Atlas/midwest

50 years of municipal change in the Midwest

New governmental units in the Midwest, 1970s to 2020s. Tiles arranged by geographic position, with the space between units collapsed. Municipalities not to scale. Color marks the state; darker shades are more recent formations. Scroll or pinch to zoom.
Decade of formation:1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Total formations, 1970 to 2025: Iowa 7, Illinois 38, Indiana 21, Michigan 8, Minnesota 21, Missouri 93, Ohio 9, Wisconsin 36 (233 in all).

A GIS and cartographic study of how municipal boundaries change, built from Census Boundary and Annexation Survey records and TIGER shapefiles, with a closer look at the Midwest.

Later stages join NLCD 2021 land cover to each unit to ask how developed intensity and isolation relate to when a boundary changed.

DRAFT: New governmental units since the 1970s, coloured by state, over incorporated places in metropolitan areas (grey). Hover for a unit's name; click to keep it highlighted. Click the map to enable scroll zoom.
IowaIllinoisIndianaMichiganMinnesotaMissouriOhioWisconsinIncorporated places in metro areas
Charts of new incorporations by era and median area of metro-core incorporations
Charts comparing three change types by area, developed land, county income and nearby infrastructure
Regional maps of the MidwestRegional maps of the Midwest
Indianapolis region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changesIndianapolis region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changes
Kansas City region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changesKansas City region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changes
Milwaukee to Chicago corridor, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changesMilwaukee to Chicago corridor, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changes
Minneapolis–Saint Paul region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changesMinneapolis–Saint Paul region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changes
St. Louis region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changesSt. Louis region, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changes
Detroit and Cleveland regions, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changesDetroit and Cleveland regions, satellite and land cover maps of boundary changes
Satellite views of Carlton, Minnesota; Long Lake, Minnesota; and Kekoskee, WisconsinSatellite views of Carlton, Minnesota; Long Lake, Minnesota; and Kekoskee, WisconsinSatellite views of Carlton, Minnesota; Long Lake, Minnesota; and Kekoskee, Wisconsin