The sluggish housing market and other economic woes have had a beneficial side effect for Grand Rapids: a population increase, which results in a healthier economy. A recent study points to a number of reasons for the demographic shift, indicating some changes that may be long lasting.
According to excerpts from the story:
Something happened last year in Chicago that hasn't been seen since 2001: Instead of losing residents, the Second City actually gained population.
Chicago isn't the only Midwestern city to reverse its growth trend during the period: St. Paul, Minn., Green Bay, Wis., Kansas City, Kan., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Warren, Mich., also gained residents, said William Frey, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
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