Rural America saw a major population growth for the fourth year in a row.
Census Bureau data shows that non-metropolitan counties grew by 134,000 residents last year. It marks a notable turn from a nearly decade-long trend of population decline in rural areas.
Migrating to rural towns in the South was especially popular.
Nearly two-thirds of rural population growth in the U.S. took place in the southern region of the country.
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“We lost 150,000 farmers and farms in the last four years, a disaster that nobody’s talking about.”
“Farmers want to feed people. They want to keep farming. They’re counting on Congress to live up to its obligations.”
“It keeps the land in ag production and provides our retiring farmers with a viable retirement option.”