If your city isn't attracting hordes of new residents does that mean it's not growing economically? Richard Florida and his colleagues seek to undermine those who equate population growth with economic health.
"As I wrote in my feature on economic recovery for The Atlantic, while many people use population as a way to gauge regional growth or decline, it actually tells us little about economic growth," says Florida. "To shed light on the connection — or, really, lack of one —between population growth and economic growth, my team and I tracked not just the recovery period but also for the entire decade of the 2000s."
"Their main conclusion: There is little, if any connection, between the two," he continues. "Here's the rub: Across the nation, fewer than one in five metros (19 percent) experienced both population growth and productivity growth over the past decade. There was no statistical association between the two, according to the team's analysis."
In a swipe at those that look to population growth as the sign of a healthy metro area, Florida concludes that "America's economic winners are not those places that are growing population fastest, but those that are developing the skills and capabilities that improve their underlying productivity."
FULL STORY: The Great Growth Disconnect: Population Growth Does Not Equal Economic Growth
Study: How Beauty Is a Boon for Cities
Richard Florida discusses a study finding a range of connections between a city or neighborhood's aesthetic appeal and its economic health.
The 'Mountain Lion' Cities Rising in the U.S. West
An economist identifies the growth in nine U.S. cities—scattered from Utah to Texas, Arizona, Washington, and Idaho—as similar to the economic power generated in parts of Asia.
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.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)