Exurbs Become Talent Magnets

Smaller cities and exurban towns (e.g., Bastrop, TX) are increasingly functioning like standalone 'cities' by attracting skilled workers, cultural venues, and corporate investment, rather than merely serving as bedroom communities for cores. This combination of local permissive governance, new construction technology (3‑D printed homes), and remote work is letting peripheral places scale up urban services and amenities. — If true at scale, this rewrites debates about urban policy, infrastructure funding, and zoning — shifting attention from central‑city revitalization to regional infrastructure and local regulatory capacity.