Staying put – for now. Within the industrialized world, the United States has the highest rate of internal migration. In other words, Americans move a lot. Domestic migration across state lines and to other metro areas, however, has slowed substantially in the last two years. In fact, across state movement has been sliced by more than 40 percent since the beginning of the millennium. Places that were one attracting new people are not seeing as large of influxes.
For instance, Florida saw a net decrease in domestic migrants last year, for the first time in its history. Additionally, cities that were losing people are seeing slower declines. In the Midwest, 30 of the 44 large metro areas either gained more people or lost fewer people.
Much of this pattern can be attributed to the slower economy, specifically the housing market. One markets rebound, migration will likely pick up. What is not known is where people will flock to what degree and how soon. This trend may not last in the long term, but it will still be influential in the next five years.
Diversity spreads out and gets younger. Both the source and destination of the foreign born US population has undergone major shifts in the last several decades. In 1970 only 30 percent of the foreign born population came from Latin American and Asia. Today that number is 80 percent. In fact, half of the nation’s growth since 2000 is attributable to the Hispanic population.
Previously immigrants of all backgrounds cluster in urban cores of traditionally diverse cities. The new geography of immigration now includes metro areas that are not accustomed to this diversity. Additionally, the US population is predicted to turn minority white by 2042, but the preschool population will cross this point in 2021. Diversity is spreading geographically and it is becoming younger.
Riding the aging boomer wave. The first of the boomers will hit 65 in less than two years. As a result of this wave, the senior population will grow 36 percent from 2010-2020. Boomers are the first true suburban generation, a large segment of them living the majority of their lives in the suburbs. It is likely that many of them will remain in suburban areas, and these areas will gray faster than urban areas.
The massive growth of aging boomers will occur in areas unaccustomed to housing older people, specifically in the suburbs of metro areas. The metro areas that are expected to gray the fastest are in the Intermountain West, the Southeast and Texas. The senior population will expand by as much as 70 percent in some of these places.
The new metropolitan demography calls for new approaches from the church. Not every change will affect individual churches or communities, but almost every church and community will be influenced by at least one of these newer trends. How might some ministries change in response to these cultural shifts?
Seismic change is coming to the church in a new demography
Staying put – for now.
Within the industrialized world, the United States has the highest rate of internal migration. In other words, Americans move a lot. Domestic migration across state lines and to other metro areas, however, has slowed substantially in the last two years. In fact, across state movement has been sliced by more than 40 percent since the beginning of the millennium. Places that were one attracting new people are not seeing as large of influxes.
For instance, Florida saw a net decrease in domestic migrants last year, for the first time in its history. Additionally, cities that were losing people are seeing slower declines. In the Midwest, 30 of the 44 large metro areas either gained more people or lost fewer people.
Much of this pattern can be attributed to the slower economy, specifically the housing market. One markets rebound, migration will likely pick up. What is not known is where people will flock to what degree and how soon. This trend may not last in the long term, but it will still be influential in the next five years.
Diversity spreads out and gets younger.
Both the source and destination of the foreign born US population has undergone major shifts in the last several decades. In 1970 only 30 percent of the foreign born population came from Latin American and Asia. Today that number is 80 percent. In fact, half of the nation’s growth since 2000 is attributable to the Hispanic population.
Previously immigrants of all backgrounds cluster in urban cores of traditionally diverse cities. The new geography of immigration now includes metro areas that are not accustomed to this diversity. Additionally, the US population is predicted to turn minority white by 2042, but the preschool population will cross this point in 2021. Diversity is spreading geographically and it is becoming younger.
Riding the aging boomer wave.
The first of the boomers will hit 65 in less than two years. As a result of this wave, the senior population will grow 36 percent from 2010-2020. Boomers are the first true suburban generation, a large segment of them living the majority of their lives in the suburbs. It is likely that many of them will remain in suburban areas, and these areas will gray faster than urban areas.
The massive growth of aging boomers will occur in areas unaccustomed to housing older people, specifically in the suburbs of metro areas. The metro areas that are expected to gray the fastest are in the Intermountain West, the Southeast and Texas. The senior population will expand by as much as 70 percent in some of these places.
The new metropolitan demography calls for new approaches from the church. Not every change will affect individual churches or communities, but almost every church and community will be influenced by at least one of these newer trends. How might some ministries change in response to these cultural shifts?