Our Missional Context: Lee County’s Rapid Growth
Nov 10, 2023

Parker Williams, Research Assistant at Christ Our Redeemer Seminary

Much has been written about recent migration trends in the US. For the past several decades, historic population centers have seen a declining growth rate, while smaller metropolitan areas are growing. This phenomenon is seen most dramatically with residents in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast moving to the South or the Rocky Mountain region.


This trend only heightened with the onset of the COVID pandemic. Countless people began working remotely and were untethered in a way they had never been before. Others moved with a specific purpose in mind, perhaps seeking a better climate, lower cost of living, or just a simpler lifestyle.


Alabama has been no stranger to these national migration trends. Many areas of the state have proven themselves to be popular destinations for those moving to the South for the first time. Over the last few decades, the state’s population growth rate has kept pace with the national average. This has coincided with a trend of Alabamians moving out of rural areas to the urban centers or suburbs. 


As of 2021, there were four counties in the state that had over 100,000 residents and a Domestic Migration Rate greater than 12%: Limestone (32.0%), Baldwin (28.7%), Shelby (13.2%), and Lee (12.2%). The populations of these counties have been growing since 2000.


What factors are contributing to the substantial growth in these specific counties?


Baldwin, Limestone and Shelby counties sit adjacent to the state’s three most populous metropolitan areas: Mobile, Huntsville, and Birmingham respectively. The suburban phenomenon is no doubt a major factor for those counties. 


But what about Lee County? Lee is now home to over 175,000 people, up 24.2% since 2010. This makes Lee County the eighth most populous county in Alabama. While many have moved from Montgomery to Auburn, this factor alone does not explain the whole story. Why are people moving to Lee County, particularly to Auburn and Opelika, and where are they coming from?


These are questions that we will explore in future articles and on our podcast. 

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