The New Geography of Jobs

The United States is increasingly divided into three distinct economic regions. Brain hubs—cities including San Francisco, Boston, and Durham—contain highly productive, creative, and well-paid workers. Former manufacturing centers are losing jobs and population rapidly. The remaining areas could develop in either direction. Over the past thirty years, these three Americas have grown apart at an accelerating rate. This divergence represents a major development in U.S. history. Moretti's research demonstrates that thriving in brain hubs does not require scientific or engineering expertise. Local service jobs—including taxi driving, teaching, and nursing—are created at a five-to-one ratio in these hubs, which raises salaries and living standards across the board. Addressing this geographic split presents a significant challenge: supporting growth in successful hubs while reversing decline elsewhere. The book examines how different cities and regions have adapted to economic change and what policymakers can learn from these examples.