this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2025
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[–] pixelscript@lemm.ee 64 points 2 months ago (4 children)

This is somewhat a "people live in cities" graph, but not as stark of one I expected. Not all big cities are so educated, plus there are a lot of rural places that draw in a surprising number of people with advanced degrees.

Still, I'm amused that Interstate 29 in specific lights up like a string of Christmas lights.

[–] bisby@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Based on the states I know, some of the surprising rural areas are where state universities are.

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 months ago

"People live in cities and get degrees in college towns" map.

[–] earphone843@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

I live in such a place. You'd think it would be a bluish county because of it, but it's deeply red.

[–] kyle@lemm.ee 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oklahoma only has 1 county lit up, and it's where a state university is, OSU. But it's ranked lower nationally than OU (#196 vs #132). Both are in otherwise small towns, basically overrun by their respective colleges. Anecdotally, Norman (OU) is known to have nothing in town, but Stillwater (OSU) has it's own subculture and town pride.

I'm curious how many of these counties just contain college towns vs how many actually might attract highly educated people.

[–] pshyco_sain@midwest.social 2 points 2 months ago

Norman is effectively a suburb of OKC. Also it's by county so all the stuff actually closer to OKC will out weigh the college town there.

It does appear to be mostly college towns and some high education cities though

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah. It is interesting that Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Miami aren't on here while Salt Lake City, Denver, and Atlanta are very visible.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Denver vs Vegas and LA isn't surprising. Cities built on industries that don't require education won't be massively educated

[–] Donkter@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, interesting that Colorado has the highest density of 60+% is it all expats of the Midwest who don't want to move too far away?

Actually because it's in percentages it could be small towns run by one large industry that requires degrees.

[–] Entropywins@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I assume a lot of defense stuff air force academy, NORAD, space force...

[–] QuarterSwede@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Doesn’t hurt that a lot of people who have visited end up coming back to stay. Colorado is pretty great place to live.

[–] Entropywins@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

I've spent most of my time in southern Colorado which is alright but central/northern is stunning...it's almost like if oregon or Washington were landlocked.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 1 points 2 months ago

The county south of Nashville is basically the Nashville suburbs, with a serious legacy of redlining.