Retail Trade Area Analysis Crosby North Dakota

This report is intended to provide an indepth trade area analysis of Crosby, North Dakota. Specific analyses included determining Crosby's main and greater trade areas, identifying the demographic profile of Crosby shoppers, examining important and less important services for patron shoppers of Crosby, identifying neighboring cities that area shoppers patronize, determining distances area shoppers traveled to Crosby, and listing popular newspapers and radio stations among area residents. Current trade area information for Crosby was obtained from a statewide trade area survey conducted by the Department of Agricultural Economics at North Dakota State University in 1989. Recent trends (1980 to 1989) in Crosby population, retail sales, per capita income, pull factors, and Divide County population and employment were identified and discussed. Crosby's population, trade area population, retail sales, and pull factors, along with Divide County population and average annual employment have all decreased throughout the 1980s. Although most demographic and economic measurements have decreased, Crosby has fared nearly as well as other North Dakota cities with similar populations, and has fared favorably compared to smaller competing trade centers. The economic situation found in Crosby and Divide County are somewhat typical of the problems found in western North Dakota communities in the 1980s. Crosby's trade areas were broken down into main and greater trade areas. A main trade area (MTA) was defined as an area where the majority of township residents purchase a majority of selected goods and services in one city. A greater trade area (GTA) was defined as the area beyond the MTA where some township residents purchase some selected goods and services in one city. Crosby's MTA decreased in size by one township, compared to MTA boundaries determined in 1971. The typical household for survey respondents appears to be a middle-aged married couple, who have completed high school, have few children at home, primarily are employed in agriculture and professional/technical professions, and have resided in the area a large portion of their lives. Main trade area residents traveled an average of 16.9 and 16.1 miles to Crosby to purchase selected convenience and specialty goods and services, respectively. Over half (53.8 percent) of the respondents who purchased 50 percent or more of convenience and specialty goods in Crosby traveled over 21 miles to purchase the item. Crosby appears to be an important source for most goods and services for those who shop in Crosby; however, Crosby could capture more of the available market for nearly half of the nonagricultural and most of the agricultural goods and services listed on the survey questionnaire. Williston, Minot, Noonan, Fortuna, Tioga, Powers Lake, and Bismarck were the most popular cities for the purchase of nonagricultural goods and services by Crosby MTA residents who did not purchase a majority of the good or service in Crosby. Fortuna, Noonan, Ambrose, and Wildrose were popular for purchasing agricultural goods and services. Outshopping analysis revealed no substantial demographic or socioeconomic differences between Crosby MTA residents purchasing 50 percent or more and those purchasing less than 50 percent of selected goods and services in Crosby. Some differences between groups were evident in miles traveled. The Minot Daily News and The Williston Daily were the most popular daily newspapers for both Crosby MTA and GTA residents. The Crosby Journal and Divide County Journal were the most popular weekly newspapers for Crosby MTA and GTA residents. The most popular radio stations for Crosby MTA residents included KEYZ of Williston, KTGO of Tioga and KYYZ of Williston. Although economic times have been difficult, Crosby has retained most of its past trade area and should remain an important trade center in northwestern North Dakota.