Rural flight

Migration of folks living in rural areas to urban areas, usually driven by a loss of jobs. (For example, the shift from local to mass agriculture.) At some point, rural flight becomes a vicious cycle, because as population decreases, so does revenue, which means loss of services, which leads to further flight. All of this disincentivizes investment, which also leads to more flight.

• Between 1994-2010, 759 rural counties in 42 states lost population
• Between 2010-2015, more than 1,300 rural counties in 46 states lost population

Possible solutions:

• Relocation, especially of young, educated people, through tax incentives, loan forgiveness

See Also

• wikipedia:Rural flight
• Rural America is losing young people: Consequences and solutions (March 23, 2018)
• Alana Semuels. "The Graying of Rural America." The Atlantic, June 2, 2016.