INDIANAPOLIS–People are moving into cities from rural areas all across the country. In Indiana, that could cause problems for the cities, as well as the smaller towns that people are leaving.

“Populations are moving to cities and cities have more and more in common,” said Michael Huber, with the Indy Chamber, a guest on Abdul At Large. “You’ve got a formerly highly rural population in transition, becoming a much more urbanized population.

Huber said the Indy Chamber works more now than in the past with cities like Evansville and Ft. Wayne, “because we’re gonna wake up one morning and Indiana is gonna be a majority urban/metro state”.

“I can’t say that’s good or bad, it’s just something that’s happening across America.”

One of the troubles with more people moving into a city or its suburbs is the roads take more of a beating. In Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett has suggested that people in the metro communities be partly responsible for paying for the city’s roads and bridges, and even public transit.

For the smaller towns, people are leaving. When they do, it leaves a void.

“We still have too many talented people who are educated here and then leave,” said Huber. “We need to increase our pull of people from outside of the Midwest, east and west coast and international.”

He said many times when communities put out the effort to recruit people from the coasts, they come to Indiana and stay.

And smaller towns also have to worry about losing their companies and employers with the population.

“Towns like the one I grew up in are going to have to reinvent themselves,” said Huber. “You look at mid-size cities in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. If you’ve got a university or a major employer, you’ve got a leg up. So, the question is, how are you helping that university or that major employer grow.”

 

Photo by Dimitar Donovski on Unsplash