Experts expect the 2020 Census to reveal some potentially startling trends of population decline in rural parts of the country.
"Rural counties — particularly in the Midwest and Northeast of the U.S. — are losing people due to higher death rates than birth rates and more people moving away than moving in," according to an article by Stef W. Knight.
Knight is reporting findings of a May report by the Pew Research Center [pdf], authored by Kim Parker, Juliana Horowitz, Anna Brown, Richard Fry, D’Vera Cohn and Ruth Igielnik. The report has inspired news posts picked up by Planetizen twice already, in an article discussing commonalities among urban, suburban, and rural communities, as well as another examining the growth of suburban poverty.
Knight's frame for the report's findings focuses on demographic decline, however. "Overall, non-metro areas increased in population between 2000 and 2015, but a majority of rural counties saw their populations dwindle, including 54% of rural counties in the Northeast and 68% of those in the Midwest," according to Knight.
The article breaks down the causes of declining populations (i.e., loss of jobs and youth, birth rates vs. death rates, immigrants and minorities, and opioids).
FULL STORY: Why rural counties are dying in America
Five Takeaways From California’s 2022 Demographic Changes
California’s recent population losses could provide an opportunity for state leaders to address the challenges facing the state.
Grim Demographics for Outer Suburbs in the East and Midwest
While migration bolsters the populations of outer suburbs in the West and the South, their counterparts in the East and the Midwest show signs of decline. That includes well-off areas.
Planning Trends to Watch in 2021
The nation is now tasked with the challenge of changing course in the middle of multiple, global crises. The necessity of finding a way to overcome the failures of the past and lay the groundwork for a new kind of future has never been more clear.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie