More people are finding work but job totals in rural America remain below pre-recession levels, says the USDA in “Rural America at a Glance,” an annual digest of the rural economy. “Rural areas continue to experience population loss, higher poverty rates, and lower educational attainment than urban areas,” says the report, after noting that “the pace of employment growth in rural areas increased in 2014.” Employment grew by 1 percent in the 12 months ending in June, but was 3 points lower than before the 2008-09 recession.
More than 46 million people live in rural areas, or roughly 15 percent of the U.S. population. The figure dropped by 116,000 between 2010-2014 — “the first period of overall decline on record for rural America as a whole,” says the USDA — while the urban population continues to grow.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement, “Today’s report reflects a rural America on the road to recovery.” The rural child-poverty rate has declined, some counties are gaining population and employment has risen. “These trends are promising,” said Vilsack.