You've probably heard the population statistic. By 2042, minorities will officially surpass the white majority. But how else will America change by then. Will people return to cities or spread out amongst the suburbs? What effect will immigration have? Will the country's major cities still be major? A new interactive map from the Urban Institute doesn't go all the way to 2042 but it does predict how all of the changes coming to American will play out locally by 2030. Historical trends and census data help guide expectations for just how different, or potentially the same, things are going to look.
So what does it have to say about Seattle? Well, on a Western Washington regional level, the population is expected to grow 20.4% with a population change from 4,276,851 to 5,149,225.
In terms of race, the white population will begin to taper off and start drifting back towards the 3M mark. Meanwhile, while the African-American population will rise slightly, Hispanic and "Other" populations will rise drastically. The "Other" category, which we imagine would be driven largely by the Asian population, will surpass 1M by 2030.
When tracking population age, we're all going to get a whole lot older. Expect to see a massive upswing in populations of those 65 & Up, basically doubling where it is right now. The 50-64 population will see a decrease over time while younger generations will increase steadily.
Stepping outside of what they deem the Seattle-area, we can also see that the Bellingham area is due for 24.5% population growth. The northern half of the Olympic Peninsula won't change much, growing only 2.6%, while Southwestern Washington will see just over 7% growth. The only area in Washington State that can expect population shrinkage is the rural North-Central region, which can figure on 1.05% depletion.
· See What Your City Will Be Like in 15 Years [CL]
· Mapping America's Future [Urban]
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