Baby Bust: US births continue their decline

[cinyc]

I think this and nearly stagnant education levels are our two biggest long term problems. Both of these are a death knell for the smaller metros in this country

Smaller metros are not monolithic. Some (like The Villages and Myrtle Beach) are growing very fast. Some aren't.

[cinyc]

I think this and nearly stagnant education levels are our two biggest long term problems. Both of these are a death knell for the smaller metros in this country

Smaller metros are not monolithic. Some (like The Villages and Myrtle Beach) are growing very fast. Some aren't.

Aren't those retirement meccas?  I mean with the Boomers hitting 65 in droves you'd expect those to grow.

Those two are (though Myrtle Beach's growth is probably more complex than just retirement). But the are other small metros that are growing due to non-retirement reasons. I doubt many retirees are moving to Midland or Odessa, TX, for example.

[cinyc]

I think this and nearly stagnant education levels are our two biggest long term problems. Both of these are a death knell for the smaller metros in this country

Smaller metros are not monolithic. Some (like The Villages and Myrtle Beach) are growing very fast. Some aren't.

Almost nothing in demographics is monolithic, there's going to be exceptions to everything.

Here, the exception is the rule, though. In general, small metros (however defined) are still growing. The very largest (NY/LA/Chicago) are slowing and/or losing population in the most recent trends. We’re not in the Great Recession any more (core cities generally grew earlier in the decade; some are no longer growing).

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-24/midsize-metro-areas-make-a-comeback-sort-of

There will be winners and losers among small metros in any demographic scenario - as there will be among large and mid-sized ones.