Using data from the US Conference of Mayor's U.S. Metro Economies report, redditor atrubetskoy tallied up the economic activities of cites and metro areas and created the map below. While it is probably not surprising to most, it is still visually stunning.
Orange and Blue areas each generate 50% of national GDP
It's slightly modified from
atrubetskoy's original map, which did not include Denver or Atlanta areas.
Still, either version shows the economic prowess of cities. The Bos-Wash megalopolis is the largest thanks to having over 43 million people, large instiutions, federal spending and the impact of the financial sector, which is also mirrored on a smaller scale in the Chicago area. Manufacturing hubs from Michigan to Washington still generate a lot of economic activity. Specialization helped Silicon Valley and the Research Triangle's economic fortunes, while others like Denver, St. Louis and Atlanta benefit from being regional hubs.
The common link among all areas, at least to me, is the large population they all share, usually being the highest or second highest in the state.
atrubetskoy also did a map with how the areas voted in 2012.
2012 election overlay
While most are Democratic strongholds, there are pockets of Republican voters, especially in Tucson, Dallas-Ft Worth, Pittsburgh and North Carolina.
But aside from how the regions vote, policy makers would be wise to focus on improving the infrastructure of these regions. Germany, China and Brazil are investing in advanced research, renewable energy, modern ports, high-speed rail and urban transit in Munich, Shanghai and São Paulo, metros that drive their economies. We must do the same. These cities are hotbeds of economic development and talent. A little investment in them can go a long way.