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Baker Briefing | Podcast

Population Decline and the New Economics of Cities

March 24, 2026 | Bill King, David M. Satterfield
 Houston city, aerial shot at sunset

Table of Contents

Author(s)

Bill King

Fellow in Public Finance

David M. Satterfield

Director, Baker Institute for Public Policy | Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

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Tags

Baker BriefingTexasHoustonCity planning

About the Episode

As cities around the world confront slower population growth, aging populations, and shifting migration patterns, policymakers are rethinking long-standing assumptions about economic development, infrastructure, and public investment.

Ambassador David M. Satterfield speaks with Baker Institute fellow Bill King about the global reality of depopulation and what it could mean for the future of urban life. Using Houston as a case study, they examine how these demographic shifts are affecting schools, tax bases, housing, transportation, and long-term planning in one of America’s fastest-growing cities.

This conversation was recorded in front of a live audience on Feb. 24, 2026.

Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.

About Baker Briefing

Hosted by David M. Satterfield,  the “Baker Briefing” podcast delivers timely analysis on breaking policy developments and other critical policy issues of the day in conversations with experts at the Baker Institute. New episodes are released weekly.

Select episodes of “Baker Briefing” are recorded in front of a live audience at Rice University in Houston, Texas. These recordings are free and open to the public. To learn about upcoming recordings and other public programming from the Baker Institute, subscribe to our “Events Digest” newsletter, delivered weekly.

 

 

This material may be quoted or reproduced without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the author and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The views expressed herein are those of the individual author(s), and do not necessarily represent the views of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

© 2026 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
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