New Census figures

[jcitta]

Just a short read from the Columbus paper:
http://www.columbustelegram.com/article ... ycount.txt


COLUMBUS - A new census report showing Columbus gaining in population through the first half of this decade bucks a statewide trend of declining growth in many other rural areas.

Columbus has gained 320 residents since July 1, 2000, swelling from 21,094 six years ago to 21,414 today, countering an ongoing pattern of falling population in many of the state's communities.
Just 118 of the state's 530 cities and towns, 22 percent, boasted population growth during the six-year period. The report shined a light on a continuing trend of rural communities losing populations while many urban and suburban cities gain residents.

Most of the fastest growing cities in the state were in Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster counties

[DTO Luv]

Is 320 people in 6 years 'swelling'?

This part of the article was just sad.

Monroe and Lindsay grew by four and three residents, from 306 to 310 and from 275 to 278, respectively. Creston was up from 215 to 217. Duncan slipped from 357 to 347, while Platte Center fell from 359 to 357. Tarnov held steady at 63 residents.

[jcitta]

It is sad that smaller towns in Nebraska are not able to hold onto their people.  I dont think it is sad in the same way you are thinking, I feel bad for the people that like small town and rural living, and having to watch their respective towns die...that is sad.  And 320 people is not really "swelling" but it is still going against the statewide trend, and I know that towns this size work very hard to not only add to their population, but to even just hold onto their populations.

[DTO Luv]

I just wonder how much money is wasted building and maintaining roads between these towns which will ultimately die. Rural living is very costly. That's just how I feel about small towns.

[Stargazer]

There are a few Nebraska communities which I feel are close enough to Omaha/Lincoln ... that they'll continue to feed off of us and prosper, ultimately seeing increasing rates of growth.   Columbus is one of them.  I think pound for pound... it has one of the strongest manufacturing bases in the state as well.

[nativeomahan]

I just wonder how much money is wasted building and maintaining roads between these towns which will ultimately die. Rural living is very costly. That's just how I feel about small towns.

Jeez!  I was born and raised in Omaha, and never milked a cow or slopped a hog, but come on, now.  We are one state.  Rural Nebraska can be beautiful.  I find a drive through the Sand Hills or other sparsely populated areas to be better than a year of therapy.  I do agree that most of central and western Nebraska will not experience any sizable population growth in the next 30 or 40 years, barring something totally unforeseen.  But we as a state owe a duty to support all of our citizens.  Cattle and hogs need to get to market, or should we just stop raising them?  And roads are not just used by locals.  They are used in interstate transportation.  Many highways in Nebraska are interstate links between Canada and Mexico.

Because of our nature as a large rural state, roads will always be a disproportionately expensive burden on taxpayers.  But on the other hand we don't need to spend much on expensive subways or freeways, so it kind of balances out.

[edsas]

I've probably spent a lot more time in rural Nebraska than most of you guys (even though I've lived in California for the last 8 years) and while it's true there are places there that are literally dying, the impending doom of the state's agricultural communities is greatly exaggerated. Take my post about Lindsay, for instance. Lack of growth is sometimes a matter of choice and I don't think their quality of life is worse for it.

The information age, imo, will eventually spell an end to rural flight.

Btw, nativeomahan, excellent post back there.

[edsas]

There are a few Nebraska communities which I feel are close enough to Omaha/Lincoln ... that they'll continue to feed off of us and prosper, ultimately seeing increasing rates of growth.   Columbus is one of them.  I think pound for pound... it has one of the strongest manufacturing bases in the state as well.

It's not just Lincoln and Omaha. The entire I-80 corridor is also alive and well. Many small towns within twenty miles of the interstate or in close proximity to Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney and North Platte are in fact growing (albeit in small steps).  Towns near Columbus and Norfolk are also doing pretty well.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

The information age, imo, will eventually spell an end to rural flight.

I completely agree.  

But in the meantime, I hope to get my hands on some land in the Sandhills before that happens.  8)