Rural migration in the western states

Abstract

The rapid rural growth rate since 1970 in 14 western states (Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming) was stimulated by recreation, resource development, manufacturing, commuting, institutional employment, and retirement. The eight Rocky Mountain States had significantly greater rural growth than the six Great Plains States. Other factors correlated with in-migration are population growth during the 1960's, presence of an interstate highway, adjacency to a metropolitan area, high per capita income, high population density, and absence of rural farm population. The presence of a central city with a population of over 20,000 or of a military base does not appear to be significantly related to net in-migration. An overview of regional growth patterns and of the factors related to rural in-migration is included, followed by an examination of these factors for each of the counties that experienced high in-migration in the 14 states.