Comparisons of Metropolitan Growth Trajectories between the United States Sunbelt South and Historically Industrial North

Keywords: Economic, South, Metropolitan
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 08:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 09:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 68

Abstract

The term Sunbelt was used to characterize the southern United States as it transitioned away from an economy of decentralized rural agriculture and branch plant operations to one dominated by urban growth and service oriented industries. This change was fostered by the changing industrial structure of the United States as a whole and the regional shift of industries from the traditional northern manufacturing belt to the southern United States. Also, population shifts from the declining north fueled growth and continually attracted both internal and international migrants beginning in the late twentieth century and continuing today. Both economic and population growth received much attention in the geographic literature as the Sunbelt’s socio-economic structure changed. This paper examines the comparison between continued Southern growth and the recent economic rebirth of many northern cities after years of decline. The purpose of this analysis was to determine differences between the growth trajectories of metropolitan areas in the Southern United States versus those in the former Northern manufacturing belt during the most recent economic transitions.