Migration Momentum: Rural America’s population has risen for the 4th year in a row!

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.

Related Stories
“Cow goggles” are helping farmers experience cattle vision in real time, offering new tools to reduce stress, improve movement, and enhance livestock management.
Fewer interruptions could translate to improved efficiency—and fewer costly delays when timing matters most.
Faster approvals could speed projects, but may face scrutiny.
New wage rules improve accuracy but may still raise labor costs.
This Final Rule adopts the changes introduced in the Interim Final Rule, consolidating seven agency-specific NEPA regulations into a single, department-wide framework, reducing the overall volume of regulations by 66 percent.
Seth Tucker of Tucker Farms, a first-generation Arkansas farmer, says rising input costs are forcing changes to his operation, including stepping away from rice this season.