We're gaining on them, or at least not losing to them as quickly:
Chicago and St. Paul were among the cities that saw their populations grow during the 12 months ending July 1, 2007, after declining the previous year, according to figures released today.
Cincinnati; Indianapolis; Wichita; Kansas City, Mo.; Springfield, Mo.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Rockford, Ill., were among the Midwestern cities where growth, though modest, accelerated from 2005 to 2007.
The housing crisis, which generally has made mortgages harder to obtain and homes harder to sell, is likely a major factor in why many residents are staying put, says William Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer.
The same forces are cooling rapid expansion in booming Sun Belt cities such as Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Orlando, which grew last year but at a slower pace than a year earlier.
Come on back! House are cheap, and winter isn't really so bad. We'll even help you remember how to talk middle Amurican.
