Summary
Rural areas across the U.S. are transforming as affordable housing shortages push people further from urban centers.
Celina, Texas, leads this trend, experiencing a 27% population surge in 2023 alone. It grew from 7,000 residents a decade ago to over 43,000, as reported by the Census.
Lower housing costs and available land attract newcomers, but rapid growth is replacing farmland and small-town traditions with dense developments and chain stores.
While some welcome affordable lifestyles and opportunities, others face rising costs, loss of community, and strained infrastructure.
But hear me out.
Population has increased.
We either density now or after we’ve gone all Detroit with the bungalows, gone broke, and can’t afford to densify well.
You want bad infrastructure? You get it with bungalow sprawl.
You’re either doing mixed-use towers now, or something shittier later when green transit is off the table.