As noted above, the appeal of certain cities may be an important factor in state migration patterns. A 2007 paper evaluates the differential impact of transportation and communication technology on different cities. The authors find that improved technology undermined manufacturing cities like Detroit and benefited idea-producing cities like New York.[105] It’s important to consider what causes certain cities to draw new residents and specifically what sets the stage for an ideas-producing economy.
One study views regional change as largely driven by movement in and out of cities. Authors state, “Education does a reasonable job explaining urban resilience in recent decades.” That is, higher educational attainment of a city’s residents increases entrepreneurship and causes beneficial ripple effects through the city.[106] Cities with more highly skilled workers tend to generate innovation, entrepreneurship and economic vitality. As noted above, more educated individuals also attract and support amenities, such as restaurants, stores, and recreational opportunities, that other potential migrants find appealing.
If, as the literature suggests, educational attainment is important, the future for the rustbelt may be starting to look rosier: Evaluating the divergent tracks of sunbelt and rustbelt cities, a pair of researchers find that rustbelt cities are beginning to retain and attract more higher-skilled workers relative to sunbelt cities.[107]
