(NewsNation) — For the first time in history, the U.S. population center is on track to move south without a westward extension by the end of a decade.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the Northeast and Midwest parts of the country lost hundreds of thousands of residents last year, as the western part of the country grew slightly, by about 153,000 people.
However, more than 1.3 million Americans moved to southern states last year, such as Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.
NewsNation’s Leland Vittert analyzed why Americans have decided to move to the South now more than ever on “Morning in America,” citing an increase in crime, cost of living, politics and COVID-19 restrictions.
However, some fear that the mass migration could impact southern states’ political influence, whether a huge influx of Democrats could change a red state blue, or vice versa.
“That’s very, very hard to argue and really to pinpoint that it is because of this mass migration that suddenly the political winds are changing significantly in any one state.” Vittert explained that the mass migration of citizens moving south will not automatically change the political power in a state.