Rural America is often talked about as if it’s one place with one story.
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Rural America is often talked about as if it’s one place with one story. It isn’t.
Rural demographers break down 6 commonly-held myths about rural America, and why getting them wrong has real consequences (thread)
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Myth 3: Rural America is mostly white.
Reality: 1 in 4 rural residents are nonwhite, and 1 in 3 rural children are. Indigenous people are more likely to live in rural areas than any other group. The future of rural America is diverse.
Myth 4: Rural life is healthier than city life.
Reality: Rural Americans die younger and at higher rates. There’s a growing “rural mortality penalty” driven by cancer, heart disease, accidents and more.
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Myth 1: Rural America is disappearing.
Reality: While many rural counties lost population, about one-third grew, especially near cities or natural amenities. Rural places aren’t vanishing, they’re changing and sometimes becoming urban or suburban.
Myth 2: Most rural Americans live on farms.
Reality: Only about 6% of rural jobs are in agriculture. Manufacturing and service-sector work dominate, and factory closures hit rural communities especially hard.
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Myth 2: Most rural Americans live on farms.
Reality: Only about 6% of rural jobs are in agriculture. Manufacturing and service-sector work dominate, and factory closures hit rural communities especially hard.
Myth 3: Rural America is mostly white.
Reality: 1 in 4 rural residents are nonwhite, and 1 in 3 rural children are. Indigenous people are more likely to live in rural areas than any other group. The future of rural America is diverse.
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Rural America is often talked about as if it’s one place with one story. It isn’t.
Rural demographers break down 6 commonly-held myths about rural America, and why getting them wrong has real consequences (thread)
️Myth 1: Rural America is disappearing.
Reality: While many rural counties lost population, about one-third grew, especially near cities or natural amenities. Rural places aren’t vanishing, they’re changing and sometimes becoming urban or suburban.
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Myth 5: Rural families are more “traditional.”
Reality: Rural children are less likely to live with married parents than urban children and more likely to live with grandparents or relatives. Rural child poverty rates are higher.
Myth 6: Trump’s wins came from a sudden “rural revolt.”
Reality: Rural voters have been shifting Republican for nearly 50 years. The bigger 2024 story? A sharp drop in urban turnout, not a new rural surge.
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Myth 4: Rural life is healthier than city life.
Reality: Rural Americans die younger and at higher rates. There’s a growing “rural mortality penalty” driven by cancer, heart disease, accidents and more.
Myth 5: Rural families are more “traditional.”
Reality: Rural children are less likely to live with married parents than urban children and more likely to live with grandparents or relatives. Rural child poverty rates are higher.
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Myth 6: Trump’s wins came from a sudden “rural revolt.”
Reality: Rural voters have been shifting Republican for nearly 50 years. The bigger 2024 story? A sharp drop in urban turnout, not a new rural surge.
Stereotypes shape policy.
Understanding rural America means seeing its complexity, diversity and change.
Full story from two rural demographers who also have a book called “Rural and Small-Town America: Context, Composition, and Complexities.”
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Rural America is often talked about as if it’s one place with one story. It isn’t.
Rural demographers break down 6 commonly-held myths about rural America, and why getting them wrong has real consequences (thread)
️@TheConversationUS fascinating read! Thank you!
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R relay@relay.mycrowd.ca shared this topic
