This article seeks to identify factors associated with the formation and development of nonmetropolitan destinations for older in-migration, thereby explaining why some U.S. counties are more likely than others to be nonmetro retirement destinations. We contend that most nonmetro retirement destinations are established and developed over time…

This paper examines rural population ageing in the United States with a particular focus on the contrasting contexts in which older rural residents live. We compare the characteristics of the older population by rural versus urban residence, and explore challenges and opportunities associated with the ageing of rural baby boomers. The United…

Calvin Lunsford Beale was born in Washington, DC, on June 6, 1923, and passed away at age 85 on September 2, 2008. He was a city boy born and bred, and while he "never wanted to live in a rural area" he became one of the most astute observers of rural America in the latter half of the twentieth century. Calvin spent the majority of his…

The research reported here concerns differentials in occupation and family income between white and nonwhite populations of cities in the nonmetropolitan South. (Author)

Rural revitalization was the theme of the 1970s, and rural economic stress is the overriding issue of the 1980s. This stress is associated with both cyclical trends and with basic changes in the structure of the rural economy. These cyclical and structural changes affect, and are affected by, the human resource base of rural economies. Prior to…

This research focuses on pathways by which national level macro-social transformations are transmitted to local communities. Our case is Hungary where we examine the relationship between post-socialist economic restructuring, widespread industrial dislocations, and urban-rural migration. Using secondary data from the Hungarian Central Statistical…

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…

Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1985 wave) indicate that rural households have the highest probability of poverty, followed by metropolitan-core households. Household factors (educational attainment, family structure, age, minority status) and the local opportunity structure were important determinants of poverty, but controlling for…

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…

Between 1960 and 1970 economic opportunity and progress for women in American non-metropolitan areas was mixed. While women in metropolitan areas were more likely to be labor force members than were non-metropolitan women, the difference in metropolitan and non-metropolitan labor force participation rates narrowed during the period. For women…

Using 1960 and 1970 census data, the following hypotheses were tested: the level of women's labor force participation will be higher in urbanized metropolitan vs sparsely populated nonmetropolitan counties with a higher participation rate appearing in the nonmetro counties within commuting range of metro counties, though these differences will…

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,…

Emphasizing developmental problems caused by the rapid population and employment growth in rural America during the 1970's, this document describes social, economic, and governmental trends in rural America and suggests some federal policy choices that might be made in support of rural development. Problem areas and policy suggestions are…