Joe Tutterrow is trying to answer that question in Indiana. The population of Indianapolis grew about 7 percent between 1990 and 2000. Hamilton County immediately to the north grew almost 10 times as fast. Hendricks County immediately to the west grew at five times Indianapolis' rate. Others may not, he said, because Hamilton County is becoming its own community and is not as economically reliant on Indianapolis anymore.
Similar analysis is ongoing in other cities.
New Orleans lost about 3 percent of its population during the 1990s. St. Tammany Parish immediately north of the city across Lake Pontchartrain grew 32 percent. That would pretty much throw up a red flag. The release of census data showing North Carolina's population growth will be timely. Two months ago, a state growth-management panel recommended withholding some money from cities and counties that do not have growth guides while rewarding places that do adhere to them with more money.