By Ray King
When the U.S. Census Bureau released its numbers at the end of last week, the Pine Bluff Metropolitan area recorded the largest percentage drop of any metropolitan area in the country.
The area, which includes Jefferson and Lincoln Counties, had a population of 77,465 on April 1, 2010 and a population of 67,280 on April 1, 2020. That’s a 13.7 percent decrease in 10 years.
On Tuesday, Pine Bluff First Ward Council Member Joni Alexander was asked her thoughts on the decline.
Appearing on the Oldies 101.3 morning show, Alexander went on to say that she felt like some members of the city government are trying to do things they would have done years ago if they had been in charge, but the city doesn’t have that luxury now.
An online poll by Deltaplex News showed that crime was rated the number one problem in the city, followed by quality of life issues.
