US population center trending toward South for first time

According to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates the US population is growing more in the southern states compared to the rest of the country.

The four states in the south that saw the largest growth are Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.

A combination of births outpacing deaths and both international and domestic migration, the population in the south grew by more than 1 million people when compared to other states.

The Associated Press reported that experts believe the trend towards the south relates to factors such as housing affordability, lower taxes, the growth of remote work and retirement prospects for baby boomers.

The West grew by 153,000 people, largely due to migrants and a high birth rate.  The Northeast and Midwest both lost residents.

Owen Glick, 56, moved from California to Florida over a year ago.

“You’re in better financial shape in terms of prices here, but there are more expenditures to maintain properties,” Glick said.

A significant number of departures from the West was residents leaving California, however Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington also suffered year-to-year losses in domestic migration from 2021 to 2022. Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah still had year-to-ear increases, however these were smaller than previous years.

In Oregon it is still up in the air whether the 17,000 departures to other U.S. states was a temporary, pandemic-related trend due to remote-working freedoms and housing affordability, or whether the movement is a result of other issues such as such as crime, weather or wildfires, said Josh Lehner, who is an economist for the state.

Oregon hasn’t had a population decline since the 1980s, this the when the lumber industry downsized and the real estate market crashed.

“If we aren’t seeing that growth in labor force as we normally do, that means economic activity will be slower, state revenues will be lower. It’s a question we are struggling with,” Lehner said.