This state of the art report sees progress toward improving social and economic conditions in rural America, but cites areas where there is lag when compared with metro counterparts. Wage levels, family income, employment opportunities, housing, and access to health and other essential services could be improved. (Author/KR)

Examines and explains unexpected population trends since 1970: substantial rural and small-town growth, regional shifts to the South and West, lower birth rates, increased life expectancy, smaller household size, and population growth from immigration. Illustrates how demographic events offer classic examples of the difficulty of predicting human…

Analyzes population redistribtuion over last decade, focusing on changed rates of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan population growth. Discusses changes produced by migration processes: growing proximity of rural and urban areas; changing nonmetropolitan community age composition; differences in population migration patterns among occupational…

Analysis of Current Population Survey data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census contradicts the popular allegation of significant population returns to central cities from suburbs. On the contrary, data reveal a continuation of the decades-old trend of migration away from metropolitan areas. (KH)

Since rural society experiences social changes more gradually than urban society, the actual stresses are different in nature. Two areas of conflict are identification of sex-role function and the nature of the interaction within the extended kinship network. (Author)

Data collected in 1977 from 992 households in 37 fast-growing nonmetropolitan counties in the Upper Great Lakes Region show that newcomers over time tend to become as involved in their new communities as the oldtimers and socioeconomic status positively affects levels of formal community participation for both migrants and residents. (LC)

The 1990s saw a gain in rural food-processing employment, particularly meat packing and poultry processing, as the industry's demand for low-skilled workers increased. Analysis links the change in worker skills to international trade. While increased rural employment may seem beneficial, the jobs often do not appeal to rural domestic workers, and…

Compares environmental attitudes of formerly urban and longstanding rural residents near two national forests. Tests hypotheses that both types equally likely to hold proenvironment perspectives on forest use and tend to be equally dissatisfied with federal environmental policies. Results disprove link between residential status and environmental…

In the late 1990s, the nonmetro population continued to increase from net migration but at a lower rate than previously. Compared to the early 1990s, the nonmetro West experienced a substantial drop in net migration during 1996-99. Metro-to-nonmetro migration also dropped substantially among college graduates and was higher for low-wage workers…

While educational institutions in rural America present unique characteristics and offer opportunities for administrative excellence, educators have tended to overlook rural resources and the possibility of implementing educational programs in community life, which in turn, would reflect the heritage of rural culture and values. This paper…

Analysis of demographic characteristics of 411 recent inmigrants to Maine, as revealed in a random mail-back questionnaire sample of persons who exchanged an out-of-state driver's license for a Maine one during July-December of 1980 or 1983, indicated that trends and relationships noted in previous studies are continuing into the 1980s. Inmigrants…

Inmigration to Maine was found to have altered population distribution, increased the proportion of younger, highly educated persons, and provided a pool of professional/managerial persons for community involvement. Data gathered from 417 persons moving into Maine during the July through December period of either 1980 or 1983 showed inmigrants to…

This analysis of demographic and economic impacts of migration compared samples of nonmigrants, inmigrants, and outmigrants for Kentucky from 1975 to 1980. Age, gender, race, birth place, educational attainment, income, and labor force characteristics were compared for the three groups. Inmigrants, including intrastate migrants, were compared on…

Extension personnel can aid rural decision makers with impacts felt from rapid growth in their communities via a locally applicable community impact model. This paper illustrates how extension professionals can utilize community impact models. Impact models reviewed include: model to measure the impact of new industry on rural communities in…

Examining the relationship between urban to rural migrants and household income, 2,118 respondents representing urban and rural populations stratified across different labor markets within 8 counties in the northeastern Coastal Plains of North Carolina were surveyed. The variables employed were: households by race, female head, absence of 1974…