 4.9%
227 San Angelo, TX MSA 104,010 98,458 5,552 5.6%
228 Casper, WY MSA 66,533 61,226 5,307 8.7%
229 Erie, PA MSA 280,843 275,572 5,271 1.9%
230 Monroe, LA MSA 147,250 142,191 5,059 3.6%
231 St. Joseph, MO MSA 102,490 97,715 4,775 4.9%
232 Kokomo, IN MSA 101,541 96,946 4,595 4.7%
233 Owensboro, KY MSA 91,545 87,189 4,356 5.0%
234 Waterloo--Cedar Falls, IA MSA 128,012 123,798 4,214 3.4%
235 Toledo, OH MSA 618,203 614,128 4,075 0.7%
236 Springfield, MA MSA 591,932 587,884 4,048 0.7%
237 Duluth--Superior, MN--WI MSA 243,815 239,971 3,844 1.6%
238 Saginaw--Bay City--Midland, MI MSA 403,070 399,320 3,750 0.9%
239 Gadsden, AL MSA 103,459 99,840 3,619 3.6%
240 Lawton, OK MSA 114,996 111,486 3,510 3.1%
241 Huntington--Ashland, WV--KY--OH MSA 315,538 312,529 3,009 1.0%
242 New London--Norwich, CT--RI MSA 293,566 290,734 2,832 1.0%
243 Dubuque, IA MSA 89,143 86,403 2,740 3.2%
244 Great Falls, MT MSA 80,357 77,691 2,666 3.4%
245 Parkersburg--Marietta, WV--OH MSA 151,237 149,169 2,068 1.4%
246 Sumter, SC MSA 104,646 102,637 2,009 2.0%
247 Mansfield, OH MSA 175,818 174,007 1,811 1.0%
248 Terre Haute, IN MSA 149,192 147,585 1,607 1.1%
249 Danville, VA MSA 110,156 108,711 1,445 1.3%
250 Williamsport, PA MSA 120,044 118,710 1,334 1.1%
251 Charleston, WV MSA 251,662 250,454 1,208 0.5%
252 Enid, OK MSA 57,813 56,735 1,078 1.9%
253 Benton Harbor, MI MSA 162,453 161,378 1,075 0.7%
254 Lima, OH MSA 155,084 154,340 744 0.5%
255 Jacksonville, NC MSA 150,355 149,838 517 0.3%
256 Cumberland, MD--WV MSA 102,008 101,643 365 0.4%
257 Sharon, PA MSA 120,293 121,003 -710 -0.6%
258 Dayton--Springfield, OH MSA 950,558 951,270 -712 -0.1%
259 Bangor, ME MSA 90,864 91,629 -765 -0.8%
260 Muncie, IN MSA 118,769 119,659 -890 -0.7%
261 Pine Bluff, AR MSA 84,278 85,487 -1,209 -1.4%
262 Altoona, PA MSA 129,144 130,542 -1,398 -1.1%
263 Jamestown, NY MSA 139,750 141,895 -2,145 -1.5%
264 Decatur, IL MSA 114,706 117,206 -2,500 -2.1%
265 Lewiston--Auburn, ME MSA 90,830 93,679 -2,849 -3.0%
266 Anniston, AL MSA 112,249 116,034 -3,785 -3.3%
267 Pittsfield, MA MSA 84,699 88,695 -3,996 -4.5%
268 Elmira, NY MSA 91,070 95,195 -4,125 -4.3%
269 Alexandria, LA MSA 126,337 131,556 -5,219 -4.0%
270 Grand Forks, ND--MN MSA 97,478 103,181 -5,703 -5.5%
271 Wheeling, WV--OH MSA 153,172 159,301 -6,129 -3.8%
272 Youngstown--Warren, OH MSA 594,746 600,895 -6,149 -1.0%
273 Johnstown, PA MSA 232,621 241,247 -8,626 -3.6%
274 Syracuse, NY MSA 732,117 742,177 -10,060 -1.4%
275 Steubenville--Weirton, OH--WV MSA 132,008 142,523 -10,515 -7.4%
276 Binghamton, NY MSA 252,320 264,497 -12,177 -4.6%
277 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA MSA 624,776 638,466 -13,690 -2.1%
278 Utica--Rome, NY MSA 299,896 316,633 -16,737 -5.3%
279 Buffalo--Niagara Falls, NY MSA 1,170,111 1,189,288 -19,177 -1.6%
280 Pittsburgh, PA MSA 2,358,695 2,394,811 -36,116 -1.5%

[CamKing]

Following is a list from the Census Bureau showing the numerical and percentage change of the top 280 metropolitan areas from 1990 to 2000.

That really doesn't address the number of people moving in or out of big cities.

Those numbers include the large surrounding areas of suburbs and rural areas.

Look at #1 as an example.
1 Los Angeles--Riverside--Orange County, CA CMSA 16,373,645 14,531,529 1,842,116 12.7%

That includes 1,000's of sq. miles.
Mountain ranges, Deserts. Valleys, Wine Country, Apple orchards, Strawberry fields, Ski Resorts, and a few lake areas.
If you broke the numbers down, you would see that The much more rural Riverside County is out pacing LA by a 3:1 margin.

The two cities where I live and work are 30 miles from Charlotte, but would both be counted on your list as Charlotte. Neither are in the same county as Charlotte. There is nothing on my drive to work that even comes close to looking like a big city. If you're looking for cows, horses, goats, or big round bails of hay, we've got it. Just don't ask to see a building over 3 stories tall.

If you look at the actual cities, you'll see we are leaving them for the suburbs and rural areas. The only people moving in, are the ones that can't afford to live anywhere else.
[/quote]

[David Redszus]

Mike, while I would certainly agree that large cities are not experiencing large population growth (particularly the inner city), it seems clear that suburban areas are growing rapidly but small towns and rural areas are not. So far, I have not found any real evidence to the contrary.

The new census data should provide maps showing exactly where propulations have grown or shrunk. I'll bet there is a lot of good hunting land becoming available.