“Rural America now accounts for just 16 percent of the nation’s population, the lowest ever. The latest 2010 census numbers hint at an emerging America where, by mid-century, city boundaries become indistinct and rural areas grow ever less relevant. Many communities could shrink to virtual ghost towns as they shutter businesses and close down schools, demographers say.”

Source: www.foxnews.com

1910: 72% of USA rural

2010: 16% of USA rural

 

This is an old article, but it highlights the stark reversal that has profoundly reshaped our society.  The patterns noted in Peirce Lewis’s 1972 classic article “Small Town in Pennsylvania” have just continued and accelerated. 

 

Question to Ponder: What forces are driving the change?  What other parts of society are impacted by this shift?

 

Tag: rural, migration, USA, census.