Ah, but you can't take immigrants out of the equation. New Americans are created nearly every day and they are a source of constant renewal for the country. I used to work near Golden Hall in downtown San Diego and always enjoyed seeing the long lines of people waiting to take their oath of citizenship.
I live on Bainbridge Island, which is a 35-minute ferry ride from Seattle. The average home price here is a good bit higher than in Seattle, but Seattlites are flocking here because Seattle schools, well, stink! Would you prefer to live in an expensive, child-unfriendly community like Seattle, where you have to spend extra money to give your child a descent education? Or, would you prefer moving to a child-friendly community with great schools where any extra money can be invested in a home and property? There may be a lot of relocated Seattle libs on this island, but no one can say that folks here don't cherish children. They also love their dogs for that matter.