At the center of this shift is population movement. Over the past several decades, Americans have steadily relocated away from traditional population centers in the Northeast and Midwest toward the South and Southwest. While Democratic strongholds like California, New York, and Illinois remain economically and culturally influential, their share of the national population has slowed or declined.
High housing costs, rising living expenses, and urban congestion have pushed millions to seek opportunity elsewhere. States such as Texas, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, and South Carolina have absorbed much of this growth, driven by lower costs of living and expanding job markets. Continue reading…
