1. Start with Crookston’s actual service area
Crookston is recorded as a municipality in Polk County, Minnesota. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimate records 7,344 residents, with a margin of error of 58. That figure describes the city population only; it does not establish demand for legal services, search behavior, competition, lead volume or staffing needs. It does, however, make geographic definition useful. A firm should decide whether its intake is intended for Crookston alone, Polk County, or a broader Minnesota service area. Those are different routing and qualification decisions.
Recommended approach
Write the geographic rule before designing the survey. Ask where the matter occurred, where the prospective client is located, and whether the firm accepts work outside Crookston or Polk County. Keep those questions separate from eligibility questions so location does not silently become a claim about legal fit.
