micropolitan

Senators would stop ‘micropolitan’ label for 144 US cities

WASHINGTON – Some lawmakers are trying to stop 144 American cities from losing their designations as “metropolitan areas.” The federal government wants to update the standard from at least 50,000 residents in a city’s urban core to a minimum of 100,000 people. Republican John Thune of South Dakota and Democrat Mark Kelly of Arizona introduced Senate legislation Tuesday that would…

Oil Patch Slowdown Leads to Population Loss

Minot's micropolitan area shrunk by 1.7 percent

BISMARCK, N.D. — A slowdown in activity in North Dakota’s oil patch is impacting population numbers in the region. The U.S. Census Bureau figures show Minot’s micropolitan area shrunk by 1.7 percent, losing more than 1,300 people. Micropolitan areas have populations of at least 10,000 but fewer than 50,000. The counties of Ward, Renville and McHenry have an estimated 77,000…