Tulsa World Articles on Population and Rent Prices

[swake]

The World reports that the census is estimating that Tulsa (city) is continuing to shrink while the 'burbs boom.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=060621_Ne_A1_Subur52589


I'm sceptical of this information from the Census based on a few factors. While I don't doubt the growth rate of the 'burbs I don't see Tulsa shrinking being true any longer. I don't know what the census bases these estimates on and I guessing that the influx of illegals is contributing to skewed numbers.

I'm basing my statements on continued record home starts (even in the city of Tulsa) combined with another article today reporting record rental rates on apartments and looking at existing homes sales data that does not show a huge glut of unsold homes. I think the census is plain wrong, at least for the last two years or so. If I recall the census estimate for 2000 was off by over 5% from the actual census numbers for that year so mistakes are not uncommon.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/BusinessStory.asp?ID=060621_Bu_E1_Apart26930

No matter what, increased demand in the rental market has to be good, both for the Tulsa metro economy as a whole and for those people that would like to see more multi-family housing infill in midtown and downtown so that even if the census is correct, maybe that trend can be reversed soon. The census estimate is for 2005 and the rental data is current.