No longer by stage coach
November 21, 2011 10:54 AM Subscribe
Over 40 million Americans move in a year, creating a huge amount of internal migration. In this wonderful interactive map you can see the flows of population by county and year in America. Four experts comment on the map ("The Human Capital Swap-meet," "Vibrant Flux," "Reversing Flows," and "New Patterns?"). In more detail, the Census has a report on the latest geographic flows, and the Migration Policy Institute has terrific data on the population flows of immigrants. And, for a more international view, the map of cities that attract the most outside residents is also really interesting.
Wow, Detroit is unpopular. This could get as addictive as a Wikipedia roam.
posted by fearnothing at 11:15 AM on November 21, 2011
posted by fearnothing at 11:15 AM on November 21, 2011
Southeast Louisiana April 05 to April 06 is a real bummer.
posted by gordie at 11:18 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by gordie at 11:18 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
The fact that my workplace insists on using an out of date browser is keeping me from opening this map, which sounds awesome. As a result, I am forced to do my work, which is totally unfair.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:21 AM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:21 AM on November 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
Fantastic. I am hooked. Amazing stuff. I wonder if they could merge the international data with the US county data into the same sort of interactive map.
posted by zomg at 11:21 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by zomg at 11:21 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
That map is fantastic! I'll get to the other links when I'm done playing. Which could be never.
posted by SoFlo1 at 11:25 AM on November 21, 2011
posted by SoFlo1 at 11:25 AM on November 21, 2011
It really interesting.
Small counties in rural areas, (Mississippi, North Dakota, etc), seem to only have small movements within states or to a neighboring state's border counties for the most part...
posted by Windopaene at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2011
Small counties in rural areas, (Mississippi, North Dakota, etc), seem to only have small movements within states or to a neighboring state's border counties for the most part...
posted by Windopaene at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2011
For all of the people moving to my neck of the woods.
Sorry, we're full. Have you tried Austin, maybe?
posted by madajb at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2011
Sorry, we're full. Have you tried Austin, maybe?
posted by madajb at 11:26 AM on November 21, 2011
Previously on Metafilter, but I don't think it's exactly a double since it looks like the map has been updated since that post.
posted by gladly at 11:27 AM on November 21, 2011
posted by gladly at 11:27 AM on November 21, 2011
I sat down just an hour ago to do research for my paper, worked for a bit without much luck, and decided to browse Metafilter to take a break and collect my thoughts. This post was pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the FPP!
posted by codacorolla at 11:31 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by codacorolla at 11:31 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think we move around too much, and this contributes to many societal problems.
We move for economic opportunity or out of economic desparation and this leads to the break up of extended families and neighborhood support systems, as well as the lack of a sense of place and community.
The Forbes articles ignore this, of course, since the Forbes focus is mainly on money. And this Kedrosky fellow seems to think all this migration is a good thing, since it makes somebody money, or something.
Me, I think all this motion contributes to alienation, selfishness, isolation and crime. And I do not expect us to slow down or stay put.
posted by tommyD at 12:23 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
We move for economic opportunity or out of economic desparation and this leads to the break up of extended families and neighborhood support systems, as well as the lack of a sense of place and community.
The Forbes articles ignore this, of course, since the Forbes focus is mainly on money. And this Kedrosky fellow seems to think all this migration is a good thing, since it makes somebody money, or something.
Me, I think all this motion contributes to alienation, selfishness, isolation and crime. And I do not expect us to slow down or stay put.
posted by tommyD at 12:23 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Windopaene, I noticed the same thing. I clicked on the places I've lived since becoming an adult, two urban, one rural. I get this sense of islands of movement between cities, with this sea of unmovement surrounding them, especially given that the people who leave cities seem to simply go to other cities.
posted by Hactar at 12:30 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by Hactar at 12:30 PM on November 21, 2011
This map is great. I found Ames, Iowa, especially interesting as people move from/to there almost entirely from Iowa or major cities - not much other traffic.
posted by maryr at 12:31 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by maryr at 12:31 PM on November 21, 2011
Apparently I wasn't the only person with the bright idea to move to Portland. More interestingly, 29 other people from my previous city had the same idea. We should have a reunion meetup, and compare our thoughts on Portland vs. Asheville microbrews!
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:51 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:51 PM on November 21, 2011
So according to this my next logical move from the Bay Area is either to Portland, Seattle or Austin.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:37 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by Space Coyote at 1:37 PM on November 21, 2011
Portland's and Seattle's joint motto: "You'll Hate The Long Gray Rainy Season; Move Somewhere Else!"
:-)
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:37 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
:-)
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:37 PM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Re: Ames, IA: I'd guess that, as a college town, it would gain a lot of people from within Iowa and from major corporations/research institutions located in big cities. I'd guess that most college towns have a similar influx of immigrants.
Also, everyone is going to Phoenix.
posted by Turkey Glue at 3:22 PM on November 21, 2011
Also, everyone is going to Phoenix.
posted by Turkey Glue at 3:22 PM on November 21, 2011
This is awesome, but I demand a historical slider control at the bottom so I can see migration in and out of, let's say, New Orleans in 1880.
posted by LarryC at 3:30 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by LarryC at 3:30 PM on November 21, 2011
Great Map! It's depressing to see the tsunami to Austin.
Curious though about the 14 people that moved from Lee county, Florida to Hancock County, Maine? One VERY large family?
posted by Pecantree at 5:04 PM on November 21, 2011
Curious though about the 14 people that moved from Lee county, Florida to Hancock County, Maine? One VERY large family?
posted by Pecantree at 5:04 PM on November 21, 2011
Click New Orleans, and see a little bit of America get shattered. =/
posted by andreaazure at 9:21 PM on November 21, 2011
posted by andreaazure at 9:21 PM on November 21, 2011
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posted by shakespeherian at 11:12 AM on November 21, 2011 [1 favorite]