Tuesday, May 15, 2012

People Are Moving To The Great Plains For The Schools?

New Geography is pushing back against the cities as engines of growth meme:
Why are the stronger smaller cities growing faster than most larger ones? The keys may lie in many mundane factors that are often too prosaic for urban theorists. They include things such as strong community institutions like churches and shorter commutes than can be had in New York, L.A., Boston or the Bay Area (except for those willing to pay sky-high prices to live in a box near downtown). Young families might be attracted to better schools in some areas — notably the Great Plains — and the access to natural amenities common in many of these smaller communities.
Please refer me to any statistic showing notable growth in population for families with young children in the Great Plains.  Other than fossil fuel booms, I haven't seen any semblance of  population increase, especially among people of child bearing age, between the 20 inch line and the Rocky Mountains since the Dust Bowl.  I would be interested to see some statistics on that migration. In other words, I call shenanigans.  Considering current fuel prices, and the prospects for the future, I wouldn't be betting on the future growth of sprawl and rural areas.

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