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Census report reveals recession stabilizes city population, reduces suburban growth
By Katie Byard and David Knox
Beacon Journal staff writers
Published on Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009
Population growth in Ohio's rural and suburban townships slowed dramatically last year, according to a new census report.
At the same time, most of the state's largest cities saw an easing in the steady erosion of their populations.
What gives?
Researchers and public officials say a single factor is powering both trends: a depressed economy that is preventing many city dwellers from achieving the dream of suburban homeownership.
''We have noticed a decrease in the number of subdivisions that we have been reviewing the last year or so,'' said Patrice Theken, director of the Medina County Planning Commission. ''I would attribute that to the economy.''
Theken said the commission approved 106 homes in major subdivisions in 2008, compared to more than 800 in 2006.
Medina County — one of Ohio's fastest growing counties throughout the decade — isn't alone, Theken said. ''We have all slowed down.''
Nick Lautzenheiser, an administrator in the Summit County planning department, said there have been zero requests for major subdivision approvals in Summit this year.
''It's a sign of the times right now,'' Lautzenheiser said. ''The economy is so
bad. That's a big risk to take on.''
The decline in home building is reflected in trends found in the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates for the nation's cities, villages, townships and other unincorporated areas, which were released today.
The bureau reported the total population of Ohio's more than 1,300 townships increased by less than 12,000 between July 1, 2007, and 2008. That's less than half the average annual increase of 24,089 over the previous seven years. Peak township growth was in 2001, when more than 28,000 residents were added to the state's rural and suburban estimates.
The combined population of Ohio's 688 villages dropped slightly last year — the first decline in six years.
About 35 percent of Ohioans live in townships and about 7 percent in villages.
Effect of recession
The slowing of growth in suburbia is a direct effect of the recession, said Jeff Dotson, senior planner for the Stark County Regional Planning Commission.
''With the uncertainty in the economy, there is just a lot less mobility of population,'' he said. ''You don't have hardly any of the normal upward mobility of people having better incomes, therefore having the ability to buy big houses in the newer areas.''
But the flip side of the recession-pinched coin is that Ohio's big cities are seeing fewer residents able to leave for greener pastures.
The census estimated that the combined population of the state's 10 cities with more than 70,000 residents dipped by only 2,432 last year — the smallest decline in nearly a decade.
While the migration from urban to suburban areas is a longstanding national trend, Ohio's cities have been especially hard hit.
Four of the state's 10 largest cities are listed with the biggest population losers among the nation's 273 U.S. municipalities with population greater than 100,000.
Cleveland falls
Since 2000, Cleveland's population has dropped from 477,472 to 433,748 — a 9.2 percent decline topped only by Flint, Mich., and hurricane-ravaged New Orleans.
The other Ohio cities among the bottom 15 are Dayton (down 7.2 percent), Toledo (6.6 percent) and Akron, which dropped 4.4 percent, from 217,106 to 207,510 since 2000.
At least one researcher suggests hard economic times aren't the only reason the exodus from the big cities eased last year.
The cities deserve credit, said Ned Hill, dean of Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs and a nonresident senior fellow of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution.
''Ohio's big cities — especially Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati — have been improving their residential products, especially in regards to downtown living,'' he said.
''Now, this does not mean that everything is hunky and dory in low-income and poverty neighborhoods. It does mean that Ohio's cities have started to offer neighborhoods that can compete for families and individuals who have enough income to choose across a number of residences.''
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. David Knox can be reached at 330-996-3532 or dknox@thebeaconjournal.com
Population growth in Ohio's rural and suburban townships slowed dramatically last year, according to a new census report.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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akron, OH
Posted 03:34 AM, 07/01/2009
we lost 10,000 people in 9 years? sheesh. Maybe they were sick of the random gunfire and sleeping in bullet-proof vests
akron, oh
Posted 07:46 AM, 07/01/2009
OMG,
As long as we have downtown, it's all good in the hood! LOL
Seminole, FL
Posted 07:50 AM, 07/01/2009
It's only stopped declining, because there is nowhere to move to! Unemployment is heavy everywhere you go, save North Dakota or far rural areas of Texas, and even there, they have maybe a few dozen spots to fill.....just my views....
Akron, oh
Posted 08:07 AM, 07/01/2009
Expect little growth. Obama and the democrates will tax us and spend us out of existence. I never thought we could get a worse president than jimmy carter. I was wrong
Akron, Oh
Posted 08:28 AM, 07/01/2009
Part of the EPA's plans were to increase fees and costs of installing septic tanks to the point where couldn't afford it when constructing new homes in the "burbs". A few years back there was a story where a dentist purchased or was given, (I can't remember which), some land and he planned to build a house on it but it cost so much to build a septic system that he had to scrap the whole idea. The EPA Nazi's try and keep people in cities since it benefits themselves and the city to do so.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:47 AM, 07/01/2009
Good, just so they stay away from my place.
Akron, OH
Posted 10:09 AM, 07/01/2009
Translation: Those capable of leaving already have.
AKRON, OH
Posted 11:45 AM, 07/01/2009
This mess started under Bush and the republican controlled Congress. Let's see tillion dollar tax cut( not paid for)Wars in two countries.(Not paid for)Medicare prescription drugs part D. (Not paid for.)The fox watching the hen house( wall street.)Depressed economy started in Dec.of 07.Starting up new departments.(Not paid for.)Lie Detector
Obama and the democrates must have taken office in 07.The worse president looks like Bush.What is your solution in cleaning up this mess left by Bush?
Posted 12:00 PM, 07/01/2009
I beg to differ on some of this article. First, I was looking at Jackson Twship, Medina and other rural areas that where growing 3 to 4 years ago. My decision to stay in my home was because of the OUTRAGOUS PROPERTY TAXES. A $230,000 home in Wadsworth was $1800 a half for taxes. NO WAY!!! Green, Jackson and N. Canton taxes where just as bad. Glad I stayed in my home.
Stow, OH
Posted 12:28 PM, 07/01/2009
I just spoke with 3 people this week that are ready to move out of state but can't sell their home ,unless they want to give a 25% discount on it, which they are not willing to do.One was a retired rubber worker and the others can do their job in any state.
The people that are still stuck in Akron can't get a loan because of iffy credit and the banks aren't lending to people with under 625 credit scores so there they will stay for quite some time .
akron, oh
Posted 01:27 PM, 07/01/2009
Excuse me I choose to live here - its bad everywhere not just hear - I can't believe people think Ohio is the only place where it is bad.
It doesn't matter where you live nowdays the thugs are everywhere.
Tepplin, DC
Posted 01:53 PM, 07/01/2009
The suburban dream is dead. That was the dream of the Greatest Generation and then the Baby Boomers, who killed it with all of their excesses. But truthfully, it was based upon cheap oil availability, which is no more. Generations X, Y and Z don't share the same disdain for urban living as their parents, which is just as well, as they will be living in the cities their entire lives. But they will also restore them to a new level of vitality.
akron, oh
Posted 02:12 PM, 07/01/2009
cbrowns17: that is the truth!
Akron, OH
Posted 09:33 PM, 07/01/2009
@ignorance kills Vitality?? really?? Maybe in some small tiny pockets within a city but overall the cities are falling apart, especially those that have been run by democrats for the last 50 years.
People will still flee the central city if they can.. but as was noted above.. given the economy and housing market, many are literally stuck.
Tepplin, DC
Posted 12:26 AM, 07/02/2009
@farwest side,
Cities are indeed falling apart in many respects. However they are also being rebuilt for the 21st century. Those that do re-emerge will by necessity be smaller, yet highly-dense (i.e. walkable), and green, according to environmental concerns and resource limitations. This is a gradual shift, but it is likely to grow in momentum over the next several years.
The suburbs will die not necessarily because of the financial collapse, but because our oil-dependent infrastructure is on the verge of collapse due to the end of cheap oil. Some, older suburbs, such as Cuyahoga Falls, Kent and Barberton, however, will probably make the transition because they were built, at least initially, on a higher-density oriented grid street system, and for the most part, remain fairly traversable without a car. But most others, from Green to Stow to Macedonia and the like, are going to be in serious trouble because they were built almost exclusively around automobile use, and now that way of life is drawing to a close.
Unlike you, I don't blame the Dems or the GOP necessarily for urban decline, because trading one form of corruption for another would not have significantly changed the overall scope of the situation. The problems run deeper than party or political philosophy. This is about what is real and our collective ignorance of this reality, and how it truly affects us and our future.
Also keep in mind, America is still a very young nation, when compared to Europe, China and other nations dating back hundreds and even thousands of years. How many times have the cities in those nations been built up, only to be conquered, burned to the ground, abandoned, etc... only to eventually be reconstructed anew for a new age?
We too often make the mistake in Western society of believing that our age and time is the most important of all, and the one that will last forever. But this is just one more chapter among many, and more will follow.
Highland Square, OH
Posted 01:36 AM, 07/02/2009
Wow, that's a very interesting perspective Ignorance Kills. As a young college grad, you've totally changed my outlook on the future of our major cities.
And you're right, you can't blame any one party. You can blame the dependence on oil(as you mentioned) and the corruption of politics. That's something I fear will never change.
Posted 01:47 AM, 07/02/2009
Well!
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 05:27 AM, 07/02/2009
Notice how postings are disappearing faster then OJ on this subject. The problem is Mayor Don looks bad on this one and the ABJ is protecting him by claiming it's all racial comments. This true story is all about the crime in Akron by the brothers in the hood. It's out of control and nothing is being done by the mayor to stop it. He has yet to support any efforts by the APD to correct the problems. Let more people die Mayor Donny Boy seems to be your only answer.
