Rural America Today Changes in rural and urban
Rural America Today § Changes in rural and urban populations during the current decade (2011– 2020) reflect decadesold trends, as the rural population decreased 3. 6% to 57. 23 million and the urban population increased 9. 2% to 272. 91 million. § To understand rural America is to disregard stereotypes, such as virtually all rural Americans are Caucasian, when approximately 25% of them are African Americans, Latinx Americans and Asian Americans. § Only approximately 5% of rural Americans work in the agricultural sector while most of them work in education, health care, social assistance and substantial numbers also work in retail, construction and transportation.
The Pandemic Reality § During the early-pandemic period, the pandemic had its greatest effect in cities and metropolitan areas; however, by December 12 th, the weekly rate of new infections in rural areas were 479/100, 000, compared to 445/100, 000 in metro areas. § By the same date, new deaths/100, 000 in rural areas were more than 50% of the death rate in metro areas, or 8. 3 and 4. 5, respectively. During the period 11/22– 11/28/20, the rural counties in 19 states were in the “red zone, ” indicating no control of COVID-19. § According to a July 2020 survey from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 42% of rural households were facing serious financial problems, 43% had experienced some form of job or income loss and 42% had a household member at medical risk from COVID-19.
Farmland Economic Insights § Despite the continued closure of many restaurants, households are stocking their pantries with food, which the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts will result in a 43. 1% increase in net farm income for 2020, or an increase of $36. 0 billion to $119. 6 billion. § Farm households are dependent on income from farm and off-farm sources. Total 2020 median farm household is estimated to increase 4. 7% to $86, 992, with the farm portion increasing to $1, 187 from 2019’s $297. § Off-farm income is the vast majority of a farm household’s income; however, this portion will decrease 1. 2% for 2020 to $67, 950. According to the USDA, the decrease is attributable to lost employment and wages during the pandemic.
Small-Town America § Rural America is not just open farmland, but also small towns at the hub of those farmlands and the center of rural culture and society. Of the 19, 500 incorporated places in the US, according to 2020 US Census data, more than 6, 000 have a population of fewer than 500. § Indicating a migration trend, small towns (less than 5, 000) in the South and the West increased their populations since 2010 by 6. 7% and 13. 3%, respectively, while small-town populations in the Northeast decreased 3. 0% and in the Midwest by 1. 7%. § An interesting phenomenon of the pandemic is the movement of people, many in high-skill jobs and already working remotely, from the largest cities to small towns. Some of these towns have offered thousands of dollars and other incentives to attract these workers.
Multiple Challenges Persist § Healthcare continues to be one of rural America’s biggest challenges, which the pandemic has only exacerbated. According to the Center for Optimizing Rural Health, 132 rural hospitals have closed since 2010, and another 673 are vulnerable to closure. § A trend of recent years is the expanding “news desert. ” According to the 2020 report from the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media, 300 more local newspapers closed, and circulation decreased by 5 million since the school’s 2018 report. § At a fundamental level, fewer US farms are having difficulty producing enough commodities for the increasing population of the world. Changing weather patterns because of climate change and other environmental factors will add to production difficulties.
Technology Is Sprouting § Although “city slickers” may think farmers are still plowing behind a horse, the modern, American farm is not only very mechanized, but also much of that mechanization is controlled remotely from apps and smartphones. § The next generation is expected to include more robotics and autonomous vehicles. Drone technology is also proving to have agricultural applications for soil and field analysis, crop spraying and real-time livestock monitoring. § The expansion of high-speed Internet service, such as Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network and others, and 5 G technology will provide rural Americans with the same digital capabilities as their city cousins.
Advertising Strategies § Advertisers are more likely to maximize engagement with rural audiences with content reflecting their ethnic diversity, both in terms of seeing representatives of themselves in the content as well as some content in Spanish. § As more Americans who previously lived in urban/suburban areas move to small towns, local advertisers have many opportunities to appeal to these new audiences with the same products and services they regularly purchased in their previous communities. § Next. Gen TV technology could be a boon for rural/small town advertisers within the transmission area of large markets. Not only could local retailers/businesses maximize attraction of local audiences, but also motivate people to visit from the city.
New Media Strategies § As 5 G technology and better Internet service become available in Rural America, local advertisers/businesses can use social media effectively to post videos of unique products and services and explainer videos of new farm equipment and other products. § Proactive farmers and other agricultural businesses may find it advantageous to use social media to engage with nearby urban/suburban populations with content to bring these areas closer with explanations of products being grown/raised and the feeding cities. § Local chambers of commerce and other rural civic groups may want to use social media to promote their areas as new homes for urban/suburban populations by inviting those who have moved there to post short videos about why they moved and the local amenities.
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