Who is "rural" America?
- sciart0
- Mar 27
- 1 min read
Excerpt: "As the US population has become increasingly concentrated in urban centers, rural communities have, at times, been an afterthought. This dynamic has allowed a number of myths to take hold, such as that rural America is “facing an irreversible decline.”1 However, this narrative bears little resemblance to reality: Areas outside of urban centers are actually growing2 and benefiting from both more diverse populations and economies.
Rural American communities are important contributors to the broader economy. In all, rural areas account for one-seventh of the total US population and approximately $2.7 trillion of US GDP (close to 10 percent).3A better understanding of rural America could help create opportunities for people living in these communities and further unlock impact for the country overall. country overall."