MISSOURI, USA — New U.S. Census Bureau estimates showing a shrinking St. Louis region that was bypassed by Charlotte and Orlando are "a concern, most certainly," Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday.
"I don't think there's no secret here to St. Louis," Parson said in an interview. "One of the problems they have is you've got to figure out how to deal with the crime situation. That's got to be a priority because if there's anything negative about St. Louis that I see from this position, that's the No. 1 thing that's going to come to the forefront and people are going to talk about."
The Census figures, released early Thursday, put St. Louis as the 23rd-largest U.S. metro for population as of July 1, 2023, down from No. 21 the year prior, as it lost more than 3,200 residents.
