While U.S. rural communities gained in population overall, the growth came largely in the South.
A new Pennsylvania state commission seeks to address population loss and aging in rural communities. According to an article by Will Wright in Daily Yonder, “Several counties are expected to lose more than 10% of their population by 2050, according to a report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. Statewide, the Center reported that rural counties face a 5.8% decline over the next 25 years.”
The issue raises concerns, as rural residents over 65 could soon outnumber people under 20, leading to a strain on social resources and infrastructure. “The implications range from workforce shortages to declining property tax revenue, complications in caring for aging residents and more.”
The new Rural Population Revitalization Commission will create a toolkit to help communities address the issues brought on by population loss and bring in new residents. “Part of what the commission can help with is teaching rural places how to market themselves and show young people why they should consider moving there,” according to Kyle Kopko, the executive director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
FULL STORY: New State-Level Commission out of Pennsylvania Hones in on Rural Population Decline
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Commentary: How Remote Work Supports Rural Communities
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San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
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Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research