The 1970's ushered in widespread population deconcentration, seen in the pervasive shift of the United States population down the size-of-place scale. To document population changes in various sized places in the country from 1950 to 1980 and to show the pervasiveness of urban-rural deconcentration in nonmetropolitan areas, researchers examined…

This map of the contiguous United States uses a seven-color scheme to display a rurality index score for counties. The measure of rurality is intended to represent degree of isolation from and inability to participate in the programs of the larger society. It is intended to reflect both physical isolation and the isolation that comes from a lack…

Prejudice built up against the rural citizen and his situation is exemplified in the stereotyping inherent in the pejorative terms "pastoral", "bucolic", "hick", etc., and romantic turn-of-the-century debate over whether "modern degeneracy" should be considered urban- or rural-centered. Such holdover…

This survey analysis compares fertility levels in the United States and European countries, discusses socioeconomic influences in ultimate expected family size, and examines birth rate trends. The average number of ultimately expected children varies from 2.13 children per woman in Bulgaria to 2.80 in Spain. Eighty to 90 percent of U.S. and…

Over 3,000,000 youths aged 16-24 fall into the category of unemployed or persons who are discouraged and no longer actively seeking work. This number accounts for more than half of the unemployment in the U.S. and represents a personal tragedy for the youths as well as a considerable loss of productivity for society while adding a drain on its…

A variety of ecological, economic, and social changes are now reshaping rural America. The deterioration of the economic structures and perceived quality of social life in large metropolitan centers of the United States has stimulated the dispersal of population and economic resources throughout rural America. During the last decade almost three…