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Rural-urban migration patterns shift.
Rural Conditions and Trends
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Rural areas are experiencing population dispersal from urban centers, a shift from the 1980s. This trend indicates a halt in the rural "brain drain," with a small net rural population gain observed.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Demography
- Geography
Background:
- The late 1980s saw a net outflow of population from rural areas in the United States, often referred to as a rural "brain drain."
- Understanding contemporary migration patterns is crucial for regional development and policy-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze shifts in rural-urban migration patterns in the U.S. during the early to mid-1990s.
- To determine if the rural "brain drain" observed in the 1980s persisted into the 1990s.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) migration data.
- Examination of migration patterns between 1990 and 1994.
Main Results:
- Data from 1990-1994 indicate a population dispersal from urban areas into small towns and open country.
- A small net rural population gain of 0.1 percent was observed, contrasting with the rural outflow of the late 1980s.
- The rural "brain drain" phenomenon characteristic of the 1980s did not continue into the 1990s.
Conclusions:
- The early 1990s marked a reversal of previous rural population outflow trends.
- The findings suggest a potential stabilization or modest growth in rural populations, with a notable cessation of "brain drain."
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term implications of these shifting migration patterns.