Population loss doesn't always equate to economic decline. Richard Florida discusses a study examining American metros that are retaining their economic vitality as they shrink.
"Population growth is a crude measure of prosperity: As long as a place attracts or retains specific talent, it can lose general population and still be prosperous," Richard Florida writes. As evidence, he points to a study by Cardiff University's Maxwell Hartt looking at the economic performance of shrinking cities.
While we often picture shrinking cities as economically bereft, "shrinking population and economic decline don’t always come hand-in-hand: A striking subset of cities with declining populations are in fact economically prosperous." Hartt finds that 27 percent of shrinking cities have economic indicators outperforming their regional average. Most of them are suburbs and outlying towns close to large, wealthy metro areas.
Florida speculates that what sets these places apart is their ability to retain educated residents, who may be professionally based in the corresponding big cities: "97 percent of prosperous shrinking cities had a higher proportion of college-educated individuals than their regional average."
FULL STORY: How Some Shrinking Cities Are Still Prospering
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Two cities in Illinois are examined as case studies of population decline in the post-industrial economy.
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Critiquing Richard Florida's claim that "the urban revival is over."
Richard Florida on the Perils of Gentrification
Florida discusses a recent study that emphasizes how new the back-to-the-city movement is, how white it is, and what that means for the people it pushes out.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
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Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
How to Make US Trains Faster
Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.
Columbia’s Revitalized ‘Loop’ Is a Hub for Local Entrepreneurs
A focus on small businesses is helping a commercial corridor in Columbia, Missouri thrive.
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The Emerald Ash Borer is a rapidly spreading invasive pest threatening Minnesota’s ash trees, and homeowners are encouraged to plant diverse replacement species, avoid moving ash firewood, and monitor for signs of infestation.
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