1. Start with the geographic question, not a population assumption
Ponchatoula is recorded as a city in Tangipahoa Parish. That relationship matters when you decide which geographic labels should appear in intake records and reporting. A Ponchatoula inquiry and an inquiry associated with another part of Tangipahoa Parish are not automatically the same market. Neither should be combined merely because both are nearby. The city’s ACS population estimate is eligibility context only. It does not tell you how many people search for a lawyer, which practice areas they need, or whether a marketing channel is producing qualified inquiries.
Recommended approach
In a consultation, define the geographic fields you actually need to review: city, parish, service area and any broader territory your firm intentionally serves. Then decide whether reports should separate Ponchatoula from the rest of Tangipahoa Parish. Keep those geographic distinctions alongside source and outcome data rather than treating population as a forecast.
