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Abstract

This report is intended to provide an indepth trade area analysis of Mayville-Portland, North Dakota. Specific analyses included determining Mayville-Portland's main and greater trade areas, identifying the demographic profile of Mayville-Portland shoppers, examining important and less important services for patron shoppers of Mayville-Portland, identifying neighboring cities that area shoppers patronize, determining distances area shoppers traveled to Mayville-Portland, and listing popular newspapers and radio stations among area residents. Current trade area information for Mayville-Portland 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 Mayville-Portland population, retail sales, per capita income, pull factors, and Traill County population and employment were identified and discussed. Mayville-Portland's population, trade area population, retail sales, and pull factors, along with Traill County population, average annual employment, and per capita income have all decreased throughout the 1980s. Although most demographic and economic measurements have decreased, Mayville-Portland has fared 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 Mayville-Portland and Traill County are somewhat typical of the problems found in rural North Dakota communities in the 1980s. Mayville-Portland'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. Mayville-Portland'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, are primarily 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 8.8 and 9.3 miles to Mayville-Portland to purchase selected convenience and specialty goods and services, respectively. Many (41.2 percent) of the respondents who purchased SO percent or more of convenience and specialty goods in Mayville-Portland traveled between 11 and 20 miles to purchase the item. Mayville-Portland appears to be an important source of goods and services for those who shop in Mayville-Portland; however, Mayville-Portland could capture much more of the available market for two-fifths of the nonagricultural and nearly all of the agricultural goods and services included in the survey questionnaire. Mayville-Portland's location between Grand Forks and Fargo hinders their ability to capture more of their potential market. Fargo, Grand Forks, Hatton, Hillsboro, Galesburg, and Clifford were the most popular cities for the purchase of nonagricultural goods and services by Mayville-Portland MTA residents who did not purchase a majority of the good or service in Mayville-Portland. Galesburg, Hatton, and Clifford were popular for purchasing agricultural goods and services. Outshopping analysis revealed no substantial demographic or socioeconomic differences between Mayville-Portland MTA residents purchasing 50 percent or more and those purchasing less than 50 percent of selected goods and services in Mayville-Portland. Slight differences between groups were evident in the number of years resided in the county, average income, and miles traveled. The Forum (Fargo) was the most popular daily newspaper for both Mayville-Portland MTA and GTA residents. The Traill county Tribune and Steele County Press were the most popular weekly newspapers for Mayville-Portland MTA and GTA residents, respectively. The most popular radio stations for Mayville-Portland MTA residents included KFGO of Fargo, KMAV of Mayville, and WDAY of Fargo. Although economic times have been difficult, Mayville-Portland appears to be doing a good job of retaining most of its past trade area and should remain an important trade center for residents of Traill County and the surrounding area.

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