Arkansas Growth

[Aporkalypse]

I saw this on another forum and thought it was interesting. The states ranked above us in per capita growth all have major coastlines (save one) and the benefit of at least one major metro area (save one), usually two or more.

Southern States ranked by population growth

July 2004 - July 2005

1. Florida - 404,434

2. Texas - 388,419

3. Georgia - 154,447

4. North Carolina - 142,774

5. Virginia - 86,133

6. Tennessee - 69,661

7. South Carolina - 57,191

8. Maryland - 39,056

9. Kentucky - 31,570

10. Alabama - 32,433

11. Arkansas - 29,154

12. Oklahoma - 24,338

13. Mississippi - 20,320

14. Louisiana - 16,943

15. West Virginia - 4,308

16. District of Columbia - (-3,718)

Southern States ranked by growth percentage

July 2004 - July 2005

1. Florida - 2.3

2. Georgia - 1.7

2. North Carolina - 1.7

2. Texas - 1.7

5. South Carolina - 1.4

6. Virginia - 1.2

6. Tennessee - 1.2

8. Arkansas - 1.1

9. Kentucky - 0.8

10. Maryland - 0.7

10. Mississippi - 0.7

10. Oklahoma - 0.7

10. Alabama - 0.7

14. Louisiana - 0.4

15. West Virginia - 0.2

16. District of Columbia - (-0.7)

[bigboyz05]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[tim2462]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

Eventually, FL is going to get too packed and those people from the north are going to have to move elsewhere.

[johnnydr87]

Yes, Tim, in 10,000 years, I foresee the same problem

[tim2462]

Yes, Tim, in 10,000 years, I foresee the same problem

Johnny, it will happen in our lifetime...with a half million people moving in every year.

A lot of FL is uninhabitable due to the national park land and the swamps.

[mcheiss]

^Florida is becoming the next California.

I wonder where all the baby boomers and such are going to go now.

[bigboyz05]

They may come to southern Texas.

[tim2462]

They may come to southern Texas.

Southern Texas is already too crowded for the most part...and the parts that are not, are not very desirable.

[mcheiss]

So, may'be the Carolina's and the Eastern Seaboard?

[tim2462]

Probably to some extent. Maybe they'll realize that there are other places, like AR that are Warm 9 months out of the year. People already retire here, to places like Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Mountain Home, Bella Vista, and many other areas. I believe they will start settling more all over the south and not as much by the beaches.

[mcheiss]

Lake of the Ozarks is another one that will be booming in the future.

[sleepy]

Well, baby-boomers are defined as those born between 1946 and 1964. Some of that generation is barely 40, and the oldest will shortly turn 60.

So, in terms of retirement, I don't think there has yet been much impact at all from the baby-boomers.

[Aporkalypse]

Johnny, it will happen in our lifetime...with a half million people moving in every year.

A lot of FL is uninhabitable due to the national park land and the swamps.

Property values have really soared the last few years in most of Florida, doubling or tripling in value in most coastal areas and even some non-coastal areas like Orlando. Everglades Nat'l Park takes up most of South Florida where the most rapid growth is occurring, and that's not exactly desirable land anyway. It's getting too expensive for all but the wealth to retire down there.

South Texas isn't pretty but there's abundant land. I think it will become more popular as someone said but I think it will serve mostly less affluent retirees much as it does now. Personally, I think Georgia and the Carolinas have the most to offer retirees looking for the Sun Belt. Sure some will choose Arkansas because of the mountains but it's getting cool enough in AR that many would look for someplace warmer.

[Mith242]

I do think that Florida becoming the next California is an interesting comparison. Sure both will still grow but that doesn't mean there aren't a lot of Californians going elsewhere. I could see the same thing eventually happening more in Florida too. I'm wondering how much of an effect this will have on the Ozarks in the future. I think there's a lot of people moving to the Ozarks in general not just NWA. There's plenty of room for it but the old days of the Ozarks being the last 'wild' area left in the eastern US is coming to an end I believe.

[mcheiss]

More than likely, the baby boomers will retire on the Eastern Seaboard where the big condo boom are happening.

[Aporkalypse]

Another interesting thing I found.

From CNN/Money, predictions for real estate growth in the nation's 100 largest home markets fpr 2006 and 2007.

Look who's #4.

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/re_growth_forecast/

[Mith242]

Another interesting thing I found.

From CNN/Money, predictions for real estate growth in the nation's 100 largest home markets fpr 2006 and 2007.

Look who's #4.

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/re_growth_forecast/

Nice numbers for Little Rock. I wish NWA was bigger and could have also been compared in it also.