Census: Americans Are Fleeing Big Cities (escaping high costs - and liberalism?)

Associated Press ^ | 04/20/06 | Stephen Ohlemacher

[Heartofsong83]

Census: Americans Are Fleeing Big Cities By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press Writer Thu Apr 20, 12:15 AM ET

WASHINGTON - Americans are leaving the nation's big cities in search of cheaper homes and open spaces farther out.

Nearly every large metropolitan area had more people move out than move in from 2000 to 2004, with a few exceptions in the South and Southwest, according to a report being released Thursday by the Census Bureau.

Northeasterners are moving South and West. West Coast residents are moving inland. Midwesterners are chasing better job markets. And just about everywhere, people are escaping to the outer suburbs, also known as exurbs.

"It's a case of middle class flight, a flight for housing affordability," said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "But it's not just white middle class flight, it's Hispanics and blacks, too."

The Census Bureau measured domestic migration — people moving within the United States — from 1990 to 2000, and from 2000 to 2004. The report provides the number of people moving into and out of each state and the 25 largest metropolitan areas.

The states that attracted the most new residents: Florida, Arizona and Nevada. The states that lost the most: New York, California and Illinois.

Among the 25 largest metropolitan areas, 18 had more people move out than move in from 2000 to 2004. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — the three biggest metropolitan areas — lost the most residents to domestic moves. The New York metropolitan area had a net loss of more than 210,000 residents a year from 2000 to 2004.

Richard Florida, a professor of public policy at George Mason University, said smaller, wealthier households are replacing larger families in many big metropolitan areas.

That drives up housing prices even as the population shrinks, chasing away even more members of the middle class.

"Because they are bidding up prices, they are forcing some people out to the exurbs and the fringe," Florida said. "Other people are forced to make moves in response to that. I don't have any sense of this abating."

The metropolitan area that attracted the most new residents was Riverside, Calif., which has been siphoning residents from Los Angeles for years. The Riverside area, which includes San Bernardino and Ontario, had a net gain of 81,000 people a year from 2000 to 2004.

Riverside has grown to become the 13th largest metropolitan area in the nation. It's a short drive to several mountain ranges, and it's within driving distance of the beach. Locally, it is known as the Inland Empire.

"When you look at housing prices in Southern California, along the beaches and coastlines, you're able to obtain a very large home for a much lower price" in Riverside, said Cindy Roth, president and CEO of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.

Homes in Riverside aren't cheap. The median price — the point at which half cost more and half cost less — was $374,200 in 2005. But they are less expensive than Los Angeles, where the median price was $529,000.

Other areas that attracted a lot of new residents also have relatively inexpensive homes, even if they are not the cheapest in the country. Phoenix, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth round out the top five metropolitan areas.

[Heartofsong83]

Could they be escaping from liberalism?

Honestly, I am not a big fan of urban sprawl, but neither do I support the liberal ways, extreme costs and high crime of the big cities today. I'd rather settle out on a farm, or in a smaller community.

The same trends are probably occuring all throughout the industrialized world.

[Rakkasan1]

take note that all the bunny-huggin', UN lovin' millionaires,celebs, and billionaires own vast tracts of land in Montana.

city life is what they want for the 'rest of them'.

[SF Republican]

Florida, Arizona and Nevada - Anyone needing a new carrier may want to try air conditioning - hours are long and hot but you only work 6 months and probably make 2 years income.

[DM1]

I fled to NH from Mass partially for housing costs but mostly because i could not stand taxachusetts any longer.

[Heartofsong83]

I'd prefer Arizona or Nevada to Florida. No need to worry about hurricanes!

[MplsSteve]

The downside to this migration is that a number of those who are leaving are liberals too.

They move somewhere else and bring their terrible ideas with them. They vote for liberal Dems in the areas they move to and eventually they change the political dynamic of that area - and certainly not in a good way!

Look what liberals from Massachusetts and New York have done to states like New Hampshire and Vermont!

[akorahil]

You mean like a Carrier brand A/C installer?

[Cecily]

The opposite is happening in Atlanta. People are moving back into the city proper because they are sick of the long commutes if they work in or close to town.

[ancient_geezer]

Northeasterners are moving South and West. West Coast residents are moving inland.

Just d'mn, there goes the neighborhood ;O/

[stephenjohnbanker]

Just moved to Scottsdale ~Bump!

[Heartofsong83]

Vermont has always been fairly liberal though...

[MplsSteve]

Over the years, I've driven Atlanta's freeways at various times of the day and night.

They are truly over-crowded and aggravating at just about any time!

[Heartofsong83]

Those are mostly wealthy people and liberal yuppies who are doing so.

[Heartofsong83]

Do they have commuter rail there? That seems like something that they could use...

[MarDav]

I moved from northeast New Jersey (just outside NYC) down here to North Carolina. Love it. The town I was born and raised in ceased to be the town I was born and raised in, so, to paraprhase RR: "I didn't leave my little town. My little town left me."

[Southack]

Left-wing rules (e.g. smoking bans, housing permit restrictions, etc.) and higher-taxes contribute to make urban areas less desireable to all but the biggest spenders and the underclass that services them...

That's one side of the equation.

Lower home prices, lower taxes, fewer rules...and high technology finally being available in rural areas (e.g. internet access, FedEx, etc.) are another part of the equation.

Then factor in better weather, better air quality, better roads, less crime...and suddenly the population shift makes sense.

Now add in the fact that lots of new jobs are being created in non-union "right to work" states at wages that are competitive to jobs in higher-cost regions, and this demographic shift appears not only inevitable, but also urgent.

[mikethevike]

I left Minneapolis last year and moved to the outer suburb of St. Michael. More house for my buck and, let's face it, Minneapolis is saturated with Liberal nutjobs, rainbow flags and lame politicians (Mayor Rybek).

[Reaganesque]

Just a thought but, cities are controlled, mostly, by Liberals, right? They have their way politically on just about every subject, right? Then, if their policies and way of doing things is so wonderful, why is the crime rate so high in big cities? Why are racial tensions so high in big cities? Why is homelessness rampant in big cities? Guns are banned but gun violence is commonplace. Surely, if Liberalism is the very definition of compassion and tolerance, big cities should be paradises, shouldn't they? And yet...

[pabianice]

Lived in the city. Never again.

My little piece of heaven. Took 27 years to get there but it was worth it. And the chief of police issues LTCs "for all lawful purposes."

[MplsSteve]

You almost have to go that far out to find any sensibility.

The first-ring suburbs like Maplewood, Richfield, Crystal, etc are starting to circle around the drain too. Crime, iffy housing, etc.

You have to go outside the 494-694 belt to find any sense of conservatism.