Eugene L. Birch of the Brookings Institution just completed an analysis of population, household and income trends in downtown areas from 1970 to 2000 called [Who Lives Downtown](http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20051115_birch.htm)
Download full the [report [pdf]](http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20051115_Birch.pdf)
The study was based on 44 different cities whose results vary widely but show these trends:
* During the 1990s, downtown population grew by 10 percent, a marked resurgence following 20 years of overall decline.
* From 1970 to 2000, the number of downtown households increased 8 percent—13 percent in the 1990s alone—and their composition shifted.
* Downtown homeownership rates more than doubled during the thirty-year period, reaching 22 percent by 2000.
* Downtowns are more racially and ethnically diverse than 20 years ago.
* In general, downtowns boast a higher percentage of both young adults and college-educated residents than the nation’s cities and suburbs.
* Downtowns are home to some of the most and least affluent households of their cities and regions.
The results, if based on the past five years would likely show a more pronounced shift toward urban revitalization.
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Unfortunately many downtowns that showed a rise in population in the 1990s lost population from 2000-2004.
However, as a committed downtowner I’d like to think the long term trend is toward more vibrant and filled downtowns.
I think the model to look toward is Manhattan and Europe’s cities. Most of our metropoli are actually quite young and while I don’t think suburbs will or should go away, I think as our urban cores mature we will gain a better knowledge of maintaining them and thus they will go through less cycles of depopulation.