Spatial Growth in the United States

This research investigates the dynamic interplay between internal migration, capital accumulation, and domestic trade as determinants of spatial economic growth across the United States. By modeling knowledge diffusion through both migration flows and tradenetworks, we capture how human capital mobility and commercial exchange contribute to regional economic development. Our framework incorporates input-output linkages to account for sectoral interdependencies that shape local productivity growth and resource allocation.The research employs a quantitative spatial equilibrium model calibrated with granular data on interstate migration, trade flows, and capital formation. This approach allows us to decompose the relative contributions of knowledge spillovers arising from labor mobilityversus those embedded in traded goods and services. By accounting for these mechanisms simultaneously, we provide a more comprehensive understanding of the forces driving regional convergence or divergence in economic outcomes.Our findings have significant implications for place-based policies aimed at reducing spatial inequality. By identifying the channels through which migration and trade affect local economic trajectories, this research informs more targeted approaches to regionaldevelopment that leverage existing human capital flows and trade networks to stimulate growth in lagging regions.