Far more urban residents hold college degrees than do rural Americans – 32 percent vs 18.5 percent, says an article in USDA’s Amber Waves magazine. The urban-rural gap widened by 2 points since 2000, according to Census Bureau data. Rural Americans are slightly more likely to have a two-year associate’s degree than city dwellers, however – 9.2 percent vs 8.4 percent in town; that’s a reversal from the 2000 comparison, when urbanites led that category.
With wages higher in metropolitan areas, “many rural youth who leave their community for college do not return,” says Amber Waves. “The economic incentive to leave rural communities can be offset by family ties, natural amenities, or other perceived benefits to living in rural places. Also, several industries that depend heavily on a highly educated workforce, such as the education and health services sectors, are becoming major employers in many rural communities.”