Population numbers bounce back in cities-USA Today

[urbanlibertarian]

"The housing crisis and economic downturn that have forced many Americans to stay put are boosting older cities where population had been shrinking or was stagnant, according to Census estimates out Wednesday.

Last year, Los Angeles recorded its biggest annual increase since 2002 and New York its second largest this decade. Chicago, where population had declined for five years this decade, grew by 0.73%."

" 'It's not temporary,' says Carol Coletta, head of CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders. Research shows that homes in neighborhoods that encourage walking instead of driving to work and stores retain their values better.

'The other thing … is that people are calculating the cost of transportation when they're thinking of housing,' Coletta says. 'That changes the equation.' "

Whole article including population rankings here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2009-07-01-citypops_N.htm