Unless a lot of areas become a lot more hospitable to immigrants, it is very unlikely that they will become the next Silicon Valley —- or next anything really.
When you look at places like Ohio, for instance, that have been stagnating for decades, a huge reason for it is that the population of Ohio was once representative of the country and has increasingly become older and whiter than the general U.S. population. This is because very few people are moving to Ohio — immigrants and others from other parts of the country. Ohio has one of the highest rates of residents born in the state, which is a recipe for stagnation.
Say what you will about Silicon Valley, but it has long been a place where dreamers and immigrants could mix. Heartland cities and states that embrace immigration and net inflows of residents could very well become the next something. But that has to come first.
When you look at places like Ohio, for instance, that have been stagnating for decades, a huge reason for it is that the population of Ohio was once representative of the country and has increasingly become older and whiter than the general U.S. population. This is because very few people are moving to Ohio — immigrants and others from other parts of the country. Ohio has one of the highest rates of residents born in the state, which is a recipe for stagnation.
Say what you will about Silicon Valley, but it has long been a place where dreamers and immigrants could mix. Heartland cities and states that embrace immigration and net inflows of residents could very well become the next something. But that has to come first.