Sun Belt

Las Vegas, Nevada

Cities in the South and West Keep Sprawling

New suburbs continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas, putting strain on local resources.

August 13, 2021 - The Washington Post

I-45 and I-69

Sun Belt Cities Are Facing Many Changes and Challenges

Cities across this swath of the country have rapidly growing populations and economies. At the same time, Sun Belt cities are contending with a common host of urban issues that should not be overlooked.

August 25, 2020 - Urban Edge

Phoenix

Sun Belt Cities Need a New Approach to Urbanism

The unique growth and challenges facing large cities in the U.S. Sun Belt will require a break from the kinds of policies generated to serve Northeastern and Midwestern cities over the course of U.S. history.

June 18, 2020 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Single Family Residential Construction

Not Enough Housing, Or Too Much of the Wrong Kind

Permits for new housing continue to lag despite a long economic boom. For coastal metros, it's a familiar story of job growth outpacing new construction. In some Sun Belt cities, sprawl is the bigger concern.

September 27, 2019 - CityLab

Seattle Downtown

Post-Recession Migration Patterns of Younger and Older Americans

New census data shows that millennials and seniors are migrating less, a result of the Great Recession and its economic impacts. For those who are moving, cities in the Sun Belt have been primary destinations.

February 15, 2019 - Brookings

Houston, Texas

Sun Belt Cities: Booming Populations, Low GDP Growth

Population trends are often used as a shorthand for a city's economic prowess, but Pete Saunders argues they may be a lagging indicator.

March 14, 2018 - Forbes

Fast Food Restaurants

Where Chain Restaurants Dominate

Yelp released revealing new data about city restaurants, showing which cities have a culture of independent eateries and which are dominated by chains.

February 11, 2018 - Slate

City of Bridges

How's the Rust Belt Going to Make It?

Americans move less than they once did, meaning that struggling communities are home to a greater percentage of the country.

January 11, 2018 - The Washington Post

Downtown Phoenix Skyline

In Phoenix, Sustainability Will Be Built by Node

If the desert metropolis wants to survive, it will need a strategy built on something other than a denser, more urban downtown.

December 18, 2017 - Dezeen

Texas Flood

Harvey Flooding Unlikely to Depress Houston's Housing Market

Vigorous continued demand for Houston homes left some realtors surprised after the city endured catastrophic flooding. For a lot of new construction, elevated homes may become the norm.

September 15, 2017 - The New York Times

Rural Bus

Difficult Data to Understand: City Drivers Logging More Miles, Rural Drivers Fewer

As America's VMT returns to record highs, more of the miles are coming from cities than ever before.

July 19, 2017 - Slate

Houston

Is Houston a City of the (Demographic) Future?

Bucking Texas political stereotypes, Houston is standing by its immigrant community. One reason: the city is one of country's most racially diverse.

May 18, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Houston Light Rail

Sun Belt Sprawl Might Not Be Forever

Will sprawling cities stay sprawled? Starting in their downtowns, some Sun Belt behemoths are embracing denser, more walkable forms.

March 8, 2017 - CNU

Texas Suburb

Op-Ed: The Texas Miracle Won't Last

As economic migration continues to swell its population, Texas has been heralded by some as a new California. But Johnny Sanphillippo argues that the Lone Star State's boom just isn't sustainable.

June 22, 2016 - Strong Towns

Housing Construction

Comparing Housing Permits Around the Sun Belt

It might not come as a surprise, but the Sun Belt cities permitting fewer new single-family homes are the Sun Belt cities permitting fewer new homes.

May 19, 2016 - The Urban Edge

Times Square Historic

Conceptual Shift: New York's Growing Again

For decades, New York City's boom times lay deep in the past. Now that the city's growing again, Aaron Renn says New York may need to take cues from the Sun Belt, of all places.

May 16, 2016 - Urbanophile

Big Transit Happenings Expected for the Sun Belt in 2016

A streak of landmark years for public transit in Sun Belt cities from the West Coast to the Florida Panhandle will continue in 2016.

December 27, 2015 - The Urban Edge

Neighborhood Electric Vehicle

Mainstreaming the Golf Cart

Seniors are on the cutting edge of a movement to make Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs), otherwise known as golf carts, a viable form of everyday transportation.

October 12, 2015 - The Atlantic

Growth Chart

U.S. Census Releases 2014 Population Estimates

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2014 population estimates shows persistent trends of growth in the Sun Belt along with a few other noteworthy data points.

May 21, 2015 - U.S. Census Bureau

Arizona Suburb

Sun Belt Remains Destination of Choice for Migrants

Census Bureau data indicates that the shift to Sun Belt suburbs is still the majority preference. Turns out warmth, jobs, and affordable housing are a powerful triumvirate.

April 28, 2015 - The New York Times

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