According to the latest research, the urban map of the United States may change by 2100, and according to forecasts, a significant population decline may occur in nearly 30 thousand cities. According to a study by Sybille Derebel, an urban engineer at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the population of these cities could decline by 12 to 23 percent.
This shift is due to the decline in the birth rate and the trend of migration to cities.
Dribble highlights a critical issue facing urban planning:
Our current planning is based on growth, but nearly half of American cities are experiencing eviction.
It emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in urban planning and engineering practice, moving away from growth-oriented models.
According to the researchers involved in the study, these future cities should not be imagined as ghost towns. Instead, they are likely to become fragmented or sparsely populated communities due to internal and external population movements. The successful adaptation of cities to demographic changes depends on whether local governments and urban planners respond effectively to the changing needs of residents. The dramatic decline in population poses many challenges, including dealing with potential disruptions to vital services such as electricity, clean water, Internet access, and transportation systems.
These concerns stem from declining fertility rates and a decline in the urban population expected over the next eight decades.
– These forecasts are based on trends observed over the past 20 years.
The study's findings are consistent with U.S. population projections, which predict an overall decline in the U.S. population by 2080. These trends are supported by data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which estimates that In non-metropolitan counties, the population decreased by 3.2% between 2010 and 2017. Rural areas across the country are experiencing permanent population decline. These demographic changes are often characterized by
Young people are migrating from rural commercial centers, leaving behind aging populations in depopulated areas.
Cover image credit: Joe Sohm/Visions of America via Getty Images
