what is the sun belt

The Sun Belt is a region in the United States that stretches across the southern and southwestern portions of the country from Florida to California. It is generally considered to include the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, roughly two-thirds of California (up to Greater Sacramento), and parts of North Carolina, Nevada, and Utah. The region has seen substantial population growth since the 1960s from an influx of people seeking a warm and sunny climate, a surge in retiring baby boomers, and growing economic opportunities. The advent of air conditioning created more comfortable summer conditions and allowed more manufacturing and industry to locate in the Sun Belt. The region offers either low or no corporate, individual, or property taxes, unlike many non-Sun Belt states further North, which has spurred significant private sector growth. The Sun Belt has been an important area socially, politically, and economically throughout U.S. history, especially after World War II.