Metro areas analyzed by Heartland Forward. Go here for an interactive version. Map: Heartland Forward
When it comes to population trends, the coasts' loss is the Midwest's gain.
That's the conclusion of a new report by the Bentonville, Arkansas-based think tank Heartland Forward, writes Worth Sparkman of Axios Northwest Arkansas.
What they found: Workers gradually migrated away from the coasts between 2010 and 2019 in favor of settling in the 20 states that make up the "Heartland Region."
That includes the Three-C cities — Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati.
Why it matters: The talent shift helps explain the capital city's rapid growth over the past decade and hints toward future expansion here.
Zoom in: States like Ohio attracted two groups studied by Heartland Forward: Adults 25 years and older with at least a bachelor's degree, and a "creative class" of those 16 and older in jobs ranging from education to business management to healthcare.
Between the lines: The study only tracks years leading up to the pandemic, which has largely accelerated this migration further with the emphasis on remote work.
Up to one-quarter of full-time workers will continue to work remotely when the pandemic is over, the report estimates.
That's big news for Columbus, which combines a booming job climate with much cheaper housing costs than many coastal metropolitan areas.
