• The Census Bureau says that the ten fastest-growing states in the nation since 1990 are all in the West, all of them growing faster than 2 percent per year. All but one of the top twenty are in the West or South.
• The nation's 40 fastest-growing urban areas, 33 of which are growing faster than 2 percent per year, are all in the West or South.
Rapid growth means that many southern and western communities are experiencing serious "growing pains." In a few states, including Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming, the rural areas in these states are growing faster than cities. This suggests that growth is actually two different types of problems: