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/scoofy 3d ago

I mean, the irony is that a single lane of highway converted to BRT would mostly solve these problems. The main issue is that the development pattern of automobiles is effectively at odds with high density transit. So unless you're going to rebuild your urban core, and build a BRT station in the center of a residential neighborhood, it's just not going to happen.

Path dependency in democratic systems is an absolute self-own most of the time.

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u/AskMeAboutOkapis 3d ago

I've long thought creating a bunch of bus lanes would be the cheapest way to make transit more reliable and improve traffic. But buses are boring compared to trains and people don't like to see empty lanes next to them during traffic even if that lane is carrying more people. Some cities are doing it though.

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u/Illiander 3d ago

Buses just aren't as effective as trains is the thing. Mostly because they inevitably get forced to use the same roads as cars, which makes them get stuck in traffic.

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u/Cleromanticon 3d ago

Where I live, Republicans literally made light rail illegal so buses are what we’ve got to work with.