Synthesizes research on the implications of demographic changes in rural areas. Explores the effects of population size, age composition, and household size and composition on public policy and public services in rural areas. (SK)

Socioeconomic characteristics of growing and declining nonmetropolitan counties in 1970 were compared. Separate analyses for whites and nonwhites and for the South and non-South regions were presented. Observation units were 1,308 nonmetropolitan counties and county equivalents having 250 or more nonwhite residents. Growing and declining counties…

Utilizing data compiled from the 1970 U.S. Census of Population, this statistical analysis presents a comparison of the socioeconomic characteristics of growing and declining nonmetropolitan U.S. counties. In addition, separate analyses are presented for whites and racial minorities and for South and nonsouth regions (since analysis is limited to…

The rural population turnaround, rapid and largely unanticipated, has created a gap between the changed social and economic conditions in rural America and public policies and programs, which were formulated in response to 30 years of rural population decline. For several reasons, public policy has not yet responded to the population turnaround…

Demographic and socioeconomic conditions and changes in rural communities provide the context for education programs in such areas. Although these conditions have improved since the 1950s, they have worsened since 1980, affecting the human resource base of rural economics. Cyclical and structural changes affect--and are affected--by: (1) reduced…

Rural areas' population growth, location, level of economic activity and social well-being depend less on natural resource endowments than on such factors as transportation, communication, labor force characteristics, and urbanization. General causes of the 1970's urban-to-rural migration included fewer changes in the structure of agriculture,…