Building the New America: Report on trends shaping the migration of people and jobs

Report: Building the New America

How do we build a new urban model for America — one that is better aligned with the aspirations of most Americans? This newly released report examines the housing trends that are driving today's migration of people and jobs.
The Big Promise of Our Midsize Metros

“Middle America” in America’s Urban Century

by Jayson White — Many cities, most notably a dozen or two forgotten, flyover cities in middle America are reinvigorating and reinventing themselves in the blink of an eye. In what is sure to be America’s “urban century” this is one of the most important trends to never hit the headlines.
California Exodus

A Generation Plans an Exodus from California

by Joel Kotkin — California is the great role model for America, particularly if you read the Eastern press. Yet few boosters have yet to confront the fact that the state is continuing to hemorrhage people at a higher rate
Aerial view of suburbs

The Battle for Houston

by Joel Kotkin — America’s most opportunity-rich city faces a long-term challenge from “smart-growth” advocates pushing for more regulation.
Downtown Provo, Utah

Growth in America is Tilting Toward Smaller Cities

by Joel Kotkin and Michael Shires — We are often told that America’s future lies in our big cities; yet the strongest job creation and population growth is now occurring in smaller cities.
Photo credit: Aarp65 via Wikimedia

The Horrors of Marxism Not So Clear to America’s Young

by Joel Kotkin — Today’s resurgence of Marxism reflects both historical ignorance, particularly among the young, and the marked failure of contemporary capitalism to offer a credible scenario for a better future.
Polk County Courthouse at night

The Midwest is Booming – Just Not Where You Think

by Joel Kotkin — The Midwest is booming, but not where you might think. Kansas City, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Columbus, Grand Rapids, and Des Moines are the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest—lapping bigger hubs like Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and even Chicago that are still suffering from stagnant economies and slow or even negative population growth.
Los Angeles Central Business District, by Doc Searles

California’s Middle Class is in Decline Despite State’s Immense Wealth

by Amita Sharma — The California Dream of two or three generations ago was, `I’m going to move from a place that’s cold and flat to a place where there’s lots of opportunity,’” said Joel Kotkin, a presidential fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University.
Drilling roughnecks, photo credit National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

Where Small Town America Is Thriving

by Joel Kotkin and Mark Schill — Big city America has long demonstrated a distaste for its smaller cousins. While many of these smaller communities are in demographic decline as the ambitious young go elsewhere, smaller communities are far more diverse --- and have far greater potential -- than is commonly believed.
Repairs on Mulholland Drive

Trump’s Infrastructure Plan is a Rare, and Potentially Bipartisan, Feel Good Moment

President Trump's proposed trillion dollar plus infrastructure program represents a rare, and potentially united feel good moment. Yet before we jump into a massive re-do of our transportation, water and electrical systems, it's critical to make sure we get some decent bang for the federal buck.

The Screwed Millennial Generation Gets Smart

by Joel Kotkin — It’s been seven years since I wrote about “the screwed generation.” The story told has since become familiar: Millennials, then largely in their twenties, faced a future of limited economic opportunity