Contrary to the trend across the Midwest, Missouri and Kansas are gaining in population – between 2008-2009 the states saw an increase of 25,000 people compared to a loss of 62,000 across the Midwest. University of Missouri Census data analyst John Blodgett says it’s not surprising.

Blogett says Kansas City’s urban areas and Missouri’s retirement communities in the Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake are two of the biggest reasons population isn’t decreasing. He says this data follows a nation-wide trend of people moving from rural to urban areas, and also noted the numbers being small relative to the population of the states.

The Midwest is losing people to mostly Southern and Western states.

(AUDIO) Allison Blood reports on why Missouri isn’t losing population Mp3 1:00