Pictures around Little Rock

[Mith242]

At that time, Arkansas had a greater population than Texas, just under 400,000.

Boy how things have changed. Now one metro in Texas has about the same population as our whole state.

[Aporkalypse]

Boy how things have changed. Now one metro in Texas has about the same population as our whole state.

Both DFW and Houston have metros twice as large as our state's population.

[Mith242]

Both DFW and Houston have metros twice as large as our state's population.

Hmmm....are both of those really twice as big as the state? I did say one although the more I think about it I was thinking they both are around the size or a bit bigger than the state's population. But I didn't think they were quite that much larger than the state's population. Unless I haven't been paying very close attention to the population trends going on down there.

[Aporkalypse]

Hmmm....are both of those really twice as big as the state? I did say one although the more I think about it I was thinking they both are around the size or a bit bigger than the state's population. But I didn't think they were quite that much larger than the state's population. Unless I haven't been paying very close attention to the population trends going on down there.

Arkansas has 2.78 million for 2005

D-FW-Arlington MSA has 6.08 million for 2005

Houston-Sugarland-Baytown has 5.3 million for 2005

Scary, huh?

[Mith242]

Arkansas has 2.78 million for 2005

D-FW-Arlington MSA has 6.08 million for 2005

Houston-Sugarland-Baytown has 5.3 million for 2005

Scary, huh?

Man, I wonder what numbers I have been looking at. Maybe something closer to city population figures or core metro figures.

[Aporkalypse]

Man, I wonder what numbers I have been looking at. Maybe something closer to city population figures or core metro figures.

Dallas County alone has 2.3 million, the city of Dallas 1.25 million.

Tarrant County has 1.62 million and the city of Ft Worth has 624,000.

As an interesting aside, while NWA grew by 68,000 between 2000 and 2005 Ft Worth alone added 90,000 people. Collin County (Plano, Frisco, McKinney) grew from 491,000 to 660,000. Tiny Rockwall county grew by 50% to 63,000. That struck me as just crazy when I first saw the numbers.

[Mith242]

Dallas County alone has 2.3 million, the city of Dallas 1.25 million.

Tarrant County has 1.62 million and the city of Ft Worth has 624,000.

As an interesting aside, while NWA grew by 68,000 between 2000 and 2005 Ft Worth alone added 90,000 people. Collin County (Plano, Frisco, McKinney) grew from 491,000 to 660,000. Tiny Rockwall county grew by 50% to 63,000. That struck me as just crazy when I first saw the numbers.

Yeah as much as NWA is growing when you actually look at the numbers many of the big metros are easily adding more people. Of course with NWA being so much smaller adding this much population seems rather noticeable.

[Aporkalypse]

Yeah as much as NWA is growing when you actually look at the numbers many of the big metros are easily adding more people. Of course with NWA being so much smaller adding this much population seems rather noticeable.

I just meant that to illustrate the scale. I mean, you go up there and see all of the growth and it's impressive. Then you go some place like Frisco which doubles in 5 years and it blows you away.

I'd just like to figure out how to fuel growth in Pulaski County again.

Arkansas is growing but almost all of that is in NWA and the suburban counties of Central Arkansas.

[Mith242]

I just meant that to illustrate the scale. I mean, you go up there and see all of the growth and it's impressive. Then you go some place like Frisco which doubles in 5 years and it blows you away.

I'd just like to figure out how to fuel growth in Pulaski County again.

Arkansas is growing but almost all of that is in NWA and the suburban counties of Central Arkansas.

Very true, all of central Arkansas' growth is outside Pulaski. I wonder what can be done to attract more people seeking an 'urban' lifestyle more in the city. Is there enough demand to spur on some more condo developments?

[johnnydr87]

Damn. Those numbers for DFW and Houston are pretty damn scary.

A few major industries (or just one good one) would be needed to boost our population like DFW's.

If only there was a concrete system for attracting and keeping the best students of Arkansas in state. A system that kept them "roped-in" from high school to career. High School --> College --> Career.

I've always speculated what could happen if Little Rock started a special district within downtown for recently graduated entrepreneurs with good ideas. Like a few buildings to house the initial projects of entrepreneurs....and admission-based requirements to be part of the community. A network and community of new ideas, and the state's best talent given reasonable incentive to test the ingenuity for a short period of years....and see what materializes.

It's just a vague concept. It probably would have been done if it's possible. Or maybe it has already been done.

I have some friends with such almost-innate understanding of science it would be a shame to lose them permanently. They tend to be lazy geniuses, but when put together with a goal, they can do a lot of amazing stuff. (For science fair, I had two friends that made a rail gun. They learned the physics and electromagnetism

from scratch to something pretty cool science-wise.)

There are lot of people like this in Arkansas. If only there were a comprehensive plan to keep them roped in.

[Mith242]

I agree with you Johnny on needing to keep more of our college graduates in state. It seems like this is changing a little compared to what it used to be like. I remember when it seemed like just about everyone left the state after they graduated. But there's still a lot of room for improvement that can still be made.