2009 Metropolitan Area Census Estimates Released

[Bostech]

Question is how many of these people will stay in these "expanding cities".
Most of that growth happened during "golden times" and most of these cities had companies involved in mortgage/banking industry which is hurting now,not to mention lot of building etc.
Some of those people might move into cheaper areas now that is harder to find job or live on less money.

[tufsu1]

Bos...much of that adjustment has already occurred...growth in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and even Jax. slowed significantly in 2008 and 2009....and some other places have actually seen population decline over the last 2 years....on the other hand, places like Texas are booming because they still have jobs.

[Bostech]

Reality didn't set in yet.most people are still receiving unemployment checks and will stay in same area until that runs out.then you have to find job and make for living and then they will act.
We are talking in next 3-5 years things will change.

[Captain Zissou]

Bos, why would you think an unemployed person would want to move to a smaller town?  Sure home prices might be cheaper, but if there are no jobs in a small town, you couldn't pay for it anyway.  people will just shuffle around larger cities to find jobs, I don't see people moving out of the "expanding" or already expanded cities any time soon.

[AaroniusLives]

Bos, why would you think an unemployed person would want to move to a smaller town?  Sure home prices might be cheaper, but if there are no jobs in a small town, you couldn't pay for it anyway.  people will just shuffle around larger cities to find jobs, I don't see people moving out of the "expanding" or already expanded cities any time soon.

Totally agree, but with a caveat. Those cities need to have a diversified employment base to continue their growth. But most, if not all of the top ten MSAs have hit a level of critical mass, and most, if not all, have worked to establish a diversified economy. To put this another way, New York City's MSA may be growing at a lower percentage rate now than it did in the past, but it's New York. People are still moving there, and still want to move there and will still want to move there in the future. Because they built a great city there. It's expensive and hard, but it has a lot of jobs, a lot of opportunity, and a lot of intangibles associated with metro living.

Overly rapid growth usually equates to under or poorly planned growth.  Lot's of planning train wreck stories from super hot growth areas.

I'll take measured, digestible growth anytime.  Good things take time and should be patiently savored.  Jax should age like fine wine, not sour overnight like milk left out for too long! 

Agreed. However, there's something to be said for rapid growth. It produces possibilities along with problems. Atlanta, for example, wouldn't be considering a light rail "inner ring," without absorbing a million new people. That area, while still slave to the car, has made great strides in creating pockets of urbanism. And more people means more ideas and, selfishly for me, more shopping!