Yesterday I read a diary citing recent census bureau data showing how NY and LA are growing at the expense of us country bumpkins. I was real surprised to read another story today giving a very different spin on the numbers.
Fastest Growing Counties
1. Williams, N.D. (Unemployment rate: 1 percent)
2. Duchesne, Utah (Unemployment rate: 3.5 percent)
3. Sumter, Fla. (Unemployment rate: 5.4 percent)
4. Stark, N.D. (Unemployment rate: 1.7 percent)
5. Kendall, Tex. (Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent)
The fastest growing metro areas are:
1. The Villages, Fla.
2. Odessa, Tex.
3. Midland, Tex.
4. Fargo, N.D.
5. Bismarck, N.D.
6. Casper, Wyo.
And, finally, the fastest growing micropolitan areas:
1. Williston, N.D.
2. Dickinson, N.D.
3. Heber, Utah
4. Andrews, Tex.
5. Minot, N.D.
6. Vernal, Utah
Yes they are metro areas, but Fargo and Odessa are not exactly big cities.
What really irked me were some of the comments to that diary yesterday by people who sure ought to know better.
Now I've been to Casper, Williston, and Heber, and I've got to say they are not big sprawling Los Angeles kinds of towns. But they have work, work that pays a decent wage, a wage to raise a family on. These are not old people flocking to these towns but young people looking to get ahead in one of the few places in the US it's possible to do so.
http://www.census.gov/...
A big hat tip to Jonathan Thomson at HCN may it never change it's name.