South Carolina's population growth

[monsoon]

I think erm's point is that the growth, in relative terms, was quite impressive.

You really don't need to interpret topics for me. It was my point that it isn't impressive. If you have a population of 1 and it goes to 2 then you have 100% growth. Impressive? I don't think so.

[sonofaque86]

lol

[erm1981]

Its impressive compared to say the city of Anderson's growth and similiar sized cities. I wasnt comparing Greer to cities that are much bigger anyway. Must be that time of the month.

[GvilleSC]

Its impressive compared to say the city of Anderson's growth and similiar sized cities. I wasnt comparing Greer to cities that are much bigger anyway. Must be that time of the month.

I understand your point, Erm. It's Greer! It has relatively small municipal boundaries and it's a suburb that's been able to capture the growth in its limits. I don't see Greenville getting these numbers just yet (though as Verdae continues it's possible).

[CorgiMatt]

Maybe we should follow the example of the Dallas-Fort Worth Urbanplanet.orgers. Their MSA gained 162,250 from 2006 to 2007, the most in the nation, and no one has even mentioned it in any of their forums.

[CorgiMatt]

According to the attached article from the Post and Courier, South Carolina experienced the highest percentage of domestic in-migration of any state in the nation from 7/1/07 to 7/1/08. Twenty-seven states had a higher percentage of growth in people moving in from other countries, however, meaning the growth in our diversity needs some work.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/de...censusweb65852/

Also, SC's total percentage growth and numerical gain were both #10 in the nation during the same period.

[Spartan]

49,752 in one year isn't too shabby. I'd like to see a breakdown of where they moved to by MSA.

[CorgiMatt]

The state gained 74,000+. Check out the Census Bureau's website.

[CorgiMatt]

Or just check out the attached article and link from today's USA Today. The headline makes it sound like the party's over for the Sunbelt in terms of population growth. I think we can expect next year's release from the Census Bureau on population growth and migration to say that everyone's pretty much frozen in place due to the housing crisis and the inability of the vast majority of Americans to get out from under their mortgages because of owing more on their houses than they're worth.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census...-analysis_N.htm

Edited December 23, 2008 by CorgiMatt

[monsoon]

I would not draw any conclusions from USA Today. It is just slightly better than a tabloid and is written such that one with an American 8th grade education and level of comprehension can understand it. That article is typical of their "reporting" where they had already decided upon the story then simply listed some unrelated facts, some in 1 sentence paragraphs, to somehow support it.

[Spartan]

Lets get back to the point at hand... SC is seeing population growth. We all know that, but its good to see numbers to back it up. The 2010 Census is just around the corner, and right now SC is projected to gain a seat in Congress.

The State

[distortedlogic]

Lets get back to the point at hand... SC is seeing population growth. We all know that, but its good to see numbers to back it up. The 2010 Census is just around the corner, and right now SC is projected to gain a seat in Congress.

The State

There are indeed some good growth numbers. Looks liks SC has passed LA since the last census, though some of that is due to katrina. And it also looks like we may pass AL in a few years. My only suprise is that we have been outgained so drastically by GA and NC. It's Not even close.

[monsoon]

My guess is there really are not any clear cut answers as to what people are going to see with population until the actual count is performed by the US Census in 2010. I have two reasons for saying that. First the current estimates are all set off the base of the 2000 census and they tend to get less accurate each year. No one really knows if the current assumptions behind the estimates are still correct until they are verified by another real count. Second, there is major economic disruption going on in the United States now and most of it having to do with industries the South has relied on, in part for its population growth.

It's the second point that will be most interesting to see. SC has had a great deal of population growth due to retirees moving to the state. Retirees who now find their property is worth a great deal less, whose pensions are being eliminated, and whose savings have been decimated by the fall in stocks. Many of them are being forced to return to their home states to try and pick up the pieces. In the same token, as plants in SC continue to close, it remains to be seen what happens to the displaced employees.

On kind of a related note, I know 2 people living in SC that have taken and passed the test to work for the Census as they staff up for this effort.

[goodbye]

I know a few people in the Upstate who have taken and passed the test as well. They told me it was quite easy. Of course even the census count is not completely accurate, just as the unemployment index is not completely accurate, but at least they give a recognizable gauge to help track changes.

[B&R]

Or just check out the attached article and link from today's USA Today. The headline makes it sound like the party's over for the Sunbelt in terms of population growth. I think we can expect next year's release from the Census Bureau on population growth and migration to say that everyone's pretty much frozen in place due to the housing crisis and the inability of the vast majority of Americans to get out from under their mortgages because of owing more on their houses than they're worth.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census...-analysis_N.htm

The states that got the most in migration from other states were Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina but USA Today thinks this means population growth is over for the Sunbelt?

Oh yeah, and Michigan lost population for the third straight year. The only proof suggested is that Florida lost more migrants to other states than they gained.

Maybe they moved to Georgia and the Carolinas. Florida is still growing fast enough that it will likely surpass New York in a few years for number 3.

[krazeeboi]

^A lot of the Florida folks leaving are definitely halfbacks--moving to the Carolinas and Georgia.

[krazeeboi]

A pretty neat map showing population change throughout the nation from 1980-2008. Click on SC to see specific stats for the state, at both the county and metro level (although the metro configurations don't appear to be accurate/updated): http://www.numbersusa.com/content/maps?sub...e=2&topic=4

[Spartan]

That is pretty cool. Thanks for the link.

[CorgiMatt]

The Carolinas and Georgia get a mention in today's New York Times in an article about Florida's shrinking population and economic woes. The word we've all heard, "halfbacks," is used, explaining the phenomenon of people moving up here after moving to and becoming disenchanted with Florida. No wonder our unemployment rate is high. Mark Sanford might be right about this one. The population shift from Florida is more dramatic than I realized. They might have to come up with a new word: halfways, meaning people who move only halfway to Florida from up north.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/us/30flo...anted=1&hpw

[krazeeboi]

Florida will always be popular because of its climate, but it's approaching that cooling off stage now in terms of population. In this regard, I suppose it's similar to California, but on a smaller scale. The Californians have been flocking to Arizona, Nevada, and Utah to escape higher housing costs and costs of living in general. It's been said that North Carolina is becoming the new Florida, and of course South Carolina is getting its fair share of growth as well, just in more manageable doses.

[CorgiMatt]

South Carolina gained 57,962 people from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009. That's significantly down from previous years, but still pretty good considering that nobody is moving anymore. From the sound of the article in USA Today today, migration has come to a screeching halt. Nevada and one other state out there had more people migrate out than migrated in.

http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2009-01.csv

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2009-12-23-census-trends_N.htm

Edited December 24, 2009 by CorgiMatt

[Spartan]

Nevada is based almost entirely around the economy of Las Vegas, and that place is the epitome of what is wrong with America in terms of the unsustainable growth of cities. If Vegas isn't doing well, that generally pulls the rest of the state down with it.

The fact that South Carolina gained any population in 2008-2009 is pretty amazing on its own, even if it is lower than normal.

[krazeeboi]

You guys are over-exaggerating. Y'all make it seem as though the economy has totally immobilized everything and everyone. People are still moving, just not as much as they were moving before. Did you really expect SC to have absolutely no net in-migration?

[CorgiMatt]

I was only quoting a man in the article, and the slow-down in SC's population growth is about what I expected given the nation's and state's economies.

[CorgiMatt]

Here's an article on the subject from today's Post and Courier. A new congressional seat isn't a done deal. It will depend on how many South Carolinians participate in the census.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/dec/24/state-undergoes-growth-spurt/