Talk:Joplin, Missouri

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[edit] Vandalism

Removed gay bathouse bit and comment about a purported mayor. Unsourced and rather dubious at least in part. Vsmith 11:36, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Southwest Missouri's Major Met?

"As Southwest Missouri's major population center, it is the home to the area's major hospitals including Freeman West, Freeman East, and St. John's." Uh wouldn't Springfield be the major city in southwest Missouri? Grey Wanderer 05:17, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Population

I've added census date and clarified the use of "Metropolitan Area." Wikipedia uses the census definitions, which in turn are determined by workforce integration. The old references were from the Joplin City Page, and conceivably could have a conflict of interest (aka, a forty mile radius is huge.) Grey Wanderer 06:30, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Why have you selected the Census estimation' for 2005 of Joplin's population 47k, versus the official city offered population of 49k, which is not an estimate? Likewise, why the removal of the daytime population swelling? Curious on this. ~ (The Rebel At) ~ 22:00, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

I went ahead a put the 49k figure back in, what made me take it out before is that I've been burnt by population figures on city websites in the past, they typically round up and include any surrounding municipalities. But if you say its reliable I'll trust you. We might be better off with a figure though in some sort of city report 'not meant for public eyes.' As far as the city swelling to 270,000, that fact seems to be pure PR by the Joplin City chamber of commerce, there may be some population increase, but the labor force isn't even that big in the whole 9-county area of southwest Missouri: http://ded.mo.gov/researchandplanning/regional/southwest/index.stm. When I've been to Joplin it certainly looks a bit bigger than you might expect a 50,000 person town to look, but its not 100,000 people bigger than Springfield. The 40-mile radius that the website also gives is kinda misleading, as 40 miles is all the way to Arkansas, and a third of the way to KC. Thoughts? Grey Wanderer | Talk 23:06, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Here is another source The Missouri Department of Economic Development says there are 77,408 jobs in Joplin: http://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/lehd/index.stm —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Grey Wanderer (talkcontribs) 23:16, 19 December 2006 (UTC).
You're probably correct on the population swell being excessive, perhaps we can add a reference to it swelling in general. I'd expect the city website to be accurate on the population, as it seems that the region, at least from Fort Smith up to Joplin, has been a scene of intense growth and a lot of those communities have had special censuses to affirm their population numbers (boost their standing for federal/state money). I lived in Joplin for three years, and another three down in Fayetteville (moved just this May). During that time, I worked retail which required me to learn where customers came from, and indeed, they came from the surrounding states, as much as Missouri. ~ (The Rebel At) ~ 23:37, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Four State Area

A google test gives only one hit for "Four State Area Missouri" and that is this wikipedia page Grey Wanderer 00:26, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Here's a link to Good Morning Four States, a morning show on the Joplin ABC affiliate. Here's a link to To the Ronald McDonald "Four States" house and here's a link to Pittsburg, KS, Fox affilate, which has Four States in its home page title. Four States is a very heavily used term in the region. These were gained simply by googling "Joplin Four States". ~ (The Rebel At) ~ 05:14, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

That kind of area emphasis for media outlets and health-care facets are common everywhere that is not a large metro area. Its just better marketing to reach a larger population when the population is more spread-out. I don't doubt that it is probably commonly used to talk about area, similarly to Mid-Missouri is to talk about the Columbia-Jefferson City metro area. I just can't justify a lot thats in it. As far as census statistics go Jasper and Newton counties are the only areas with significant work-force integration with Joplin to consider it the center. Most of the people south of those two counties in Missouri work in Fayetteville-Springdale. The best sources would be ones not related to a business or hospital in Joplin who could stand to gain from a broader appeal. Grey Wanderer 06:09, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

I recall the US Census decision to lump in McDonald and Newton County with Northwest Arkansas for terms of metropolitan population. However, this does not apply to the usage of "Four States" with reference to the region by the population in general. Which I was asserting as important to the area. Business strategy or not, its a reverberant theme in the region. Which is why I emphatically believe that it remain in the Joplin article. As for the article dedicated to "Four States," I believe its important, but my case here isn't for it, but for the aforementioned. ~ (The Rebel At) ~ 22:11, 19 December 2006 (UTC)