LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Rural population trends are shifting, with more people moving into rural areas and supporting modest growth across the countryside. USDA data shows the U.S. rural population reached 46.2 million in 2024, accounting for 13.6 percent of the total population.
Analysis from USDA Economic Research Service economist Laura Paul shows rural population growth of 0.29 percent from mid-2023 to mid-2024. That increase was driven primarily by positive net migration, meaning more people moved into rural areas than left.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Rural population growth supports long-term stability of the ag workforce.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Natural population change remains negative, with deaths still exceeding births in rural communities. However, that gap narrowed in 2024, helping stabilize overall population levels after years of decline.
Urban areas continue to grow faster, expanding by 1.08 percent over the same period. Still, rural population growth has steadily improved since 2021, following a decade of little to no growth.
Population trends can influence local labor availability, land use, and long-term demand for agricultural services and infrastructure.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to discuss the implications for farmers.
October 30, 2025 02:37 PM
·
RFD-TV tax expert Roger McEowen discusses the renewed tax provision and how cattle producers can take advantage of it to recover investments in heifer retention and herd expansion more quickly.
October 30, 2025 01:23 PM
·
With core input inflation still hovering high, growers and retailers should plan pricing and promotions with tighter margins in mind — target early sales, leverage bundle deals, and secure logistics ahead of peak Halloween demand.
October 30, 2025 10:54 AM
·
Margin Protection and the new MCO add county-level margin tools — with earlier price discovery, input cost triggers, and high subsidy rates — to complement on-farm risk plans for 2026.
October 24, 2025 01:44 PM
·
For aging operators and their rural neighbors, staying socially engaged is a practical strategy to preserve decision-making capacity and farm vitality.
October 24, 2025 01:37 PM
·
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer discusses the status of USDA disaster aid, including delays to Stage 2 of the SDRP program, and what farmers should watch for as lawmakers negotiate an end to the government shutdown.
October 23, 2025 01:03 PM
·
