Rural America At A Glance 2007 Edition etween July 2005 and July 2006 the population of nonmetro America grew 0 6 percent Net domestic migration from metro areas accounted for nearly half of this growth Gains from domestic migration were highest in areas that offered natural amenities proximity to metro jobs or both Counties with diverse service based economies primarily those that rely on recreation and tourism also experienced higher than average growth from net domestic migration in 2005 06 Data on metro and nonmetro areas in this report are based on 2003 metro area designations except where indicated Nonmetro employment increased by 1 4 percent from 2005 to 2006 a rate similar to that of the previous year After a steep decline between 2000 and 2003 employment in the manufacturing sector has been stable since 2004 The nonmetro unemployment rate fell to 4 9 percent in 2006 Nonmetro areas continue to lag behind metro areas on indicators of income and experience higher rates of poverty The nonmetro poverty rate however declined from 15 1 percent in 2004 to 14 5 percent in 2005 Nonmetro adult educational attainment continued to rise between 2000 and 2005 About 17 percent of the nonmetro population age 25 and older held at least a 4 year college degree in 2005 a 1 5 percentage point gain from 2000 Nonmetro rates of high school noncompletion fell sharply during the same period from 23 to 19 percent The socioeconomic vitality of rural America is linked to a number of key elements including a core set of demographic educational and economic forces Following are the most current indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas for use in developing policies and programs to assist rural people and their communities In addition two sectors that are emerging as important factors shaping the economic complexion of rural America are given special attention in this year s report creative occupations and ethanol based industries B Nonmetro population change from net domestic migration 2005 06 Loss 0 to 1 Above 1 Metro Source Calculated by ERS using data from the U S Census Bureau United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Economic Information Bulletin Number 31 October 2007 Rural Population Growth on an Upswing Due to Net Domestic Migration Between July 2005 and July 2006 the population of nonmetro America grew by 318 000 people This 0 6 percent increase is below the metro growth rate for the same period 1 percent but is well above the nonmetro annual growth rate of 0 2 percent at the beginning of the decade The upturn is due entirely to an increase in net domestic migration the number of people moving from metro counties to nonmetro destinations minus those moving in the opposite direction In 2001 02 40 000 more people moved into nonmetro counties from metro locations than moved out In that year the gain from domestic migration was less than that from either international immigration or natural population increase births deaths However the annual net flow from metro areas grew to nearly 150 000 by 2005 06 thus contributing more to overall nonmetro population growth than immigration 62 000 or natural increase 107 000 Nonmetro population gains from net domestic migration were highest in western locations that combine scenic attributes with tourism recreation second home development and retirement migration Amenities combined with proximity to metro jobs fueled rapid growth in many parts of the nonmetro South including the Texas Hill Country southern Appalachia the Florida coast and northern Virginia The massive departure of residents from flood ravaged New Orleans after September 2005 was followed by sharp rises in the population of several nonmetro counties in southern Louisiana and Mississippi along with nearby metro areas such as Baton Rouge Of the 2 070 U S nonmetro counties the number losing population from net domestic migration declined from 1 157 in 2000 01 to 885 in 2005 06 Net migration loss continued in counties with very high poverty such as in the Mississippi Delta and Rio Grande Valley and in sparsely settled agricultural counties in the Nation s heartland In addition to experiencing high outmigration among young adults an increasing number of Great Plains and Corn Belt counties are losing populaComponents of nonmetro tion through natural decrease more population change deaths than births which reflects an aging population Number of residents 1 000 150 100 50 0 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 50 Domestic migration International migration Natural increase Source Calculated by ERS using Census Bureau 2005 population estimates Counties dependent on mining or manufacturing switched from net migration losses to net migration gains during the past 5 years Farming dependent counties continued to show an overall net migration loss in 2005 06 although not as severe as in 2001 02 Nonmetro counties with more diverse service based economies are better able to retain current residents and attract newcomers These counties which predominantly rely on recreation and tourism experienced four times the rate of net domestic migration in 2005 06 as did nonmetro counties as a whole Nonmetro population change from net domestic migration 2001 02 2005 06 County Number Percent Number Percent All nonmetro counties Counties dependent on Farming Mining Manufacturing Services 39 378 0 1 145 626 0 3 22 581 374 11 917 53 389 0 8 0 0 1 1 2 12 150 8 039 29 571 59 269 0 4 0 4 0 2 1 3 Source Calculated by ERS using Census Bureau county population estimates Cover and interior photos courtesy Eyewire Rural America At A Glance Employment Rises and Unemployment Falls From 2005 to 2006 Nonmetro employment increased by 316 000 or 1 4 percent from 2005 to 2006 while metro employment increased by 2 28 million or 1 9 percent Growth rates in both areas were very close to those of the previous year Nonmetro employment growth did slow markedly in the Northeast from 1 4 percent in 2004 05 to 0 3 percent in 2005 06 however the heavily metropolitan Northeast accounts for less than 10 percent of all U S nonmetro employment After a steep decline between 2000 and 2003 employment in the manufacturing sector has been stable since 2004 Both nonmetro and metro unemployment rates have fallen steadily since they peaked in 2003 The nonmetro unemployment rate fell to 4 9 percent in 2006 down from 5 4 percent in the previous year The metro unemployment rate averaged 4 6 percent in 2006 down from 5 0
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