New census data came out yesterday and part of it showed bad news for the state of Kansas:
According to newly released census data, Americans are fleeing the Great Plains for sunnier climes in record numbers, the decades-long trend only accelerating in the 21st century.
The data, as mapped by the site New Geography, shows that North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas all had more counties with total population decreases than increases between 2000 and 2010.
The growers? The states that are adding population? They are: The metro areas that grew the fastest were all in the west or south.
No surprise.
More Kansas data:
The data also offer information about changes in America's racial makeup. Many of the counties that saw the largest increases in their Hispanic populations were in traditional Hispanic strongholds, including southern California, Arizona, and south Florida. But others were more surprising: Counties in eastern Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma all saw an influx of Hispanics, reflecting a trend over the last decade in which many recent Latino immigrants have spread beyond urban centers like Los Angeles and Phoenix into more rural parts of the country.
Yeah, get over it. Don't be a racist hater.
Interesting stuff.
Now, if you're Kansas Governor Sam Brownback right now, what do you do, if anything, to see to it your state's population doesn't continue to sharply decrease?
Danged if I'd know.
I guess I'd harp on that "more jobs", thing.
I sure wouldn't try to destroy the Arts Commission. If you don't have a state Arts Commission to help make the state more appealing, jobs alone isn't going to do it.
And the more beauty they can add to Kansas, the better.
In fact, one of the best things, I think, Kansas may have going for it, annually, that might attract more people to the state is the annual "Symphony in the Hills" when the Kansas City Symphony plays in the Flint Hills, smack dab in the middle of Kansas.
So much for that "killing the arts" idea, eh, Governor?
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110330/ts_yblog_thelookout/new-census-data-shows-which-areas-of-america-are-growing-shrinking
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2 comments:
Kansas actually grew by about 6% over the last ten years. Most of that growth was due to a Hispanic influx.
The fact that more counties decreased in population isn't surprising, as we watch our small towns slowly die throughout the plains.
No, not surprising at all. Disappointing and frustrating but not surprising.
Thanks for your note and looking in.
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