[OC] Post-Pandemic Population Growth Trends, by US Metro Area (2022->2024)

[u/TA-MajestyPalm]

Graphic by me, created in Excel. All data from US Census here: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html

I've created similar graphics in the past, but usually from 2020-2024. This is not the best time frame as it combines the abnormal covid years with post pandemic movement.

This time frame (2022-2024) shows the most current and ongoing population trends of the last 2 years.

I also wanted to better categorize the cities into broad cultural regions vs the arbitrary geographic census regions.

[u/miyamikenyati]

Interesting graphic, thanks for making it. Also a reminder that Reddit doesn’t equal real life.

And on cue the comments section fills up with people saying “because of climate change these numbers will reverse VERY SOON, and the Sun Belt will start losing population while the Rust Belt booms.”

I’ve been seeing this argument made for 7 or 8 years now (“VERY SOON”) and yet every year the numbers come out and the Sun Belt continues to grow while the Rust Belt continues to decline. It’s like the boy who cries wolf, “VERY SOON” never seems to actually happen.

[u/TA-MajestyPalm → u/miyamikenyati]

I make a lot of population graphics and at this point can predict what the reddit comments will be based on the data 😂

Reddit hates Texas and Florida

[u/saberplane → u/miyamikenyati]

A lot of this is pointless dick measuring though. We sometimes forget in this country that you can be desirable without needing explosive growth. Some of the nicest European cities for instance are second and third tier compared to their largest brethren and that's ok. Not to mention every city will experience ebs and flows over the years. Some are booming now, then stall or even regress, then others will take over the torch and the cycle goes on. I dont think many people in i.e. Nice, or even Lyon care to ever be a Paris.

Pros come with cons and vice versa.

[u/gsfgf → u/miyamikenyati]

the Rust Belt booms

The urban cores of Rust Belt cities are booming, and that's what people on here are talking about. Nobody wants to move to some shitty suburb of Detroit.

[u/miyamikenyati → u/gsfgf]

I guess we have different definitions of “booming”

Here’s population growth for some rust belt cities (this is city proper, not metro area) between 2020 and 2024 (same time period of this graphic)

-Detroit: 1% (gain of 6,000 people) -Cleveland: -2% (loss of 7,000 people) -Chicago: -1% (loss of 25,000 people) -Buffalo: -.5% (loss of 1,500 people) -Milwaukee: -2.5% (loss of 14,000 people) -Indianapolis: .5% (gain of 4,000 people)

“Booming”

“Very soon”

Etc.

[u/gsfgf → u/miyamikenyati]

Most cities are way larger than their urban cores. People who talk about Cleveland are talking about the part of Cleveland that you can actually get around in without a car, which is a tiny part of Cleveland.

[u/papertowelroll17 → u/gsfgf]

Are they though? Austin over the last 10 years built more skyscrapers than Detroit has total

[u/gsfgf → u/papertowelroll17]

Yea, but Austin is expensive now.