Rust Belt shamers such as economist Edward Glaeser and journalist Richard Longworth seized on this new narrative. Whatever the wealthy manufacturing states did wrong, the greenfield South did right. Population change told the tale of the tape. Ohio is dying. North Carolina is thriving. A contemporary mesofacts migration:
For decades, Raleigh and other cities in the US Sun Belt have lured workers from fading industrial centres in the north and midwest, promising jobs and a lower cost of living. But as Mr Perry’s experience shows, even success stories like Raleigh are showing signs of economic malaise.
How now brown town? Eventually, every region will have Rust Belt problems. China has Rust Belt problems. Don't get me started on Japan and the 1980s movie, "Gung Ho." This kid born in Erie, Pennsylvania has seen a litany of would-be economic champions come and go. The Sun Belt has joined the long line of suitors for Penelope.
Most industrial centres, such as Pittsburgh, are done fading. Relative to Pittsburgh, how does Raleigh look now? Like a failure.
Concerning population, Glaeser's preferred metric of success, Raleigh towers over Pittsburgh. Concerning income growth, Pittsburgh towers over Raleigh. You can have your population victory lap, Sun Belt.
Like China, the Sun Belt basked in cheap and easy growth. Now the game gets harder. Sun Belt boom towns are too busy touting corporate headquarter poaching victories to care.
2 comments:
What is this blog? This reads to me like nothing more than a dick measuring contest authored by some insecure yinzer playing the tired old "Pittsburgh vs Some Other City" game. Yeah, I'm sure every Pittsburgher who moved to Raleigh for greener pastures will read this and immediately realize their error, quit their job, sell their house at a loss, and move back to da Burgh, n'nat. "En once dey get 'ere, 'ell move in with some relatives n'nat, go on at disabiwity, en wiv appily ever after, n'nat!"
"The Sun Belt's Broken Promise"? Give me a fucking break. You wanna know about broken promises? "America's most livable city". Now that's a broken promise right there. Pittsburgh's crime rate is higher than Chicago, Tampa and even Boston....Just to name a few. Don't believe me? It's on Sperling's. Look it up.
Places like North Carolina, Georgia and Texas are having rapid population growth which usually leads to more poverty and falling income. On the other hand, Ohio, Minnesota, are losing some people and this somethings increase income and lowers poverty. The northeast poverty rate is declining because poorer people are leaving there. Fast growth in jobs and population doesn't always work.
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