Episode 6

Americans have long moved South. Get ready for the move North.

Published on: 9th January, 2026

For decades, Americans have gravitated to the southern US - from Florida to Arizona. But that may be about to change.

This change will also shuffle our finances - and create enormous winners and losers.

In this eye-opening interview, ProPublica’s Abrahm Lustgarten, author of On the Move, exposes the "Great American Climate Scam" that is artificially propping up real estate values in high-risk zones like Florida and California. And he talks about how a collapse in one market could become a contagion that spreads across the country.

We break down the looming insurance crisis that threatens to bankrupt entire states, why millions of Americans may soon be forced to migrate to northern "climate havens" like Cincinnati and Buffalo, and how extreme heat is widening the economic gap between the rich and the poor.

If you want to understand the future of property values, the hidden financial risks of climate change, and who will be the winners and losers of the next great migration, don't miss this deep dive into the shifting US economy.

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About the Podcast

It Turns Out
"It Turns Out" reveals the hidden realities reshaping our world—from how marriage impacts inequality to the way that the tax code has transformed wealth.

Through conversations with experts who challenge conventional wisdom, award-winning journalist Kara Miller focuses each episode on groundbreaking research, changing how listeners see society, economics, technology, and human behavior. “It Turns Out” delves into data that directly impacts your life—whether you know it or not.

You can reach us at info@itturnsoutshow.com

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. This work was done under Grant No. G-2025-79141.

About your host

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Kara Miller

Kara hosted the nationally-syndicated public radio program Innovation Hub, which she launched. The program won the 2021 Clarion Award for best Radio Talk or Interview Program and aired on more than 100 stations, including in New York, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It spotlighted compelling thinkers, including Steve Wozniak, Sherry Turkle, Yo-Yo Ma, Walter Isaacson, and Sal Khan.

She writes “The Big Idea” column for The Boston Globe and is a frequent contributor to The Boston Globe Magazine.

Kara has moderated panels and spoken about innovation and entrepreneurship at events hosted by The International Women’s Forum, PBS Digital Media for STEM, Harvard Medical School, Google, and MIT Sloan.

She has taught at Babson College and at the University of Massachusetts.