From 1940 to 1970, the United States was characterized by both rapid population growth and rapid urbanization. However, in the 1970's, both of these trends have diminished. A decline in the birth rate has brought lower overall growth--with the decline being the greatest in the major metropolitan areas. There is firm evidence of shift in population…

Much of today's rural America will be the fastest growing part of the nation in the next half century. The spread of large cities and the creation of new ones, the addition of almost 30 million senior citizens, and immigration into rural areas are powerful forces contributing to the development of rural America. Rural areas are competitive in a…

A systematic description and evaluation of the socioeconomic conditions of nonmetropolitan United States provides important information for policymakers and researchers in rural education. This book is one of a series aimed at converting the statistics of the 1980 census into an analytical profile of major changes in U.S. life. The volume…

Educational, medical, and other services in rural areas have been undergoing a consolidation and centralization process to bring about more efficient operation. A research project sponsored by the United Methodist Church was designed to assess the position of the church as a decentralized unit in a small community relative to its leadership…