Print Article"This is no longer anecdotal. Every metro area has good suburbs, but if you don't have a strong downtown and close-in neighborhoods, then you're not offering a choice that many of them are seeking. Offering that choice is a real competitive advantage for cities." - Carol Coletta, head of CEOs for Cities.
Recent census results indicate that educated, young adults are flocking to urban core neighborhoods throughout the country, including those cities with significant population decline.
"Clearly, the next generation of Americans is looking for different kinds of lifestyles — walkable, art, culture, entertainment." - Carol Coletta, head of CEOs for Cities
Census 2010 Young Population Results
Gain from 2000 to 2009 in 25- to 34-year-olds who have a four-year degree or higher and live within three miles of a metro area's central business district:
| Metro Area | Gain | Percent Change |
| Atlanta | 9,722.2 | 61% |
| Austin | 3,725.6 | 24% |
| Baltimore | 8,625.0 | 66% |
| Birmingham, Ala. | -601.0 | -12% |
| Boston | 20,558.0 | 40% |
| Buffalo | 1,101.1 | 27% |
| Charlotte | 2,180.1 | 34% |
| Chicago | 15,886.6 | 33% |
| Cincinnati | 2,000.9 | 28% |
| Cleveland | 1,301.7 | 49% |
| Columbus, Ohio | 4,032.9 | 45% |
| Dallas | 5,080.6 | 56% |
| Denver | 5,236.9 | 25% |
| Detroit | 1,967.6 | 59% |
| Hartford, Conn. | 426.6 | 8% |
| Houston | 6,518.9 | 62% |
| Indianapolis | 2,669.6 | 83% |
| Jacksonville | 610.8 | 41% |
| Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. | 1,300.3 | 50% |
| Las Vegas | 304.4 | 19% |
| Los Angeles | 5,695.2 | 55% |
| Louisville | 443.8 | 10% |
| Memphis | 964.5 | 26% |
| Miami | 4,378.2 | 68% |
| Milwaukee | 3,655.7 | 38% |
| Minneapolis | 4,268.8 | 23% |
| Nashville | 1,936.7 | 41% |
| New Orleans | -2,220.8 | -24% |
| New York | 26,125.9 | 13% |
| Oklahoma City | 106.2 | 5% |
| Orlando | 1,692.5 | 28% |
| Philadelphia | 16,032.2 | 57% |
| Phoenix | 306.5 | 14% |
| Pittsburgh | 3,154.9 | 40% |
| Portland, Ore. | 4,083.3 | 22% |
| Providence | 3,484.3 | 38% |
| Raleigh, N.C. | 1,670.8 | 28% |
| Richmond, Va. | 1,058.5 | 16% |
| Riverside, Calif. | 1,572.8 | 65% |
| Rochester, N.Y. | 809.8 | 8% |
| Sacramento | 2,053.6 | 28% |
| St. Louis | 2,699.6 | 87% |
| Salt Lake City | 1,903.0 | 21% |
| San Antonio | 146.7 | 7% |
| San Diego | 5,638.4 | 54% |
| San Francisco | 3,809.3 | 5% |
| San Jose | 1,201.4 | 10% |
| Seattle | 5,696.4 | 24% |
| Tampa | 974.2 | 21% |
| Virginia Beach | 566.7 | 15% |
| Washington | 13,610.2 | 31% |
Source: United States Census Bureau
What This Means For Jacksonville
While we can have opinionated debates concerning the importance of our urban core neighborhoods and their economic impact on our city's future, the actual numbers don't lie. Regardless of what many locally believe, downtown and the surrounding urban neighborhoods aren't like all the other neighborhoods in our community. The density, existing infrastructure investment and mixed-use nature of downtowns and their context makes them vital economic engines for municipalities throughout the country.
If we're serious about getting our financial house in order and stimulating jobs locally, we need to change our overall attitude on the role that urban core neighborhoods play in the ultimate well-being of Jacksonville.
Article by Ennis Davis
42 Comments so far
Jump into the conversation