In 2000, the census was not kind to Sandy. And the latest version continues the trend that indicates the community doesn't have the numbers to support its first-class city designation (100,000 residents are required). Not only that, Sandy appears poised to fall from its long-held spot as Utah's fourth most-populous city. City officials don't appear worried. "We're not concerned with the numbers," said spokesman Ryan Mecham. Census estimates say Sandy has 89,979 residents. The city, however, is just one of four Utah communities listed as a first-class city. City officials got there in 1999, when an estimate put the population at 102,000. A year later, the 2000 census said the community wasn't even close, saying it had fewer than 88,500 people. While they fought over the 2000 total - officials claimed the Census Bureau used a too-low average household size to calculate population - Sandy held on to the honorary designation. And, the first-class moniker won't go away unless Sandy officials petition Utah's lieutenant governor for a change. Sandy isn't interested in doing that. What is going to change soon is the community's placement on the list of largest Utah cities. West Jordan, according to the latest figures, is breathing down Sandy's collective neck with 89,011 residents, a 6 percent growth in one year. Orem isn't far behind either. West Jordanites argue that the race for No. 4 is already over. "I think we're the fourth largest," West Jordan City Attorney Roger Cutler said. Other population estimates put the West Jordan's population at more than 95,000, although that figure may be calculated the same way Sandy's was in 1999. With around 7,500 acres still undeveloped and a build-out population that could reach 160,000 residents, West Jordan eventually will pass Provo and could be West Valley City's main rival for Utah's second-largest community. Jacob Santini WHERE HAVE THEY GONE? Utah's capital city - the state's center of business and entertainment - has once again dipped in population. Nearly 2,000 fewer people lived in Salt Lake City in 2004 than a year earlier, continuing a trend that began with the 2000 census. Not to worry, say city officials. "It's not a big deal," said Neil Olsen, a city planner. "These are small adjustments due to the economy." The trend isn't surprising because there is little room for suburban-style housing in Salt Lake City and the existing homes are generally smaller and older than what's available outside of the city. And Salt Lake City isn't alone. "That's probably the same for Ogden and maybe Provo," Olsen said. "What [Salt Lake City] is aiming at isn't quantity but quality." Both communities, aging anchors in their respective counties, also had reductions in population. Provo was the most dramatic as it lost nearly 3,500 residents, the largest reduction in the state. Jacob Santini LOSING CLASS Provo is now second-class - number-wise. The 2004 census shows the Utah County seat's population fell by 3,448 from the previous year, from 103,072 to 99,624. The dip, the largest numerical decline of any Utah city, dropped Provo from a first-class city to a second-class city. To carry the first-class label, cities are required to have a population of 100,000. But Mayor Lewis Billings said the Census Bureau's figures don't add up. He said his community-development department staff estimates Provo's population to be between 110,000 to 115,000. "If we get an indication substantially out of that range, we'd go back to the table and crank out an appeal," Billings said. "It is totally inconsistent with the information and numbers that we have." Census totals indicate the title of Utah's second-largest city, something Provo and West Valley City have both claimed in recent years, now has been transferred outright to West Valley City, which now numbers 112,678. "I thought we were the second-largest city since 1997," West Valley City Manager Wayne Pile said. "By our calculations, our own numbers [now] show 120,000. "Frankly, we're pretty happy with the level of growth we have." - Todd Hollingshead