The Lafayette Journal & Courier has an interesting article discussing growth in the region, or lack thereof. Since 2000, Tippecanoe County has had the 6th fastest growth rate in the state, growing almost 10% between 2000 – 2007. Meanwhile, the surrounding, primarily rural, counties of Benton, White, Newton, and Fountain were in the top 12 population losers in the state.
Population follows jobs. Lafayette’s south side has been growing at a pretty good clip. Meanwhile, the recession of the late 90s, early 00s, resulted in the loss of manufacturers in the rural counties that never came back.
Companies are now focusing new development on urban areas that have access to better transportation and amenities, McNamara said.
“The challenge for rural communities in the future will be to provide more jobs,” McNamara said.
Just spit-balling here, but I wonder if the new controls on local government spending will hamstring the ability of rural counties to make their areas attractive to potential employers.
I have often argued that the area around Lafayette is like a donut, except the donut is imploding into the hole, like a black hole.