One of my favorites when it comes to rural tourism information is the man from BoomTown. This is the latest e-news!
Last week the U.S. Census Bureau came out with a report on migration trends, Domestic Net Migration in the United States: 2000 to 2004. They broke down migration patterns by region, state and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area). To many, the results were probably surprising. But not to me or my small group of colleagues that have been saying it for the last few years, people are moving out of the cities in search of a better life!
The report found that Americans are leaving congested cities for areas with more affordable housing options and more open spaces. From 2000 to 2004 nearly every large MSA had more people move out than move in, of the 25 largest MSAs, 18 had more people move out than move in. The few exceptions were regions in the South and Southwest. Northeasterners are migrating South and West. While people on the West Coast are moving inland and Midwesterners are assumed to be searching out better job markets. Florida, Arizona and Nevada gained the most new residents while New York, California and Illinois lost the most. The Associated Press wrote, “And just about everywhere, people are escaping to the outer suburbs, also known as the exurbs.” But they’re wrong, people aren’t just escaping to the exurbs, they’re also escaping to the agurbs®!
As a resident “Agurbanite”, I think this statement is right on! In the small community where I live, property is being bought up by folks from Colorado, Kansas, Texas and other states as well as Okies who live in Tulsa or OKC. Rural property value is increasing but the trade-off is tourism development in bedroom communities that are not really prepared. We have to work on this and find a balance.
For more on this article see http://www.boomtowninstitute.com/
