What's Wrong with Rural America

[digitS']

Using high school football as an analogy . . .

I'm not taking all the blame, I want you to know, right from the start!

About 46 million people, 15% of the U.S. population, live in rural counties, which account for 72% of the nation's land mass.

The back-to-land movement of the 70's, the continuing suburbanization, and the migration out of cities by retirees has kept the rural numbers fairly stable. Until now that is, and according to the Census Bureau. All 3 of those "building" factors have weakened. But, the real problem is the kids .

(Link)

Nifty graphics there at the bottom with the slider.

Steve

 

[journey11]

Around here at least, we've had a lot of the smaller schools consolidating.

 

[digitS']

In that article or another that I was reading, the decision by people over age 74 to move out of rural areas was noted as a contributing factor.

It is difficult to understand why this would be investigated but demographers are fairly clever people. However, if families cannot stay in the country & small towns, why would we even think that the elderly would be there after that age? They are just lucky to be anywhere!

Parents choosing to not have more than 2 or 3 children? When did that happen? Sixty years ago . . . At that time and for decades before: "Advanced machinery allows farmers to work 10 times as many acres as their fathers did. The demand for help in small towns isn't what it used to be."

While industry in small towns isn't only farming, it is a very important part of their economies. The fact that it isn't the only part is indicated by the role retirees play. Don't expect them to have much of a positive influence on the schools, tho'.

Steve