r/dataisbeautiful • u/TA-MajestyPalm • 4d ago

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

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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.

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u/IBJON 3d ago

I live in Orlando. It seems that everyone and their mother has moved here in the last few years and the local government is doing fuck all to actually accommodate the growth. 

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u/scoofy 3d ago

and the local government is doing fuck all to actually accommodate the growth

They can't and the development pattern is to blame. If you're interested in the the movement trying to fix this shit, check out Strong Towns: https://www.strongtowns.org/

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u/OurNewestMember 3d ago

Can you talk to them about putting a few concrete case studies on the website (brief but compelling ones), and brief descriptions of real policies they are tracking? (Eg, "Appleville, USA Town board just used the slide deck below to pressure state authorities into a more fair highway expansion maintenance funding plan near the town watershed")

Currently the website comes across really vague and bloated which makes it seem like an untrustworthy front (seeming friendly enough, but in a "what is their real agenda?" Kind of way)

This page was more palatable:

https://www.strongtowns.org/about#about3

Not sure if you're actually associated with this or not but your language mirrored the site's ("the development pattern is to blame") so maybe you care about the site's communication, too.

Anyway, interesting idea. Would be good to see what it actually achieves in practice to see if it's a good idea

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u/scoofy 3d ago

They wrote three books on the subject. I’m not affiliated with them but they are a major, growing organization. The stuff they work on is not bumper-sticker simple, that’s the problem. Their most “I know nothing about this” friendly stuff is on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@strongtowns?si=KeCRxZA7QfsWCaxa

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u/uncleleo101 3d ago

I mean, it's less an "interesting idea" and more of a reality of an entire system of land use and transportation that creates diminishing returns for municipalities, as well as many, many other negative externalities.

Perhaps you don't live in north America and these issues are not as pressing in your community?

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u/MayIServeYouWell 3d ago

Is the local government not responsible for planning the development? 

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u/scoofy 2d ago

Path dependency is the issue. It's much harder to get the milk back in the bottle than it is to spill it in the first place. Federal subsidies are driving the development pattern, and it's a huge recipe for short-term growth at the cost of long-term malinvestment.