Pittsburg is different in many ways, and one of its most interesting characteristics is that it is a micropolitan area. The micropolitan area designation was formally created by the US government in 2003 and relates to a small urban area with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 that is removed from a larger metropolitan area. There are around 540 micropolitan areas in the US with around 27 million people. In Kansas, the overall population in micropolitan areas has declined, although Pittsburg is avoiding that trend as it continues to grow. Large suburbs, whose economy is often tied to the city they surround, do not qualify as micropolitan. A micropolitan area’s economy does not depend on another city, which means that it must be largely self-supporting.
Source: Morning Sun
