It's fascinating to realize that just a few urban areas highlighted in orange on this map produce 50% of the entire U.S. GDP. That means half of the nation's economic output comes from a handful of cities and metro regions.
Meanwhile, the vast blue regions, making up most of the country's geography, together generate the other half. This paints a clear picture of how concentrated economic activity truly is in major urban centers, leaving smaller cities and rural areas with a significantly lower economic footprint.
This insight not only highlights the importance of cities as economic hubs but also raises questions about how much potential there is for growth in rural and smaller urban areas.