Sunbelt Migration

Definition

The Sunbelt Migration refers to the demographic shift from the mid-20th century onwards where a large number of people moved from the Northeast and Midwest regions (Rust Belt) to the South and West regions (Sunbelt) of the United States. This was due to factors like warmer climate, economic opportunities, lower cost of living, and later retirement.

Analogy

Think of it as a game of musical chairs. As industries in the Rust Belt started declining (music stops), people had to find new seats (jobs). The Sunbelt region offered plenty of empty chairs (job opportunities), so many decided to move there.

Related terms

Rust Belt: Refers to an industrial region in the Northeastern and Midwestern US that experienced significant deindustrialization and economic decline.

Baby Boom: A period marked by a significant increase in birth rates following World War II; many baby boomers are part of this migration for retirement purposes.

Urban Sprawl: The expansion of human populations away from central urban areas into low-density, monofunctional, car-dependent communities; often associated with growth in sunbelt cities.