The Rural Rebound and Its Aftermath: Changing Demographic Dynamics and Regional Contrasts

Data from the 2000 Census confirm that the 1990s were a period of renewed growth in rural America. Nonmetropolitan areas gained more than 5 million residents during the period, compared with less than 1.3 million during the 1980s. This “rural rebound” was fueled primarily by migration. Most migrants came from metropolitan areas, but rural areas also receive some immigrants from abroad. These widespread population gains represent yet another...