1 out of 4 US Counties Dying (college, live, agriculture)

[DANNYY]

Excerpt:

Hit by an aging population and a poor economy, a near-record number of U.S. counties are experiencing more deaths than births in their communities, a phenomenon demographers call "natural decrease."

Source: Census: Near-record level of US counties dying - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110222/ap_on_re_us/us_census_dying_counties - broken link)

Thoughts?

[kidphilly]

no jobs to keep people in these places

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

no jobs to keep people in these places

Urbanization seems to be stepping up also, America in 1960 had a rural population of 40% and today its only 20% and still steadily sinking. Really saddening to see these times in the country, always did like some of the lifestyles that can be found in remote rural areas also. Very peaceful and quiet.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

no jobs to keep people in these places

Agriculture no longer replies large numbers of people to tend large herds or large fields. That has to have an impact on remote counties.

[Thomas R.]

It looks like some are being changed by boom/bust cycles. The main one they cite in the article was a "coal" county.

And a possibility might be television in a weird way. "How do you keep them on the farm when they've seen Paris?" Well farm or not now everyone's seen Paris, or NYC anyway, via their television. So they might not feel satisfied working as a bank-teller or postal worker in a small town. Or even if they like that okay they might want to do something they just can't in their area.

And even if that's not the case when they go off to college many will almost have to go to a bigger area. Even if they're nervous about that at first they may find they like it and not return.

I'm not sure the main or only solution is to try to get young educated people back to the country. In fact in some ways I think that might be highly unrealistic. It strikes me it might make more sense for these counties to try to get divorced parents, educated or not, and retirees. People I know who have returned to the little town I lived in often are single parents disillusioned with the city and, or because of, the bad marriage they had there. Possibly married parents would also consider it as a better environment.

[18Montclair]

There have been tons of news stories of this very thing occurring in Japan. Ive even read many accounts where immigration is what's kept the US and much of Western Europe from also suffering a 'natural decrease'.

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

There have been tons of news stories of this very thing occurring in Japan. Ive even read many accounts where immigration is what's kept the US and much of Western Europe from also suffering a 'natural decrease'.

Projections state that Japan's population will decline to half of what it is now by 2060, apparently the older generation there makes up an overwhelming percentage of the total population and birth rates have decreased extremely low levels.

Japan's in trouble, coupled with a stagnant economy right now, it looks dim for them. Hopefully they can use their innovation and get through this without any massive drains.

[Wonderful Jellal]

Originally Posted by DANNYY

Excerpt:

Source: Census: Near-record level of US counties dying - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110222/ap_on_re_us/us_census_dying_counties - broken link)

Thoughts?

It's a big country, you can't have growth everywhere, in so many countries.Particularly for rural areas.