What the 10 fastest-shrinking cities say about America
Hundreds of U.S. cities with populations over 20,000 are experiencing significant population decline, with Big Spring, Texas, leading the trend with a 15.3% decrease since 2020. Many of these shrinking communities are majority-Black cities in the Deep South, working-class cities in the Southwest, or former industrial towns in the Midwest. Factors contributing to this decline include the closure of federal detention centers, economic volatility tied to industries like oil, chronic underinvestment, and a lack of amenities that attract younger residents to booming exurban areas. AI
