The south leads the nation in job growth. I can’t imagine how that could be.
“It’s a greater willingness on the part of government to work with businesses,” Mr. Vitner said. He said stricter business limits in places such as California and New York, aimed at containing the spread of the virus, have curbed job growth.
December seasonally adjusted payrolls increased in 15 states—with significant increases in six states in the South, five in the Midwest and four in the West, the Labor Department said. Payrolls fell in 11 states and were mostly unchanged in 24.
In other words, if you don’t shut down the economy, it does well? That’s shocking. What’s more, this is not a short-term phenomenon.
The continued jobs rebound is a sign of longer-term growth for the South, Mr. Vitner said. He pointed to the heightened appeal of lower-cost regions during an economic downturn and the resurgence of domestic manufacturing as signs that the South could emerge from the downturn with a stronger economy than other regions.
“I don’t think this is a short-term Covid experience. What happens in recessions, particularly deep recessions, is that trends that were evident and that were emerging prior to the recession tend to be accelerated,” he said.
Meanwhile, people are fleeing New York, Illinois, and California, while Florida (host of the Super Bowl, Wrestlemania, and pretty much any public gathering people want to attend), is growing by leaps and bounds.
It’s all a great mystery as to why.
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