census'd

From Friday's Chronicle-Telegram:

Cleveland and its Cuyahoga County suburbs have been losing population at a pace only exceeded by Detroit’s Wayne County and the Gulf Coast region devastated by hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Cuyahoga County's population was estimated at 1,314,241 in July 2006, down from 1,330,428 in July 2005 — a loss of 16,187 residents.

Although the 2006 population estimates for cities haven't yet been released, the Lorain County communities along Cuyahoga's border — Avon, North Ridgeville and Sheffield — were among the fastest-growing in the region last year, Census Bureau figures show.

More than 4,000 residents moved to North Ridgeville over the last five years.

Between July 2004 and July 2005, North Ridgeville's population jumped by 926 residents, while Avon's grew by 874 residents in the same period.

The city of Elyria lost only 67 residents between July 2004 and July 2005, while the city of Lorain lost 38 residents in the same period.

Full article here.

Not too surprising, although I'm a little surprised Elyria only lost 67. Fifty-five percent of Elyria residents work outside the city, including me. What, exactly, is keeping us here? Gas isn't that cheap. But then, tell that to all the folks living in Amherst and commuting to Cuyahoga County. After my car situations (both of them) this past week, I'd welcome some decent public transit. Too bad our traffic situation isn't congested enough, nor our population dense enough, to warrant the cost and massive infrastructure requirements for such projects.