Why Are Families Flocking to Red States? The Data You Need to See!
The latest discussion revolves around a striking chart highlighting that red states have seen a 7% increase in their child population since 2000. While it’s tempting to view this as a reflection of our polarized landscape, we dive deeper to uncover that the reality is more nuanced. The conservative Institute for Family Studies points out that this trend is largely driven by housing affordability rather than political allegiance. When you can buy a starter home in Nashville for a fraction of the price of one in San Francisco, it’s no wonder young families are packing up and moving regardless of their political views. If blue states don’t tackle the issues of housing and affordability, they might be stuck with a population drain that’s hard to reverse.
Takeaways:
- Red states have seen a 7% increase in child population since 2000, reflecting broader trends in affordability.
- The growth in child population in red states is driven more by housing affordability than by political affiliations.
- Even conservative think tanks acknowledge that economics plays a crucial role in family decisions about relocation.
- If blue states don't address housing affordability, they risk further population decline over time.
Links referenced in this episode:
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Transcript
This is the Daily note from jamesabrown.net There's a chart making the rounds that just feels like common sense.
Speaker A: % since the year: Speaker A:The obvious read here is tribal and yes, we're extremely polarized.
Speaker A:But that's only part of the picture.
Speaker A:Even the conservative thinktank who made the chart agrees with that.
Speaker A:The Institute for Family Studies says this is more about affordability and housing than politics.
Speaker A:And of course, they're right.
Speaker A:When a starter home costs half as much in Nashville as it does in San Francisco, a young family starts googling and eventually loads a U haul, no matter what their politics are.
Speaker A:And if blue states don't fix housing and affordability, they won't fix their population drain anytime soon.
Speaker A:On that note, I'm James A.
Speaker A:Brown, and as always, be well.
