All Economics is Local

Census Bureau Releases 2009 City Population Estimates

The U.S. Census Bureau released July 1, 2009, population estimates for each of the nation's incorporated places, including cities, boroughs and villages and minor civil divisions, such as towns and townships.

Among cities with populations over 100,000, Frisco TX grew the fastest between 2008 and 2009, up 6.2 percent. Cities in Texas claimed four spots in the ten fastest growing growing places. US Census Bureau

Where Americans Are Moving

Surprise: America's wealthy like warm weather and low taxes. That's the takeaway from IRS data, analyzed by Forbes, on moves between counties. We looked for counties that the rich are moving to in big numbers. Forbes

The State of Metropolitan America

The State of Metropolitan America uses data to show that our nation faces five "new realities," currently redefining the country. In each of these five areas, the nation reached critical milestones in the 2000s that make those underlying realities too large to ignore any longer. And large metropolitan areas—the collections of cities, suburbs, and rural areas that house two-thirds of America’s population—lay squarely on the front lines of those trends. Brookings

Domestic Migration Tracks Housing Affordability

There have been changes in metro domestic migration (people moving from one part of the country to another) trends in the last few years, but the principal association is with housing affordability. New Geography

Detailed Tables (PDF) 

Among Large Cities, San Jose and D.C. Lead in Well-Being

Among the nation's 52 largest metropolitan areas that Gallup surveyed in 2009, San Jose, Calif., had the highest well-being in the nation followed closely by Washington, D.C., according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Rounding out the top five well-being cities are Raleigh, N.C., Minneapolis, and San Francisco. Gallup

Graying of America by Metropolitan Area

The population 65 years and over varies widely by metropolitan area. Based on 2008 population estimates, the percent population ages 65 years and over ranged from 4.77% in the Edwards, CO MISA to 32.24% in the Sebring, FL MISA. Use the interactive ranking table in this section to rank and compare metropolitan areas based on selected measures of the population 65 years and over. Proximity

Mapping Natural Population Increases

As with other advanced capitalist societies, the US population is aging. About 30 percent of US counties experienced natural decrease– more deaths than births – in the 2000-2007 period. Nevertheless, the most exceptional feature of the United States remains its unusually high level of natural increase, and significant degree of population growth. This is often attributed to the high level of immigration, especially from Mexico, illegal as well as legal, and their high fertility. New Geography 

Mapping Natural Population Decreases

For an advanced capitalist society, the United States has a quite high birth rate, and substantial natural increase. Yet despite this, almost a third experienced natural decrease, an excess of deaths over births, over the recent 2000-2007 period. Some counties with natural decrease still grow in population because of sufficient in-migration, but more typically, natural decrease is associated with high levels of out-migration and with long term population decline. New Geography

 

The Young and Moneyed Dwell in D.C.

A new demographic spotlight finds that 16 of the top 50 counties where the highest concentration of the young and wealthy live are in the Washington D.C. area. This demographic—those aged 25-34 who are making over $100,000 annually—is also prevalent in the high-density areas of San Francisco, New York City and Chicago. Nielsen Co.

'Youth Magnet' Cities Hit Midlife Crisis

The worst recession in a generation is disrupting migration patterns and overturning lives across the country. Yet, cities like Portland, along with Austin, Texas, Seattle and others, continue to be draws for the young, educated workers that communities and employers covet. What these cities share is a hard-to-quantify blend of climate, natural beauty, universities and -- more than anything else -- a reputation as a cool place to live. Wall Street Journal

Census Bureau Releases State and County Population Data

Orange County, Fla., the nation’s 35th most populous county, is one of six counties to have become majority-minority between 2007 and 2008, according to state and county population estimates by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Majority-minority is defined as more than half the population being of a group other than single-race, non-Hispanic white.

 Five other U.S. counties also became majority-minority in 2008 – Stanislaus, Calif.; Finney, Kan.; Warren, Miss.; Edwards, Texas; and Schleicher, Texas. Nearly 10 percent (309) of the nation’s 3,142 counties were majority-minority as of July 1, 2008. Census Bureau

America's Four Great Growth Waves and the World Cities They Produced

There have been four great growth waves in American history. In each case, there was an attractive new frontier, which not only drew migrating waves of people seeking new opportunity, but also developed large new bases of industry, wealth, and power. These waves have also created top-tier world cities in their wake. newgeography.com

Millennials’ First Recession

The idea that young people can choose their city at will based on lifestyle preference does not make much sense given the current economic circumstances. Job opportunity and affordability, not to mention family ties, are more likely to dictate where young people end up settling now and in the immediate future. By the time this recession is over, Millennials may have passed their ‘city phase’. This spells bad news for places that have banked on spurring a renaissance driven by young people who often like urban settings but can no longer afford the luxury. newgeorgraphy.com

Returning to Normalcy

Another, more detailed, analysis of the 2008 metropolitan population estimates. “Consistent with the “mantra” of a perceived return to cities from the suburbs, some analysts have virtually declared the new data as indicating the trend that has been forecast for more than one-half a century. In fact, the new population and domestic migration data merely indicates the end of a domestic migration bubble, coinciding with the end of the housing bubble.” Wendell Cox at www.newgeography.com

Census Releases 2008 Population Estimates for US Metros and Counties

The original release. Accompanying maps. A few interpretations:

Fewer leaving urban centers, moving to sunnier places USA Today 

Migration to Hot Housing Markets Cools Off William Frey at Brookings 

U.S. Migration Falls Sharply WSJ

 

Foreign-Born Population Clusters

Fascinating interactive graphic reveals the distinct clustering of immigrant populations across the US using decennial census data.

NYT March 11 2009

America’s Ever Changing Demography (3,140 stories)

Richard Morrill at NewGeography.com presents a detailed analysis of the components of demographic change among all US counties.