Posted on 07/07/2011 7:00:44 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
What cities are best positioned to grow and prosper in the coming decade?
To determine the next boom towns in the U.S., Forbes, with the help of Mark Schill at the Praxis Strategy Group, took the 52 largest metro areas in the country (those with populations exceeding 1 million) and ranked them based on various data indicating past, present and future vitality.
We started with job growth, not only looking at performance over the past decade but also focusing on growth in the past two years, to account for the possible long-term effects of the Great Recession. That accounted for roughly one-third of the score. The other two-thirds were made up of a a broad range of demographic factors, all weighted equally. These included rates of family formation (percentage growth in children 5-17), growth in educated migration, population growth and, finally, a broad measurement of attractiveness to immigrants as places to settle, make money and start businesses.
We focused on these demographic factors because college-educated migrants (who also tend to be under 30), new families and immigrants will be critical in shaping the future. Areas that are rapidly losing young families and low rates of migration among educated migrants are the American equivalents of rapidly aging countries like Japan; those with more sprightly demographics are akin to up and coming countries such as Vietnam.
Many of our top performers are not surprising. No. 1 Austin, Texas, and No. 2 Raleigh, N.C., have it all demographically: high rates of immigration and migration of educated workers and healthy increases in population and number of children. They are also economic superstars, with job-creation records among the best in the nation.
Perhaps less expected is the No. 3 ranking for Nashville, Tenn.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.forbes.com ...
Nice try (appears to have worked for at least one commenter).
“Actually, Austin is a very bad place to live, so dont come here.”
A friend of mine once told me that everyone that lives in Austin believes it was just the perfect size six months after they moved there. That was thirty years ago. It is still true today.
“I’m with you. Screw the boomtowns and give me a view I can enjoy with my morning coffee”
I’m with both of you.
I want to be far, FAR, F-A-R from wherever “the boom is”.
Nowheresville for me!
- Grumpy
“All this boom and immigration from various points north, just might keep Texas from losing the demographic battle.”
You’re dreamin’, my FRiend.
The “demographic battle” is what it is.
The numbers in Texas are changing, as is the “color” of the population from gringo to brown.
The so-called “boom” may slow it down slightly, but it’s like holding one’s hand out in front of the coming tides...
Just sayin’...
Depending where in Alabama you go, there may be a good economy to go with it. We welcome you brother.
I love living in Austin in spite of the large number of liberals. I am having more fun now than ever engaging my liberal friends in conversations about what a great job Barry is doing.
tennesee, texas, and north carolina have had strong showings for ten years. Fifteen years ago california and wisconsin would’ve probably had one city each on the list. Possibly colorado springs. Other than that, not much different.
don’t forget Muck-wun-ah-go
High taxes, powerful unions, complacent population, aging population, Luke Ravenstahl...
Also forgot to put in Vinnie Ha Ha and Koshkonong!!
RE: Actually, Austin is a very bad place to live, so dont come here.
LOL, so whats stopping you from moving outa there?
I have a feeling basil is fibbing... :)
Should a bunch of limo liberals move to Austin after having crashed their own cities with liberalism, they will do the same to Austin.
LOL, so whats stopping you from moving outa there?
The liberals live in Austin, and the Conservatives live 30 or 40 miles outside the city. Problem solved. Now, if only our area could become part of Williamson or Burnet counties, we would have even less problems.
You must know the members of the Austin Silly council. Austin is the largest city in the country that elects all members at large, but may go to single member districts. The EVs, gays and UT students are the largest block of voter turnout. I'm glad we live outside the city.
“It is what it is, it’s just not “in your face” as in other metro areas.”
Methinks thou doth protest too much.
I will have to say that the kids are generally a pretty decent lot over there. We've been to events and do not see much of the usual hippie trash and leftwing sloganeering common at most college campuses.
Someone here told me that the nearby town of Latrobe passed on an opportunity to host the Football Hall of Fame before it went to Canton, Ohio. So the Steeler's camp was sort of a consolation prize, although another plus is that it usually is a few degrees cooler here than in Pittsburgh.
Usually, the whole Pittsburgh area centers their attention here when the camp opens later in July. But not this year between the NFL lock-out and the Pirates actually in contention this late in the season.
Back in the 70's, SVC had a reputation as a party school, even being ranked in the Playboy rankings of party colleges. But that changed around the time I started school there, probably for the better (although I didn't think so at the time). Hadn't heard that about the HOF and Latrobe, but Western PA has certainly produced a good number of players over the years.
Not all Californians are as you describe. Jim Robinson mentioned he was moving from California to Texas a while back, and we once had a governor named Reagan that most of Texas liked...the kind that are likely to flee to Texas are fed up conservatives.
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