There is a deepening sense of fear as population loss accelerates in rural America. The decline of small-town life is expected to be a looming topic in the presidential election.

There is a deepening sense of fear as population loss accelerates in rural America. The decline of small-town life is expected to be a looming topic in the presidential election.

…

America’s rural population began contracting about a decade ago, according to statistics drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau.

A whopping 81 percent of rural counties had more deaths than births between 2019 and 2023, according to an analysis by a University of New Hampshire demographer. Experts who study the phenomena say the shrinking baby boomer population and younger residents having smaller families and moving elsewhere for jobs are fueling the trend.

According to a recent Agriculture Department estimate, the rural population did rebound by 0.25 percent from 2020 to 2022 as some families decamped from urban areas during the pandemic.

But demographers say they are still evaluating whether that trend will continue, and if so, where. Pennsylvania has been particularly afflicted. Job losses in the manufacturing and energy industries that began in the 1980s prompted many younger families to relocate to Sun Belt states. The relocations helped fuel population surges in places like Texas and Georgia. But here, two-thirds of the state’s 67 counties have experienced a drop in population in recent years.

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  • kungen@feddit.nu
    181·
    5 months ago

    I don’t think rural towns are depopulating due to hate or discrimination… it’s mostly because of job prospects, no?

    • Confused_Emus@lemmy.world
      27·
      5 months ago

      Obviously my own experience is entirely anecdotal, but I think relevant to the point. I work 100% remotely, I just need a decent Internet connection. I currently live in a moderately sized city, and keeping up with the finances can be a struggle compared to the lower cost of rural living. However, I’m also a gay man, pro choice, I don’t care what two or more consenting adults do in the privacy of their home, etc. etc. etc. with all the usual liberal stuff.

      The job prospects aren’t why I left the rural southeastern US, and they aren’t the reason I’ll never go back there.

      These people were warned about the brain drain their bullshit would cause. I have no sympathy for them or their towns’ dwindling tax revenues.

      • Ragnarok314159@sopuli.xyz
        1·
        5 months ago

        Rural people also vote for the political party that helps to make sure that the devil high speed internet never comes to their town.

      • UltraGiGaGigantic@lemm.eeEnglish
        128·
        5 months ago

        I don’t care what two or more consenting adults do in the privacy of their home, etc. etc. etc.

        So they can put what drugs they want in their own body?

        with all the usual liberal stuff.

        Oh, never mind.

        • vaultdweller013
          11·
          5 months ago

          Most liberals I know are fine with legalizing most drugs so long as theyre regulated for safety reasons. But I cant tell if youre a dumb anarachist, a tankie or what so I dont get the point of your comment. Maybe elaborate if ya dont want to come across as… vapid I guess is the best word?

      • ikidd@lemmy.worldEnglish
        28·
        5 months ago

        I don’t have kids at home anymore, but have online schools become a thing yet?

        Seems to me like that’s a huge opportunity to tailor school to every kid’s ability, though the socialization would suffer. But plenty of kids come out of homeschooling just fine.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          74·
          5 months ago

          My daughter is in online school, a public school in fact, and a WFH job would be difficult for me to hold because I have to spend all day supervising her, which is exhausting enough, and the job would have to be one I could do in the evenings.

            • CherenkovBlue@lemmy.myserv.one
              31·
              5 months ago

              They sure do post a lot on Lemmy for being a stay at home parent supervising their kid… 1670+ posts, 34500+ comments in 12 months. That’s about 4 posts and 95 comments per day.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
              24·
              5 months ago

              No, both because of that and because of a serious illness. But even if I didn’t have the illness, I would be doing two jobs and not getting paid for one of them.

    • Skydancer@pawb.social
      17·
      5 months ago

      There are two sides to the equation though - depopulation and repopulation. Hate and discrimination may not be causing (most of) the exodus, but inclusion and acceptance could be part of the solution. I’ve known more than a few people who have wanted to move to rural areas but have avoided them for exactly that reason. The braver ones have made the move, but only as a group able to support and protect each other.

    • Ragnarok314159@sopuli.xyz
      2·
      5 months ago

      It’s a combination of both. Young women don’t want to stay in these places because they all vote Republican and all republicans are hate filled bigots who view women as property.

      The women leave for greener pastures, and the young men are left with no job prospects and no one to date. They get up and leave as well.

      Since all these towns are hate filled trash heaps, no money gets invested into them. The farms are all corpo owned and don’t need the town, the Dollar General employs two people, and the used car lot has not sold anything in four years. There is nothing to do in these places except lie about being disabled (this is very different than having a real disability) sponge off the government, then watch Fox News all day and mald.