Trade-Center Hierarchy in Greater Minnesota

Abstract

This poster describes the research conducted by Craig and Schwartau to understand the economic vitality of cities outside of the 7-county metropolitan area. The authors found a more efficient method of measuring community economic activity when compared to previous trade-center hierarchy studies conducted by the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. The authors discovered that using taxable retail and service sales related well to the previous CURA studies that used Dun & Bradstreet data to count businesses. The previous analysis was time consuming and costly, and the details were complex and sometimes confusing to readers. By using a simpler methodology, the trade-center studies can be done more frequently, thus giving more current information to better inform decisions by local citizens, businesses, planners, and policy makers. There is much interest in this research by staff at the Minnesota Department of Transportation as they plan highway improvements between the cities higher in the trade-center hierarchy and those lower. Trade-center hierarchy studies also indicate the number of goods and services available to consumers locally and regionally, information that can be useful to local planners and entrepreneurs.