More on the Death of the West.
America’s urban renaissance is in full swing, with the wealthiest 25
metro areas accounting for over half of the U.S. economy. But all this
wealth has not translated into more babies, writes The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. In New York City, births declined by 9% since 2011 (15% in Manhattan). Childless, wealthy, white college grads are the fastest growing arrivals in the densest cities, while families decamp for smaller cities and suburbs. Such trends may increase the urban-rural economic divide and contribute to lower birth rates overall, Thompson warns.
The Future of the City Is Childless
America’s urban rebirth is missing something key-actual births. A few years ago, I lived in a walkup apartment in the East Village of New York. Every so often descending the stairway, I would catch a glimpse of a particular family with young children in its Sisyphean attempts to reach the fourth floor.