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I agree with you, and I'm sure the data would handily back you up. However, I think the reality is that while surely southern/western states are growing the fastest, I think the more accurate thing in general to say is the cheaper states are growing the fastest, which makes a lot more sense. Like I said before, even California, which has seen rapid increases in population over the past few decades, is starting to lose a lot of people to Arizona, Texas, and Washington. Reason? I'd argue it isn't so much the weather, but those places are the nearest cheaper alternatives.
Seven of the top ten fastest growing metro areas are in the southeastern US. That means three aren't - those are in Colorado, Oregon and Utah. Sixteen of the top twenty are in the southern US. Out of that top twenty, six are in Florida, four are in Texas, two are in South Carolina, two are in North Carolina, and one is surprisingly in Arkansas and one in Alabama (wow, did not know that!). Boise, ID has some good growth too.
In the top ten metro areas ranked by population - in growth rates those are as follows:
Houston 18.19 %
Dallas 17.33 %
Atlanta 12.55 %
Miami 11.40 %
Washington DC 10.89 %
(all ten percent and above - and four of those five are in the southern states, with DC on the border and sort of in a league of it's own anyway)
The rest are from 7 or so percent down to .40 percent in growth:
Boston 7.09 %
Los Angeles 3.61 %
Philadelphia 2.20 %
NYC 2.11 %
And rounding out the bottom with less than 1 percent growth - Chicago, at .40 percent.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GraniteStater
Heat and humidity is very uncomfortable regardless. Try 80F at midnight outside, stifling with AC on inside. The northern tier has the better climate. The absurd anti-cold bias in the US never ends.
Better, to you. And 80 at midnight is nothing. We're typically anywhere from 90 to 105 at that hour in July and August, though with low humidity. Just last night, I walked my dogs at midnight and it was 92°, humidity was just 9% (22° dewpoint) so didn't feel that bad
Heat and humidity is very uncomfortable regardless. Try 80F at midnight outside, stifling with AC on inside. The northern tier has the better climate. The absurd anti-cold bias in the US never ends.
Very subjective, though of course you do you.
Personally, I don't find 80 degrees at midnight to be stifling at all, though I do like coming in to the cool AC.
Though you know what - I clearly remember visiting my grandmother in the summer as a kid, in her country home in southern Arkansas, and she didn't have AC at all. And get this - we were fine. I mean, comfortable. Though it was hot outside, she had things figured out - open windows with awnings, shades half drawn, hardwood floors, an attic fan, box fans in one window in each room, cool percale sheets on the beds - when I am tempted to wonder how people populated the south before AC I remember her comfortable home and I smile.
I freely admit that when it's still hot in September, I'm tired of it. But I'd be even more tired of snow and ice by March. In March, I'm planting things and it's gorgeous here! So to each his or her own, right?
I see what you mean, but NM has changed from red to blue. It's really only a matter of time until TX is turned blue (and I, as a moderate, would hate to see that happen). FL is a swing state and has been for quite some time (though judging by the last election, there doesn't appear to be a serious movement for the liberal side that threatens the Republican side). AZ is still Republican though, like other southern states, appears to be turning blue due to increased amount of transplants.
That pretty much only leaves GA, AL, MS, LA, and AR (and if you aren't only referring to the deep/extreme south, TN, KN, OK, and MO too).
Basically what I'm saying is, wherever there's a heavy amount of transplants from liberal states, those transplant states have a good chance to turn blue in the future.
Personally, I don't find 80 degrees at midnight to be stifling at all, though I do like coming in to the cool AC.
Though you know what - I clearly remember visiting my grandmother in the summer as a kid, in her country home in southern Arkansas, and she didn't have AC at all. And get this - we were fine. I mean, comfortable. Though it was hot outside, she had things figured out - open windows with awnings, shades half drawn, hardwood floors, an attic fan, box fans in one window in each room, cool percale sheets on the beds - when I am tempted to wonder how people populated the south before AC I remember her comfortable home and I smile.
I freely admit that when it's still hot in September, I'm tired of it. But I'd be even more tired of snow and ice by March. In March, I'm planting things and it's gorgeous here! So to each his or her own, right?
Right. I personally like being able to feel my hands and feet in the winter. But that's just me.
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