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{{About|the region of the southern United States|the college athletic conference|Sun Belt Conference|the region in Europe|Golden Banana}}
{{About|the region of the southern United States|the college athletic conference|Sun Belt Conference|the region in Europe|Golden Banana}}
{{short description|Region of the southern United States}}
{{short description|Region of the southern United States}}
{{update|COVID-19|date=November 2023}}
[[File:Sun belt.svg|thumb|The Sun Belt, highlighted in red]]
[[File:Sun belt.svg|thumb|The Sun Belt, highlighted in red]]
The '''Sun Belt''' is a region of the [[United States]] generally considered stretching across the [[Southern United States|Southeast]] and [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]]. Another rough definition of the region is the area south of the [[36th parallel north|36th parallel]]. Several climates can be found in the region—[[desert climate|desert]]/[[semi-arid climate|semi-desert]] ([[Eastern California]], [[Nevada]], [[Arizona]], [[New Mexico]], [[Utah]], and [[West Texas]]), [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] ([[California]]), [[Humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] ([[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]], [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[South Carolina]], [[North Carolina]], [[Tennessee]] and [[Texas]]), and [[Tropical climate|tropical]] ([[South Florida]]).

The '''Sun Belt''' is a region of the [[United States]] generally considered stretching across the [[Southern United States|Southeast]] and [[Southwest United States|Southwest]]. Another rough definition of the region is the area south of the [[36th parallel north|36th parallel]]. Several climates can be found in the region — [[desert climate|desert]]/[[semi-arid climate|semi-desert]] ([[Eastern California]], [[Nevada]], [[Arizona]], [[New Mexico]], [[Utah]], and [[West Texas]]), [[Mediterranean climate|Mediterranean]] ([[California]]), [[humid subtropical]] ([[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]], [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[South Carolina]], [[North Carolina]], and [[Texas]]) and [[Tropical climate|tropical]] ([[South Florida]]).


The Sun Belt has seen substantial population growth post-[[World War II]] from an influx of people seeking a warm and sunny climate, a surge in retiring [[baby boomers]], and growing economic opportunities. The advent of [[air conditioning]] created more comfortable summer conditions and allowed more manufacturing and industry to locate in the Sun Belt. Since much of the construction in the Sun Belt is new or recent, housing styles and design are often modern and open. Recreational opportunities in the Sun Belt are often not tied strictly to one season, and many tourist and resort cities in the region support a tourist industry all year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/02/where-pittsburgh-has-sun-belt-beat/1158/|title=Where Pittsburgh Has the Sun Belt Beat|author=Kaid Benfield|work=CityLab}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Desert-Like Conditions Hurt Sun Belt|last=Woods|first=Michael|date=January 18, 1981|newspaper=[[The Blade (Toledo)|The Blade]] (Toledo, OH)}}, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19810118&id=l3cUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nAIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6810,1290417 reprinted by Google News Archive]</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wichner |first=David |date=September 6, 2022 |title=Tucson region led Arizona tourism spending rebound in 2021 |newspaper=[[Arizona Daily Star]]}}, [https://tucson.com/news/local/business/tucson-region-led-arizona-tourism-spending-rebound-in-2021/article_853832c6-0861-11ed-a3fc-ab2f0e3de2c9.html]</ref>
The Sun Belt has seen substantial population growth post-[[World War II]] from an influx of people seeking a warm and sunny climate, a surge in retiring [[baby boomers]], and growing economic opportunities. The advent of [[air conditioning]] created more comfortable summer conditions and allowed more manufacturing and industry to locate in the Sun Belt. Since much of the construction in the Sun Belt is new or recent, housing styles and design are often modern and open. Recreational opportunities in the Sun Belt are often not tied strictly to one season, and many tourist and resort cities in the region support a tourist industry all year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/02/where-pittsburgh-has-sun-belt-beat/1158/|title=Where Pittsburgh Has the Sun Belt Beat|author=Kaid Benfield|work=CityLab}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Desert-Like Conditions Hurt Sun Belt|last=Woods|first=Michael|date=January 18, 1981|newspaper=[[The Blade (Toledo)|The Blade]] (Toledo, OH)}}, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19810118&id=l3cUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nAIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6810,1290417 reprinted by Google News Archive]</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wichner |first=David |date=September 6, 2022 |title=Tucson region led Arizona tourism spending rebound in 2021 |newspaper=[[Arizona Daily Star]]}}, [https://tucson.com/news/local/business/tucson-region-led-arizona-tourism-spending-rebound-in-2021/article_853832c6-0861-11ed-a3fc-ab2f0e3de2c9.html]</ref>


==Migration==
==Migration==
Out of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the U.S., 12 are located in the Sun Belt as of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khazan |first=Olga |date=2023-08-15 |title=Why People Won’t Stop Moving to the Sun Belt |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/moving-south-sun-belt-housing-economy/675010/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, 86 percent of the top 50 zip codes that saw the largest increases in new residents since the start of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] were in Texas, Florida, and Arizona. The traditional explanations for the growth are increasing productivity in the South and West and increasing demand for Sun Belt amenities, especially its pleasant weather. Job decline in the [[Rust Belt]] is another major reason for migration.

Out of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the [[United States]], 12 are located in the Sun Belt as of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khazan |first=Olga |date=2023-08-15 |title=Why People Won’t Stop Moving to the Sun Belt |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/moving-south-sun-belt-housing-economy/675010/ |access-date=2024-04-10 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, 86 percent of the top 50 zip codes that saw the largest increases in new residents since the start of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] were in [[Texas]], [[Florida]], and [[Arizona]]. The traditional explanations for the growth are increasing productivity in the South and West and increasing demand for Sun Belt amenities, especially its pleasant weather. Job decline in the [[Rust Belt]] is another major reason for migration.


==Definition==
==Definition==
The Sun Belt comprises the southern tier of the United States, including the states of [[Alabama]], [[Arizona]], [[Florida]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], [[New Mexico]], [[South Carolina]], [[Texas]], roughly two-thirds of [[California]] (up to [[Greater Sacramento]]), and the southern parts of [[Arkansas]], [[North Carolina]], [[Nevada]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Tennessee]] and [[Utah]]. Five of the states—[[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Florida]], [[Nevada]], and [[Texas]]—are sometimes collectively called the '''Sand States''' because of their abundance of beaches or deserts. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fdic.gov/bank/analytical/quarterly/2009-vol3-1/vol3-1-sand-states.pdf| author=Shayna M. Olesiuk and Kathy R. Kalser |title=The Sand States: Anatomy of a Perfect Housing-Market Storm|publisher=FDIC.gov|date=April 27, 2009|access-date=May 10, 2018}}</ref> Other definitions may also include parts of [[Colorado]], [[Kansas]], [[Missouri]] and [[Virginia]] and most or all of Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. For example, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research defines the Sun Belt as being south of 36°30′N latitude, which includes all of Arkansas, most of Oklahoma and virtually all of Tennessee (small parts of [[East Tennessee|East]] and [[Middle Tennessee]] extend north of 36°30′ due to surveying errors) but leaves out most of Nevada and California, with only [[Southern California]] and parts of [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]] and the [[Las Vegas Valley]] being included. This definition also includes most of the [[Missouri Bootheel]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/large-young-and-fast-growing-sun-belt-metros-need-urban-policy-innovation#:~:text=The%20Kinder%20Institute%20defines%20the,degrees%2030%20minutes%20north%20latitude | title=Large, young and fast-growing Sun Belt metros need urban policy innovation &#124; Kinder Institute for Urban Research }}</ref>
The Sun Belt comprises the southern tier of the U.S., including the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, roughly two-thirds of California (up to [[Sacramento metropolitan area|Greater Sacramento]]), and the southern parts of [[Arkansas]], North Carolina, Nevada, [[Oklahoma]], [[Tennessee]], and Utah. Five of the states—Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, and Texas—are sometimes collectively called the '''Sand States''' because of their abundance of beaches or deserts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fdic.gov/bank/analytical/quarterly/2009-vol3-1/vol3-1-sand-states.pdf| author=Shayna M. Olesiuk and Kathy R. Kalser |title=The Sand States: Anatomy of a Perfect Housing-Market Storm|publisher=FDIC.gov|date=April 27, 2009|access-date=May 10, 2018}}</ref> Other definitions may also include parts of [[Colorado]], [[Kansas]], [[Missouri]], and [[Virginia]] and most or all of Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. For example, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research defines the Sun Belt as being south of 36°30′N latitude, which includes all of Arkansas, most of Oklahoma and virtually all of Tennessee (small parts of [[East Tennessee|East]] and [[Middle Tennessee]] extend north of 36°30′ due to surveying errors) but leaves out most of Nevada and California, with only [[Southern California]] and parts of [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]] and the [[Las Vegas Valley]] being included. This definition also includes most of the [[Missouri Bootheel]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/large-young-and-fast-growing-sun-belt-metros-need-urban-policy-innovation#:~:text=The%20Kinder%20Institute%20defines%20the,degrees%2030%20minutes%20north%20latitude | title=Large, young and fast-growing Sun Belt metros need urban policy innovation &#124; Kinder Institute for Urban Research }}</ref>


First employed by political analyst [[Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Kevin Phillips]] in his 1969 book ''The Emerging Republican Majority'',<ref>{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Kevin|title=How the GOP Became God's Own Party|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/01/AR2006040100004.html|access-date=September 5, 2012|newspaper=Washington Post|date=April 2, 2006}}</ref> the term "Sun Belt" became synonymous with the southern third of the nation in the early 1970s. In this period, economic and political prominence shifted from the [[Midwest United States|Midwest]] and [[Northeast United States|Northeast]] to the [[Southern United States|South]] and [[Western United States|West]]. Factors such as the warmer climate, the migration of workers from [[Mexico]], and a boom in the agriculture industry allowed the southern third of the United States to grow economically. The climate spurred not only agricultural growth, but also the migration of many retirees to retirement communities in the region, especially in Florida and Arizona.
First employed by political analyst [[Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Kevin Phillips]] in his 1969 book ''The Emerging Republican Majority'',<ref>{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Kevin|title=How the GOP Became God's Own Party|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/01/AR2006040100004.html|access-date=September 5, 2012|newspaper=Washington Post|date=April 2, 2006}}</ref> the term "Sun Belt" became synonymous with the southern third of the nation in the early 1970s. In this period, economic and political prominence shifted from the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] and [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]] to the [[Southern United States|South]] and [[Western United States|West]]. Factors such as the warmer climate, the migration of workers from [[Mexico]], and a boom in the agriculture industry allowed the southern third of the United States to grow economically. The climate spurred not only agricultural growth, but also the migration of many retirees to retirement communities in the region, especially in Florida and Arizona.


Industries such as [[Aerospace industry#Aerospace manufacturing|aerospace]], [[Defense industry|defense]], and [[Petroleum industry|oil]] boomed in the Sun Belt as companies took advantage of the low involvement of [[trade union|labor unions]] in the region (due to more recent industrialization, 1930s–1950s) and the proximity of [[Military base|military installations]] that were major consumers of their products. The oil industry helped propel states such as Texas and Louisiana forward, and tourism grew in [[Florida]], and [[Southern California]]. More recently, [[high tech]] and [[new economy]] industries have been major drivers of growth in California, Florida, Texas, and other parts of the Sun Belt. Texas and California rank among the top five states in the nation with the most [[Fortune&nbsp;500]] companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/06/15/states-most-fortune-500-companies/|title=States with the most Fortune 500 companies|date=June 15, 2015|website=Fortune|access-date=June 26, 2016}}</ref>
Industries such as [[Aerospace industry#Aerospace manufacturing|aerospace]], [[List of United States defense contractors|defense]], and [[Petroleum in the United States|oil]] boomed in the Sun Belt as companies took advantage of the low involvement of [[trade union|labor unions]] in the region (due to more recent industrialization, 1930s–1950s) and the proximity of [[Military base|military installations]] that were major consumers of their products. The oil industry helped propel states such as Texas and Louisiana forward, and tourism grew in Florida, and Southern California. More recently, [[high tech]] and [[new economy]] industries have been major drivers of growth in California, Florida, Texas, and other parts of the Sun Belt. Texas and California rank among the top five states in the nation with the most [[Fortune&nbsp;500|''Fortune'' 500]] companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/06/15/states-most-fortune-500-companies/|title=States with the most Fortune 500 companies|date=June 15, 2015|website=Fortune|access-date=June 26, 2016}}</ref>


==Projections==
==Projections==
In 2005, the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]] projected that approximately 88% of the nation's population growth between 2000 and 2030 would occur in the Sun Belt.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/6324745-1.html Sun Belt Growth Shapes Housing's Future], Professional Builder, May 1, 2005 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624084300/http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/6324745-1.html |date=June 24, 2008 }}</ref> California, Texas, and Florida were each expected to add more than 12 million people during that time, which would make them by far the most populous states in America. Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, and Texas were expected to be the fastest-growing states.
{{update|COVID-19|date=November 2023}}
In 2005, the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S.&nbsp;Census Bureau]] projected that approximately 88% of the nation's&nbsp;population growth between 2000 and 2030 would occur in the Sun Belt.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/6324745-1.html Sun Belt Growth Shapes Housing's Future], Professional Builder, May 1, 2005 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624084300/http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/6324745-1.html |date=June 24, 2008 }}</ref> California, Texas, and Florida were each expected to add more than 12&nbsp;million people during that time, which would make them by far the most populous states in America. Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, and Texas were expected to be the fastest-growing states.


Events leading up to and including the [[Great Recession in the United States|2008–2009 recession]] led some to question whether growth projections for the Sun Belt had been overstated.<ref>Lewan, Todd: ''[http://www.nbcnews.com/id/31016073 Has economic twilight come to the Sun Belt?]'', NBC News, May 31, 2009</ref> The [[economic bubble]] that led to the recession appeared, to some observers, to have been more acute in the Sun Belt than other parts of the country. Additionally, the traditional lure of cheaper labor markets in the region compared with America's older industrial centers has been eroded by overseas [[outsourcing]] trends.
Events leading up to and including the [[Great Recession in the United States|2008–2009 recession]] led some to question whether growth projections for the Sun Belt had been overstated.<ref>Lewan, Todd: ''[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31016073 Has economic twilight come to the Sun Belt?]'', NBC News, May 31, 2009</ref> The [[economic bubble]] that led to the recession appeared, to some observers, to have been more acute in the Sun Belt than other parts of the country. Additionally, the traditional lure of cheaper labor markets in the region compared with America's older industrial centers has been eroded by overseas [[outsourcing]] trends.


One of the greatest threats facing the belt in the coming decades is water shortages.<ref>Cetron, Marvin J.; O'Toole, Thomas: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=K_VGAAAAMAAJ Encounters with the future: a forecast of life into the 21st century]'', Mcgraw-Hill, April 1982, pg. 34</ref> Communities in California are making plans to build multiple [[desalination]] plants to supply fresh water and avert near-term crises.<ref>Shankman, Sabrina: ''[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124708765072714061 California Gives Desalination Plants a Fresh Look ]'', Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2009</ref> Texas, Georgia, and Florida also face increasingly serious shortages because of their rapidly expanding populations and high per-capita water consumption.<ref>McGovern, Bernie: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=NclDpB3Fn5AC&dq=florida+water+shortage&pg=PA53 Florida Almanac 2007-2008]'', Pelican Publishing Company, March 2007, pg. 53</ref>
One of the greatest threats facing the belt in the coming decades is water shortages.<ref>Cetron, Marvin J.; O'Toole, Thomas: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=K_VGAAAAMAAJ Encounters with the future: a forecast of life into the 21st century]'', Mcgraw-Hill, April 1982, pg. 34</ref> Communities in California are making plans to build multiple [[desalination]] plants to supply fresh water and avert near-term crises.<ref>Shankman, Sabrina: ''[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124708765072714061 California Gives Desalination Plants a Fresh Look ]'', Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2009</ref> Texas, Georgia, and Florida also face increasingly serious shortages because of their rapidly expanding populations and high per-capita water consumption.<ref>McGovern, Bernie: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=NclDpB3Fn5AC&dq=florida+water+shortage&pg=PA53 Florida Almanac 2007-2008]'', Pelican Publishing Company, March 2007, pg. 53</ref>


Lingering effects from the [[Great Recession]] slowed, and in some places even stopped, the migration from the [[Frost Belt]] to the Sun Belt, according to data tracking people's movements over the year from July 2012 – 2013. Americans remained cautious about moving to a different state over this period.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-snowbelt-sunbelt-migration-sluggish-20140123-story.html New data show 'snowbelt-to-sunbelt' migration sluggish to return], Los Angeles Times, 2014</ref> However, migration to the Sun Belt from the Frost Belt resumed again, according to 2015 Census data estimates, with growing migration to the Sun Belt and out of the Frost Belt.<ref>{{cite magazine | last1=Jotkin | first1=Joel | title=The Sun Belt Is Rising Again, New Census Numbers Show | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2016/03/28/the-sun-belt-is-rising-again-new-census-data-shows/#25217e194750 | date=March 28, 2016 | magazine=[[Forbes]] | access-date=December 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Frey | first1=William H. | title=Sun Belt Migration Reviving, New Census Data Show | url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2016/01/04/sun-belt-migration-reviving-new-census-data-show/ | date=January 4, 2016 | publisher=[[The Brookings Institution]] | access-date=December 28, 2016}}</ref>
Lingering effects from the [[Great Recession]] slowed, and in some places even stopped, the migration from the [[Snowbelt|Frost Belt]] to the Sun Belt, according to data tracking people's movements over the year from July 2012 – 2013. Americans remained cautious about moving to a different state over this period.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-snowbelt-sunbelt-migration-sluggish-20140123-story.html New data show 'snowbelt-to-sunbelt' migration sluggish to return], Los Angeles Times, 2014</ref> However, migration to the Sun Belt from the Frost Belt resumed again, according to 2015 Census data estimates, with growing migration to the Sun Belt and out of the Frost Belt.<ref>{{cite magazine | last1=Jotkin | first1=Joel | title=The Sun Belt Is Rising Again, New Census Numbers Show | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2016/03/28/the-sun-belt-is-rising-again-new-census-data-shows/#25217e194750 | date=March 28, 2016 | magazine=[[Forbes]] | access-date=December 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Frey | first1=William H. | title=Sun Belt Migration Reviving, New Census Data Show | url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2016/01/04/sun-belt-migration-reviving-new-census-data-show/ | date=January 4, 2016 | publisher=[[The Brookings Institution]] | access-date=December 28, 2016}}</ref>


== Politics ==
==Politics==
The Sun Belt has historically been more conservative than the nation at large, especially in comparison to regions such as New England, the Pacific Northwest, and to a somewhat lesser extent, the Mid-Atlantic states and Rust Belt.<ref>{{Citation |title=Introduction: What Is the Sunbelt – and Why Is It Important? |date=2014 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/american-politics-in-the-postwar-sunbelt/introduction/B8DB4BCBA3FA714A9A77FE7C02B2BB0A |work=American Politics in the Postwar Sunbelt: Conservative Growth in a Battleground Region |pages=1–16 |editor-last=Cunningham |editor-first=Sean P. |access-date=2023-09-05 |series=Cambridge Essential Histories |place=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/CBO9781139170017.001 |isbn=978-1-107-02452-6}}</ref> This has been attributed in part to the high percentage of [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]] living in the region.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nickerson |first=Michelle |title=Sunbelt Rising: The Politics of Space, Place, and Region |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |year=2011}}</ref>
The Sun Belt has historically been more conservative than the nation at large, especially in comparison to regions such as [[New England]], the [[Pacific Northwest]], and to a somewhat lesser extent, the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]] states and the Rust Belt.<ref>{{Citation |title=Introduction: What Is the Sunbelt – and Why Is It Important? |date=2014 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/american-politics-in-the-postwar-sunbelt/introduction/B8DB4BCBA3FA714A9A77FE7C02B2BB0A |work=American Politics in the Postwar Sunbelt: Conservative Growth in a Battleground Region |pages=1–16 |editor-last=Cunningham |editor-first=Sean P. |access-date=2023-09-05 |series=Cambridge Essential Histories |place=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/CBO9781139170017.001 |isbn=978-1-107-02452-6}}</ref> This has been attributed in part to the high percentage of [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]] living in the region.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nickerson |first=Michelle |title=Sunbelt Rising: The Politics of Space, Place, and Region |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |year=2011}}</ref>


Increasing racial diversity and political realignment on urban/rural lines have made some Sun Belt states more competitive, though all states in the region excluding New Mexico and California continue to vote to the right of the national average.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Cook PVI: State Map and List |url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/cook-pvi/2022-partisan-voting-index/state-map-and-list |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Cook Political Report |date=12 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
Increasing racial diversity and political realignment on urban/rural lines have made some Sun Belt states more competitive, though all states in the region excluding New Mexico and California continue to vote to the right of the national average.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Cook PVI: State Map and List |url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/cook-pvi/2022-partisan-voting-index/state-map-and-list |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=Cook Political Report |date=12 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref>


The Sun Belt was a key target region for the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in the [[2020 United States elections]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/01/rust-belt-trump-democrats-sun-belt/604678/|title=Democrats' Future Is Moving Beyond the Rust Belt|last=Brownstein|first=Ronald|date=January 9, 2020|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=January 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2If4vUq|title=Democrats' path to the Senate runs straight through the Sun Belt|last=Arkin|first=James|website=POLITICO|date=19 September 2019 |language=en|access-date=January 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Sen|first=Conor|date=November 7, 2018|title=The Democrats Should Try the Sun Belt Strategy in 2020|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-11-07/2020-election-democrats-should-try-sun-belt-strategy|access-date=September 7, 2020}}</ref> Democratic presidential candidate [[Joe Biden]] narrowly won the states of Arizona and Georgia in the [[2020 United States presidential election|presidential election]], and the party gained seats in both states in the [[2020 United States Senate elections|Senate elections.]] In [[2022 United States Senate elections|2022]], [[Arizona]] and [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] again elected Democrats to serve full 6-year terms in the [[United States Senate|Senate]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Greg |title=Swing state, no more. Moderate Democrats have already turned Arizona blue |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/greg-moore/2022/11/17/arizona-election-blue-state-despite-its-red-reputation/10719234002/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Analysis {{!}} Georgia is no longer a red state |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/08/georgia-elections-republicans-democrats-walker/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
The Sun Belt was a key target region for the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in the [[2020 United States elections]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/01/rust-belt-trump-democrats-sun-belt/604678/|title=Democrats' Future Is Moving Beyond the Rust Belt|last=Brownstein|first=Ronald|date=January 9, 2020|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=January 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2If4vUq|title=Democrats' path to the Senate runs straight through the Sun Belt|last=Arkin|first=James|website=POLITICO|date=19 September 2019 |language=en|access-date=January 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Sen|first=Conor|date=November 7, 2018|title=The Democrats Should Try the Sun Belt Strategy in 2020|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-11-07/2020-election-democrats-should-try-sun-belt-strategy|access-date=September 7, 2020}}</ref> Democratic presidential candidate [[Joe Biden]] narrowly won the states of Arizona and Georgia in the [[2020 United States presidential election|presidential election]], and the party gained seats in both states in the [[2020 United States Senate elections|Senate elections.]] In [[2022 United States Senate elections|2022]], Arizona and Georgia again elected Democrats to serve full 6-year terms in the [[United States Senate|Senate]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Greg |title=Swing state, no more. Moderate Democrats have already turned Arizona blue |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/greg-moore/2022/11/17/arizona-election-blue-state-despite-its-red-reputation/10719234002/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Analysis {{!}} Georgia is no longer a red state |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/08/georgia-elections-republicans-democrats-walker/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In the [[2024 United States presidential election|2024 presidential election]], the region was also a target by Democrats, with nominee [[Kamala Harris]] polling either ahead or closely behind [[Donald Trump]] in [[Arizona]], [[North Carolina]], [[Nevada]], and [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/17/us/elections/kamala-harris-trump-az-nc-ga-nv.html|title=Harris Puts Four Sun Belt States Back in Play, Times/Siena Polls Find|last1=Goldmacher|first1=Shane|last2=Igielnik|first2=Ruth|date=August 17, 2024|access-date=August 19, 2024|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|website=nytimes.com}}</ref>


== Environment ==
==Environment==
The environment in the belt is extremely valuable, not only to local and state governments, but to the federal government. Eight of the ten states have extremely high [[biodiversity]] (ranging from 3,800 to 6,700 species, not including marine life).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecopolitology.org/2010/06/30/biodiversity-in-the-united-states-map/|title=Biodiversity in the United States (Map)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126004017/http://ecopolitology.org/2010/06/30/biodiversity-in-the-united-states-map/|archive-date=January 26, 2011}}</ref> The Sun Belt also has the highest number of distinct ecosystems: [[chaparral]], [[deciduous]], [[desert]], [[grasslands]], [[temperate rainforest]], and [[tropical rainforest]].
The environment in the belt is extremely valuable, not only to local and state governments, but to the federal government. Eight of the ten states have extremely high [[biodiversity]] (ranging from 3,800 to 6,700 species, not including marine life).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ecopolitology.org/2010/06/30/biodiversity-in-the-united-states-map/|title=Biodiversity in the United States (Map)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126004017/http://ecopolitology.org/2010/06/30/biodiversity-in-the-united-states-map/|archive-date=January 26, 2011}}</ref> The Sun Belt also has the highest number of distinct ecosystems: [[chaparral]], [[deciduous]], [[desert]], [[Grassland|grasslands]], [[temperate rainforest]], and [[tropical rainforest]].


[[File:Crocodylus acutus mexico 02.jpg|thumb|[[American crocodile]], a vulnerable species found in Florida]]
[[File:Crocodylus acutus mexico 02.jpg|thumb|[[American crocodile]], a vulnerable species found in Florida]]
Line 46: Line 44:
* [[California condor]]
* [[California condor]]
* [[Florida panther]]
* [[Florida panther]]
* [[Mexican Wolf]]
* [[Fraser fir]]
* [[West Indian Manatee]]
* [[Longleaf pine]]
* [[Whooping Crane]]
* [[Mexican wolf]]
* [[Red-cockaded woodpecker]]
* [[Red-cockaded woodpecker]]
* [[Longleaf Pine]]
* [[Red Hills salamander]]
* [[Red Hills salamander]]
* [[Fraser Fir]]
* [[Sonoran pronghorn]]
* [[Giant Sequoia]]
* [[West Indian manatee]]
* [[Whooping crane]]


==Major cities==
==Major cities==

{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ {{nowrap|Largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas<ref name="US Census">''[https://censusreporter.org/
|+ {{nowrap|Largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas<ref name="US Census">''[https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.xls Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722050622/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.xls |date=July 22, 2014 }}'', United States Census Bureau, July 2012</ref><ref name="US Mayors">''[http://usmayors.org/metroeconomies/0712/FullReport.pdf U.S. Metro Economies: Gross Metropolitan Product with Housing Update] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813002126/http://usmayors.org/metroeconomies/0712/FullReport.pdf |date=August 13, 2012 }}'', The United States Conference of Mayors, July 2012</ref>}}
{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722050622/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2012/tables/CBSA-EST2012-01.xls |date=July 22, 2014 }}'', United States Census Bureau, July 2012</ref><ref name="US Mayors">''[https://fred.stlouisfed.org/categories/27281] {{webarchive|url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/categories/27281 |date=August 13, 2022 }}'', The United States Conference of Mayors, July 2022</ref>}}
! Principal city !! Metro Population <br/>(millions) !! [[Gross Metropolitan Product|GMP (2017)]]<br/>(US$ billion)
! Principal city !! Metro Population <br/>(millions) !! [[Gross metropolitan product|GMP (2022)]]<br/>(US$ billion)


|-
|-
| [[Los Angeles metropolitan area|Los Angeles]] || 13.9|| $1,043
| [[Greater Los Angeles|Los Angeles]]|| 12.8|| $1,227
|-
| [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas–Fort Worth]] || 7.7|| $535.5
|-
|-
| [[Greater Houston|Houston]] || 7.2|| $490.0
| [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas–Fort Worth]] || 7.9|| $688.9
|-
|-
| [[Metro Atlanta|Atlanta]] || 6.1|| $385.5
| [[Greater Houston|Houston]] || 7.3|| $633.2
|-
|-
| [[Miami Metropolitan Area|Miami]] || 6.0|| $344.8
| [[Metro Atlanta|Atlanta]] || 6.2|| $525.9
|-
|-
| [[Denver Metropolitan Area|Denver]] || 5.6|| $325.7
| [[Miami metropolitan area|Miami]]|| 6.1|| $483.8
|-
|-
| [[Phoenix metropolitan area|Phoenix]] || 4.9|| $242.9
| [[Phoenix metropolitan area|Phoenix]] || 5.0|| $362.1
|-
|-
|[[Inland Empire|Riverside–San Bernardino]] || 4.6|| $157.9
|[[Inland Empire|Riverside–San Bernardino]] || 4.6|| $237.9
|-
|-
| [[San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area|San Francisco]] || 4.6||| $500.7
|[[San Francisco Bay Area|San Francisco]]|| 4.6||| $729.1
|-
|-
| [[San Diego metropolitan area|San Diego]] || 3.2|| $231.8
| [[San Diego County, California|San Diego]]|| 3.2|| $295.6
|-
|-
| [[Tampa Bay Area|Tampa]] || 3.2|| $146.3
| [[Tampa Bay area|Tampa]]|| 3.3|| $219.4
|-
|-
| [[Charlotte metropolitan area|Charlotte]] || 2.7|| $174.0
| [[Charlotte metropolitan area|Charlotte]] || 2.7|| $228.9
|-
|-
| [[Greater Orlando|Orlando]] || 2.6|| $132.4
| [[Greater Orlando|Orlando]] || 2.7|| $194.5
|-
|-
| [[Greater San Antonio|San Antonio]] || 2.6|| $129.3
| [[Greater San Antonio|San Antonio]] || 2.6|| $163.1
|-
|-
| [[Sacramento metropolitan area|Sacramento]] || 2.4|| $137.5
| [[Sacramento metropolitan area|Sacramento]] || 2.4|| $176.3
|-
|-
| [[Savannah Metropolitan Area|Savannah]] || 2.4|| $156.8
| [[Greater Austin|Austin]] || 2.4|| $222.1
|-
|-
| [[Greater Austin|Austin]] || 2.3|| $147.0
| [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]]|| 2.3 || $160.7
|-
|-
| [[Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA|Las Vegas]] || 2.2 || $112.2
| [[Nashville, Tennessee| Nashville]] || 2.1 || $187.8
|-
|-
| [[San_Jose,_California|San Jose]] || 1.9 || $319.0
| [[San_Jose,_California|San Jose]] || 1.9 || $403.0
|-
|-
| [[Greater Jacksonville|Jacksonville]] || 1.6|| $83.1
| [[Jacksonville metropolitan area|Jacksonville]]|| 1.7|| $117.2
|-
|-
| [[Greater New Orleans|New Orleans]] || 1.2 || $80.2
| [[New Orleans metropolitan area|New Orleans]]|| 1.2 || $94.0
|-
|-
| [[Pima County, Arizona|Tucson]] || 1.0 || $68.9
| [[Pima County, Arizona|Tucson]] || 1.0 || $68.9
|-
| colspan=3 | '''International regions'''
|-
| [[San Diego–Tijuana]] || 5.0 (2009 est.) || $176
|-
| [[El Paso–Juárez]] || colspan=2 | 2.7 (2012 est.)
|}
|}
The five largest metropolitan statistical areas are [[Greater Los Angeles|Los Angeles]], [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas]], [[Greater Houston|Houston]], [[Metro Atlanta|Atlanta]], and [[Miami metropolitan area|Miami]]. The Los Angeles area is by far the largest, with over 13 million inhabitants {{asof|lc=y|2012}}. The ten largest metropolitan statistical areas are found in California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona.<ref name="US Mayors" /> Additionally, the cross-border metropolitan areas of [[San Diego–Tijuana|San Diego-Tijuana]] and [[El Paso–Juárez]] lie partially within the Sun Belt. Seven of the ten largest cities in the U.S. are located in the Sun Belt: [[Los Angeles]] (2), [[Houston]] (4), [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] (6), [[San Antonio]] (7), [[San Diego]] (8), [[Dallas]] (9), and [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] (10). Los Angeles County has a veteran population of 270,462.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/losangelescountycalifornia,CA/PST045218|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Los Angeles County, California; California|website=www.census.gov|language=en|access-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref>

The five largest metropolitan statistical areas are [[Los Angeles metropolitan area|Los Angeles]], [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas]], [[Greater Houston|Houston]], [[Metro Atlanta|Atlanta]], and [[Miami Metropolitan Area|Miami]]. The Los Angeles area is by far the largest, with over 13&nbsp;million inhabitants {{asof|lc=y|2012}}. The ten largest metropolitan statistical areas are found in California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona.<ref name="US Mayors" /> Additionally, the cross-border metropolitan areas of [[San Diego – Tijuana metropolitan area|San Diego-Tijuana]] and [[El Paso–Juárez]] lie partially within the Sun Belt. Seven of the ten largest cities in the United States are located in the Sun Belt: [[Los Angeles]] (2), [[Houston]] (4), [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] (6), [[San Antonio]] (7), [[San Diego]] (8), [[Dallas]] (9), and [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] (10). Los Angeles County has a veteran population of 270,462.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/losangelescountycalifornia,CA/PST045218|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Los Angeles County, California; California|website=www.census.gov|language=en|access-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref>
{{Clear}}
{{Clear}}


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|-
|-
| [[Arkansas]] || [[Fayetteville, Arkansas|Fayetteville]], [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]]
| [[Arkansas]] || [[Fayetteville, Arkansas|Fayetteville]], [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]]
|-
| [[Australia]] || [[Sydney, Australia|Sydney]], [[Sunshine Coast, Australia|Sunshine Coast]]
|-
| [[Brazil]] || [[Rio De Janeiro, Brazil|Rio De Janeiro]], [[Sao Paulo, Brazil|Sao Paulo]]
|-
| [[Bahamas]] || [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]]
|-
| [[Colorado]] || [[Aurora, Colorado|Aurora]], [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]], [[Castle Rock, Colorado|Castle Rock]], [[Denver]], [[Fort Collins, Colorado|Fort Collins]], [[Greeley, Colorado|Greeley]], [[Lone Tree, Colorado|Lone Tree]], [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]], [[Centennial, Colorado|Centennial]], [[Commerce City, Colorado|Commerce City]], [[Colorado Springs]]
|-
|-
| [[California]] || [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]], [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]], [[Fresno, California|Fresno]], [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], [[Palm Springs, California|Palm Springs]], [[Riverside, California|Riverside]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]], [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]], [[San Diego]], [[San Jose, California|San Jose]], [[San Francisco]], [[Stockton, California|Stockton]]
| [[California]] || [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]], [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]], [[Fresno, California|Fresno]], [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], [[Palm Springs, California|Palm Springs]], [[Riverside, California|Riverside]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]], [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]], [[San Diego]], [[San Jose, California|San Jose]], [[San Francisco]], [[Stockton, California|Stockton]]
|-
|-
| [[Florida]] || [[Cape Coral]], [[Destin, Florida|Destin]], [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Ft.&nbsp;Lauderdale]], [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]], [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], [[Miami]], [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], [[Naples, Florida|Naples]], [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St.&nbsp;Petersburg]], [[Sarasota]], [[Tallahassee]], [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]]
| [[Florida]] || [[Cape Coral, Florida|Cape Coral]], [[Destin, Florida|Destin]], [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Ft. Lauderdale]], [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]], [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], [[Miami]], [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], [[Naples, Florida|Naples]], [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], [[Sarasota, Florida|Sarasota]], [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]], [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]], [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]]
|-
|-
| [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] || [[Atlanta]], [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]], [[Albany, Georgia|Albany]], [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]], [[Brunswick, Georgia|Brunswick]], [[Columbus, Georgia|Columbus]], [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]], [[Pooler, Georgia|Pooler]], [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]], [[Valdosta, Georgia|Valdosta]], [[Warner Robins, Georgia|Warner Robins]]
| [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] || [[Atlanta]], [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]], [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta]], [[Columbus, Georgia|Columbus]], [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]], [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]], [[Warner Robins, Georgia|Warner Robins]]

|-
|-
| [[Louisiana]] || [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]], [[Kenner, Louisiana|Kenner]], [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]], [[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]], [[Metairie, Louisiana|Metairie]], [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], [[New Orleans]], [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]]
| [[Hawaii]] || [[Honolulu]]
|-
| [[Louisiana]] || [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]], [[Kenner, Louisiana|Kenner]], [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]], [[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]], [[Metairie, Louisiana|Metairie]], [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], [[New Orleans]], [[Shreveport]]
|-
| [[Mexico]] || [[Cancun]], [[Cabo San Lucas]], [[Ensenada]], [[Tijuana]], [[Mexicali]], [[Mexico City]]
|-
|-
| [[Mississippi]] || [[Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson]], [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]], [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian]], [[Gulfport, Mississippi|Gulfport]], [[Southaven, Mississippi|Southaven]], [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi|Hattiesburg]]
| [[Mississippi]] || [[Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson]], [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]], [[Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian]], [[Gulfport, Mississippi|Gulfport]], [[Southaven, Mississippi|Southaven]], [[Hattiesburg, Mississippi|Hattiesburg]]
|-
|-
| [[New Mexico]] || [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]], [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]], [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]], [[Roswell, New Mexico]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa&nbsp;Fe]], [[Taos, New Mexico|Taos]]
| [[New Mexico]] || [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]], [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]]
|-
|-
| [[Nevada]] || [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]], [[Henderson, Nevada|Henderson]], [[North Las Vegas, Nevada|North Las Vegas]], [[Reno]], [[Paradise, Nevada|Paradise]], [[Spring Valley, Nevada|Spring Valley]], [[Sunrise Manor]], [[Enterprise, Nevada|Enterprise]]
| [[Nevada]] || [[Las Vegas]], [[Henderson, Nevada|Henderson]], [[North Las Vegas, Nevada|North Las Vegas]], [[Reno, Nevada|Reno]], [[Paradise, Nevada|Paradise]], [[Spring Valley, Nevada|Spring Valley]], [[Sunrise Manor, Nevada|Sunrise Manor]], [[Enterprise, Nevada|Enterprise]]
|-
|-
| [[North Carolina]] || [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]], [[Concord, North Carolina|Concord]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]], [[Hickory, North Carolina|Hickory]], [[Morrisville, North Carolina|Morrisville]], [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill]], [[Cary, North Carolina|Cary]], [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina|Winston-Salem]], [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]], [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville (NC)]], [[Fayetteville, North Carolina|Fayetteville]], [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]], [[Outer Banks|The Outer Banks (OBX)]]
| [[North Carolina]] || [[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]], [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina|Chapel Hill]], [[Cary, North Carolina|Cary]], [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina|Winston-Salem]], [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]], [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville (NC)]], [[Fayetteville, North Carolina|Fayetteville]], [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]], [[Outer Banks|The Outer Banks (OBX)]]
|-
|-
| [[South Carolina]] || [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]], [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]]
| [[South Carolina]] || [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]], [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]], [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]]
|-
|-
| [[Tennessee]] || [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], [[Clarksville, Tennessee|Clarksville]], [[Cookeville, Tennessee|Cookeville]], [[Gatlinburg, Tennessee|Gatlinburg]], [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]], [[Franklin, Tennessee|Franklin]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee|Murfreesboro]], [[Pigeon Forge, Tennessee|Pigeon Forge]]
| [[Tennessee]] || [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], [[Clarksville, Tennessee|Clarksville]], [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee|Murfreesboro]]
|-
| [[Texas]] || [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]], [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]], [[Brownsville, Texas|Brownsville]], [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], [[Dallas]], [[El Paso, Texas|El&nbsp;Paso]], [[Fort Worth, Texas|Ft.&nbsp;Worth]], [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco]], [[Garland, Texas|Garland]], [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], [[Houston]], [[Irving, Texas|Irving]], [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]], [[McAllen, Texas|McAllen]], [[New Braunfels]], [[Plano, Texas|Plano]], [[San Antonio]]
|-
|-
| [[Texas]] || [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]], [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]], [[Brownsville, Texas|Brownsville]], [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], [[Dallas]], [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]], [[Fort Worth, Texas|Ft. Worth]], [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco]], [[Garland, Texas|Garland]], [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]], [[Houston]], [[Irving, Texas|Irving]], [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]], [[McAllen, Texas|McAllen]], [[New Braunfels, Texas|New Braunfels]], [[Plano, Texas|Plano]], [[San Antonio]]
| [[Utah]] || [[St. George, Utah|St. George]], [[Salt Lake City]]
|-
|-
| [[Utah]] || [[St. George, Utah|St. George]]
| [[Virginia]] || [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]], [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]], [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]]
|}
|}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Corn Belt]]
*[[Southernization]], refers to the political and cultural effects of the growth of the Sun Belt
*[[Economy of the United States]]
* [[Economy of the United States]]
*[[Corn Belt]]
* [[Rust Belt]]
*[[Snowbelt]]
* [[Snowbelt]]
* [[Southernization]], refers to the political and cultural effects of the growth of the Sun Belt
*[[Rust Belt]]
*[[Sun Belt Conference]]
* [[Sun Belt Conference]]


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 17:04, 22 November 2024

The Sun Belt, highlighted in red

The Sun Belt is a region of the United States generally considered stretching across the Southeast and Southwest. Another rough definition of the region is the area south of the 36th parallel. Several climates can be found in the region—desert/semi-desert (Eastern California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and West Texas), Mediterranean (California), humid subtropical (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas), and tropical (South Florida).

The Sun Belt has seen substantial population growth post-World War II from an influx of people seeking a warm and sunny climate, a surge in retiring baby boomers, and growing economic opportunities. The advent of air conditioning created more comfortable summer conditions and allowed more manufacturing and industry to locate in the Sun Belt. Since much of the construction in the Sun Belt is new or recent, housing styles and design are often modern and open. Recreational opportunities in the Sun Belt are often not tied strictly to one season, and many tourist and resort cities in the region support a tourist industry all year.[1][2][3]

Migration

[edit]

Out of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the U.S., 12 are located in the Sun Belt as of 2023.[4] Additionally, 86 percent of the top 50 zip codes that saw the largest increases in new residents since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were in Texas, Florida, and Arizona. The traditional explanations for the growth are increasing productivity in the South and West and increasing demand for Sun Belt amenities, especially its pleasant weather. Job decline in the Rust Belt is another major reason for migration.

Definition

[edit]

The Sun Belt comprises the southern tier of the U.S., including the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, roughly two-thirds of California (up to Greater Sacramento), and the southern parts of Arkansas, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah. Five of the states—Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, and Texas—are sometimes collectively called the Sand States because of their abundance of beaches or deserts.[5] Other definitions may also include parts of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Virginia and most or all of Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. For example, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research defines the Sun Belt as being south of 36°30′N latitude, which includes all of Arkansas, most of Oklahoma and virtually all of Tennessee (small parts of East and Middle Tennessee extend north of 36°30′ due to surveying errors) but leaves out most of Nevada and California, with only Southern California and parts of Nye County and the Las Vegas Valley being included. This definition also includes most of the Missouri Bootheel.[6]

First employed by political analyst Kevin Phillips in his 1969 book The Emerging Republican Majority,[7] the term "Sun Belt" became synonymous with the southern third of the nation in the early 1970s. In this period, economic and political prominence shifted from the Midwest and Northeast to the South and West. Factors such as the warmer climate, the migration of workers from Mexico, and a boom in the agriculture industry allowed the southern third of the United States to grow economically. The climate spurred not only agricultural growth, but also the migration of many retirees to retirement communities in the region, especially in Florida and Arizona.

Industries such as aerospace, defense, and oil boomed in the Sun Belt as companies took advantage of the low involvement of labor unions in the region (due to more recent industrialization, 1930s–1950s) and the proximity of military installations that were major consumers of their products. The oil industry helped propel states such as Texas and Louisiana forward, and tourism grew in Florida, and Southern California. More recently, high tech and new economy industries have been major drivers of growth in California, Florida, Texas, and other parts of the Sun Belt. Texas and California rank among the top five states in the nation with the most Fortune 500 companies.[8]

Projections

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In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau projected that approximately 88% of the nation's population growth between 2000 and 2030 would occur in the Sun Belt.[9] California, Texas, and Florida were each expected to add more than 12 million people during that time, which would make them by far the most populous states in America. Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, and Texas were expected to be the fastest-growing states.

Events leading up to and including the 2008–2009 recession led some to question whether growth projections for the Sun Belt had been overstated.[10] The economic bubble that led to the recession appeared, to some observers, to have been more acute in the Sun Belt than other parts of the country. Additionally, the traditional lure of cheaper labor markets in the region compared with America's older industrial centers has been eroded by overseas outsourcing trends.

One of the greatest threats facing the belt in the coming decades is water shortages.[11] Communities in California are making plans to build multiple desalination plants to supply fresh water and avert near-term crises.[12] Texas, Georgia, and Florida also face increasingly serious shortages because of their rapidly expanding populations and high per-capita water consumption.[13]

Lingering effects from the Great Recession slowed, and in some places even stopped, the migration from the Frost Belt to the Sun Belt, according to data tracking people's movements over the year from July 2012 – 2013. Americans remained cautious about moving to a different state over this period.[14] However, migration to the Sun Belt from the Frost Belt resumed again, according to 2015 Census data estimates, with growing migration to the Sun Belt and out of the Frost Belt.[15][16]

Politics

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The Sun Belt has historically been more conservative than the nation at large, especially in comparison to regions such as New England, the Pacific Northwest, and to a somewhat lesser extent, the Mid-Atlantic states and the Rust Belt.[17] This has been attributed in part to the high percentage of evangelical Christians living in the region.[18]

Increasing racial diversity and political realignment on urban/rural lines have made some Sun Belt states more competitive, though all states in the region excluding New Mexico and California continue to vote to the right of the national average.[19]

The Sun Belt was a key target region for the Democratic Party in the 2020 United States elections.[20][21][22] Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden narrowly won the states of Arizona and Georgia in the presidential election, and the party gained seats in both states in the Senate elections. In 2022, Arizona and Georgia again elected Democrats to serve full 6-year terms in the Senate.[23][24] In the 2024 presidential election, the region was also a target by Democrats, with nominee Kamala Harris polling either ahead or closely behind Donald Trump in Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, and Georgia.[25]

Environment

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The environment in the belt is extremely valuable, not only to local and state governments, but to the federal government. Eight of the ten states have extremely high biodiversity (ranging from 3,800 to 6,700 species, not including marine life).[26] The Sun Belt also has the highest number of distinct ecosystems: chaparral, deciduous, desert, grasslands, temperate rainforest, and tropical rainforest.

American crocodile, a vulnerable species found in Florida

Some endangered species live within the belt,[27][28] including:

Major cities

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Largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas[29][30]
Principal city Metro Population
(millions)
GMP (2022)
(US$ billion)
Los Angeles 12.8 $1,227
Dallas–Fort Worth 7.9 $688.9
Houston 7.3 $633.2
Atlanta 6.2 $525.9
Miami 6.1 $483.8
Phoenix 5.0 $362.1
Riverside–San Bernardino 4.6 $237.9
San Francisco 4.6 $729.1
San Diego 3.2 $295.6
Tampa 3.3 $219.4
Charlotte 2.7 $228.9
Orlando 2.7 $194.5
San Antonio 2.6 $163.1
Sacramento 2.4 $176.3
Austin 2.4 $222.1
Las Vegas 2.3 $160.7
Nashville 2.1 $187.8
San Jose 1.9 $403.0
Jacksonville 1.7 $117.2
New Orleans 1.2 $94.0
Tucson 1.0 $68.9

The five largest metropolitan statistical areas are Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami. The Los Angeles area is by far the largest, with over 13 million inhabitants as of 2012. The ten largest metropolitan statistical areas are found in California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona.[30] Additionally, the cross-border metropolitan areas of San Diego-Tijuana and El Paso–Juárez lie partially within the Sun Belt. Seven of the ten largest cities in the U.S. are located in the Sun Belt: Los Angeles (2), Houston (4), Phoenix (6), San Antonio (7), San Diego (8), Dallas (9), and San Jose (10). Los Angeles County has a veteran population of 270,462.[31]

Major cities in the Sun Belt
State City
Alabama Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
Arizona Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, Peoria, Surprise, Yuma, Prescott, Flagstaff, Nogales
Arkansas Fayetteville, Little Rock
California Anaheim, Bakersfield, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Stockton
Florida Cape Coral, Destin, Ft. Lauderdale, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Naples, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach
Georgia Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Warner Robins
Louisiana Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Bossier City, Kenner, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, Monroe, New Orleans, Shreveport
Mississippi Jackson, Tupelo, Meridian, Gulfport, Southaven, Hattiesburg
New Mexico Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe
Nevada Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Reno, Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor, Enterprise
North Carolina Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cary, Winston-Salem, Durham, Greenville (NC), Fayetteville, Wilmington, The Outer Banks (OBX)
South Carolina Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach
Tennessee Chattanooga, Clarksville, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Murfreesboro
Texas Amarillo, Arlington, Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Ft. Worth, Frisco, Garland, Galveston, Houston, Irving, Laredo, Lubbock, McAllen, New Braunfels, Plano, San Antonio
Utah St. George

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kaid Benfield. "Where Pittsburgh Has the Sun Belt Beat". CityLab.
  2. ^ Woods, Michael (January 18, 1981). "Desert-Like Conditions Hurt Sun Belt". The Blade (Toledo, OH)., reprinted by Google News Archive
  3. ^ Wichner, David (September 6, 2022). "Tucson region led Arizona tourism spending rebound in 2021". Arizona Daily Star., [1]
  4. ^ Khazan, Olga (2023-08-15). "Why People Won't Stop Moving to the Sun Belt". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  5. ^ Shayna M. Olesiuk and Kathy R. Kalser (April 27, 2009). "The Sand States: Anatomy of a Perfect Housing-Market Storm" (PDF). FDIC.gov. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  6. ^ "Large, young and fast-growing Sun Belt metros need urban policy innovation | Kinder Institute for Urban Research".
  7. ^ Phillips, Kevin (April 2, 2006). "How the GOP Became God's Own Party". Washington Post. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  8. ^ "States with the most Fortune 500 companies". Fortune. June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  9. ^ Sun Belt Growth Shapes Housing's Future, Professional Builder, May 1, 2005 Archived June 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Lewan, Todd: Has economic twilight come to the Sun Belt?, NBC News, May 31, 2009
  11. ^ Cetron, Marvin J.; O'Toole, Thomas: Encounters with the future: a forecast of life into the 21st century, Mcgraw-Hill, April 1982, pg. 34
  12. ^ Shankman, Sabrina: California Gives Desalination Plants a Fresh Look , Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2009
  13. ^ McGovern, Bernie: Florida Almanac 2007-2008, Pelican Publishing Company, March 2007, pg. 53
  14. ^ New data show 'snowbelt-to-sunbelt' migration sluggish to return, Los Angeles Times, 2014
  15. ^ Jotkin, Joel (March 28, 2016). "The Sun Belt Is Rising Again, New Census Numbers Show". Forbes. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  16. ^ Frey, William H. (January 4, 2016). "Sun Belt Migration Reviving, New Census Data Show". The Brookings Institution. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  17. ^ Cunningham, Sean P., ed. (2014), "Introduction: What Is the Sunbelt – and Why Is It Important?", American Politics in the Postwar Sunbelt: Conservative Growth in a Battleground Region, Cambridge Essential Histories, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1–16, doi:10.1017/CBO9781139170017.001, ISBN 978-1-107-02452-6, retrieved 2023-09-05
  18. ^ Nickerson, Michelle (2011). Sunbelt Rising: The Politics of Space, Place, and Region. University of Pennsylvania Press.
  19. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: State Map and List". Cook Political Report. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  20. ^ Brownstein, Ronald (January 9, 2020). "Democrats' Future Is Moving Beyond the Rust Belt". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  21. ^ Arkin, James (19 September 2019). "Democrats' path to the Senate runs straight through the Sun Belt". POLITICO. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  22. ^ Sen, Conor (November 7, 2018). "The Democrats Should Try the Sun Belt Strategy in 2020". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  23. ^ Moore, Greg. "Swing state, no more. Moderate Democrats have already turned Arizona blue". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  24. ^ "Analysis | Georgia is no longer a red state". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  25. ^ Goldmacher, Shane; Igielnik, Ruth (August 17, 2024). "Harris Puts Four Sun Belt States Back in Play, Times/Siena Polls Find". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  26. ^ "Biodiversity in the United States (Map)". Archived from the original on January 26, 2011.
  27. ^ "Earth's Endangered Creatures - United States Endangered Species List". Archived from the original on August 29, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  28. ^ "Earth's Endangered Creatures - United States Endangered Species List". Archived from the original on February 2, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  29. ^ [https://censusreporter.org/ Archived July 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, United States Census Bureau, July 2012
  30. ^ a b [2] Archived August 13, 2022, at fred.stlouisfed.org (Error: unknown archive URL), The United States Conference of Mayors, July 2022
  31. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Los Angeles County, California; California". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2020.

Further reading

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