Input Stories

Workers from coastal areas are increasingly moving to middle America, according to Axios. 

The news: A report by Heartland Forward—an organization based in Bentonville, Arkansas—suggested that the past decade has seen increased migration from coastal communities to 20 states that make up the American heartland.

The change: “Metros like Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; and St. Louis grew both their college graduates and creative class between 2010 and 2019. College towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; Iowa City, Iowa; and Fayetteville, [Arkansas,] are now somewhat competitive with places like San Francisco and Washington, D.C.”
 
Looking to the future: According to the report, between one-fifth and one-quarter of full-time workers in the United States are expected to continue working remotely after the pandemic, giving employees more flexibility to live farther away from current employment hubs. That could provide a boost for communities that invest in regional culture, industries and amenities.

• “The winners will be the metros that can leverage their existing amenities to provide increased quality of life and develop regional hubs of similar industries, like tech, transportation, robotics or engineering.”