The "population center" is a statistical construct that designates the midpoint where the Northern and Southern California populations are equally balanced on either side. For the first time in a century, that midpoint has moved northward.
The population center lands in Kern County, 1.7 miles northeast of its previous location. The new spot indicates that the population of Northern California is growing faster than Southern California. The population center is an important bit of data, because in the past it helped determine the location of the state capital:
"When politicians chose Vallejo as the state capital, then later moved it to Benicia and ultimately Sacramento, the center of California's political power was never far from what the U.S. Census Bureau calls the mean center of population. Demographers pin the point with a formula involving latitude, longitude and the weighted population of each of the state's 710,000 census blocks."
FULL STORY: California's population center is in an alfalfa field
Detroit and Michigan on the Upswing
It's been 66 years since the Motor City last grew its population. Census data released last month revealed an increase of nearly 2,000 people last year, nearly half the state's population growth.
The 15 Fastest-Growing Cities in the US
The U.S. Census Bureau released new 2023 population estimates on May 16 showing a slew of data for cities of all sizes and regions. Do you know the population change last year for the 15 largest cities in your state?
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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