Rural Population and Migration: Trend 5—Diversity Increases in Nonmetro America

Overview Trend 1—Harder to Define "Rural" Trend 2—Nonmetro Population Growth Slows Trend 3—Amenities Fuel Rapid Population Growth Trend 4—Natural Decrease on the Rise Trend 5—Diversity Increases in Nonmetro America Trend 6—Challenges From an Aging Population Recommended Readings Recommended Data Maps and Images Gallery

Racial and Ethnic Diversity Increases in Rural America

Racial and ethnic minorities now make up 18.3 percent of nonmetro residents and are geographically dispersed throughout the Nation. Hispanics and Asians are the fastest growing minority groups in the United States as a whole and in nonmetro areas. Their higher growth rates partly result from changes in U.S. immigration laws in the mid-1960s that favored immigration from non-European countries and from a growing demand for low-skill labor. In addition, because immigrants tend to be young adults, they are more likely to form families and have children.

Native Americans also have above-average birth rates, but their rapid population growth from 1980 to 2000 resulted largely from greater numbers reporting Native American heritage on decennial Census questionnaires. According to the most recent county estimates by race and ethnicity (2005), the nonmetro Native American population grew at twice the overall nonmetro rate since 2000 but at less than half the rate of Asians and Hispanics.

Blacks remain the largest minority group in nonmetro areas, but the proportion is declining relative to other minority groups due to a much slower rate of population growth. In 2000, the Census began collecting data on individuals of two or more races. The significantly higher growth rates for mixed-race populations compared with (non-Hispanic) Whites or Blacks are partly due to relatively few nonmetro mixed race people counted in the 2000 Census.

The Foreign Born

Immigration partly drives minority population growth in nonmetro areas. Public policy concerns are most often raised when immigration is accompanied by rapid socioeconomic change. New and diverse residents from abroad often revitalize small towns economically and demographically, yet their presence signals changes in local economic structure and raises concerns about increased demands for social services and barriers to assimilation. Though foreign-born residents constituted just 3.2 percent of the nonmetro population as of 2000, they have greater representation in areas that depend on agriculture, manufacturing, and low-skill services. Almost half of all Asians and a third of all Hispanics in nonmetro counties were born outside of the United States. In absolute numbers of foreign-born, 250,000 nonmetro residents were Asian, 670,000 were White, and 1,025,000 were Hispanic in 2000.

Population Aging

On average, nonmetro Whites are about 16 years older than nonmetro Native Americans and 14 years older than nonmetro Hispanics. Over 20 percent of Non-Hispanic Whites are ages 60 or older, compared with less than 10 percent of Hispanics. Higher birth rates create larger younger-than-20 cohorts for Blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanics. Age distribution differences imply diverging social service demands and societal contributions. More elderly Whites signals greater demand for retirement communities, nursing homes, and home care, while growing numbers of young families among minority populations indicate a need for schools, jobs, and day care.

Educational Attainment

While educational attainment continues to increase for all racial and ethnic groups, differences between groups persist. Asians have the highest education levels of all groups, with college attainment levels that are double those of Whites and five times as high as Hispanics. Among nonmetro residents, Hispanics, Blacks, and Native Americans have college attainment levels that are a third those of Whites. Nonmetro Hispanics, in particular, have disproportionate numbers without a high school degree and occupy a prominent niche among low-skill workers.

Program Participation

A healthy national economy and mid-1990s welfare reform reduced public assistance use among nonmetro residents. However, large disparities exist across racial and ethnic groups. Nonmetro Native Americans and Blacks, for example, are three times more likely to live in low-income families and, consequently, more likely to use public services than non-Hispanic Whites. Participation is lower among the foreign-born population, as reflected in generally lower rates among Hispanics and Asians.