1. Define the geography before reviewing the numbers
The Census record identifies Brooklyn Park as a municipality in Hennepin County. A dashboard review should therefore distinguish Brooklyn Park from Hennepin County, the broader Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, Minnesota as a whole, and any other service area the firm chooses to target. A single “local” total can become misleading if it combines these geographies. The population estimate of 83,876 describes the city during the 2020–2024 ACS period; it does not establish how many residents search for legal help, contact a particular firm, or become clients. Ask to see how location is attached to ranking targets, landing pages, calls and leads before treating a city figure as a business result.
Recommended approach
Bring a written geography policy to the consultation. Decide whether Brooklyn Park should be reported separately from Hennepin County and statewide activity, and ask how a location field is assigned when a caller, form submission or referral does not identify a city.
