Declining urban population not always a problem

City Lab - Over the last 30 years, about 40 percent of all U.S. cities have seen their populations dwindle. The conventional narrative about “shrinking cities” evokes images of economically ravaged places where populations decline and job losses hit hard and fast—but population decline and economic decline don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand.

A new study finds that some cities with declining populations are actually prosperous: More than a quarter of them perform well on measures like income and talent. The findings suggest that these cities have made due with fewer people by attracting college graduates or by “planning for less,” but inequality remains an issue. CityLab’s Richard Florida takes a look at the latest data: How Some Shrinking Cities Are Still Prospering