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overview
According to Census 2000, racial and ethnic minorities now comprise 17
percent of nonmetro residents and are increasingly geographically dispersed
throughout the Nation. New and diverse residents can economically and
demographically revitalize nonmetropolitan areas, yet their presence may
signal changes in local economic structure and raise concerns about social
services and assimilation. Hence, minority population change involves
important public policy issues for nonmetropolitan areas.
ERS provides an overview of several critical demographic and economic
trends and characteristics of nonmetropolitan minority residents. We use
data from the annual March Supplement of the Current Population Survey
(CPS) and from the 1990 and 2000 censuses; as more data become available
from Census 2000, we will update this briefing room. (For methods, definitions,
and a list of data tables, see the appendix.)
contents
features
 New Patterns of Hispanic Settlement in Rural America—Since 1980, the nonmetro Hispanic population in the United States has doubled and is now the most rapidly growing demographic group in rural and small-town America. Many Hispanics in counties that have experienced rapid Hispanic growth are recent U.S. arrivals with relatively low education levels, weak English proficiency, and undocumented status. This ERS report compares socioeconomic indicators for Hispanics living in traditional and new rural destinations and documents the growing residential separation between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites during the 1990s, a period when Hispanic population dispersion increased significantly throughout nonmetro counties in all U.S. regions.
Progress
and Partnerships in a Dynamic Rural America—Many rural counties
with high concentrations of African-Americans are characterized
by a
greater degree of economic disadvantage than other rural counties, as
evidenced by high levels of poverty and unemployment and low levels
of
income and earnings. Economic development strategies call for unique
partnerships among public and private institutions to enhance economic
opportunities
for Blacks and other rural residents in a changing rural America. This
Amber Waves article highlights the socioeconomic characteristics of
rural
African-Americans and describes USDA’s partnership with the 1890
historically black land grant institutions.
Impacts of Hispanic Population Growth
on Rural Wages—The number of Hispanics in rural areas grew by
70 percent between 1990 and 2000. Is the rapid influx of large numbers
of Hispanics depressing local wages or are Hispanics filling a need for
labor that is not present in the receiving communities? This report examines
the impact of Hispanic population growth on rural wages during the 1990s
concluding that Hispanic population growth led to lower wages for at least
one segment of the rural population-workers with a high school degree
(skilled workers).
The Shifting Pattern of Black Migration
From and Into the Nonmetropolitan South, 1965-95—Between 1965
and 1995, migration of the Black population from the nonmetro (rural and
small town) South to places in the North and West declined greatly, shifting
instead mostly to the metro South. This movement, in turn, became offset
by migration of Blacks into (or back to) rural or small town districts
from the cities. Migration lowered the educational level of the nonmetro
Black population somewhat by a net loss of college graduates.
recommended readings
 Anatomy of Nonmetro High-Poverty Areas: Common in Plight, Distinctive in Nature—For the most part, nonmetro areas of high poverty are of long standing, with conditions stemming from a complex of social and economic factors. This Amber Waves article identifies a typology of high-poverty counties that reflect racial/ethnic and regional differences in major characteristics such as education, employment, family structure, incidence of disability, and language proficiency that are relevant to programs of poverty alleviation. Of the more than 400 nonmetro counties classified as high-poverty counties in 2000 (based on 1999 income), three-fourths reflect the low income of racial and ethnic minorities and are classified as Black, Native American, or Hispanic high-poverty counties. The remaining quarter of high-poverty counties are mostly located in the Southern Highlands, and the poor are predominantly non-Hispanic Whites. See also the chapter on high-poverty counties for more information and lists of these counties.
Racial/Ethnic Minorities in Rural Areas:
Progress and Stagnation, 1980-1990—Examines rural Black, Hispanic,
Native American, and Asian and Pacific Islander populations and their
economic well-being using data from the 1990 and 1980 censuses. Results
show minimal progress of minorities as measured by changes in occupation,
income, and poverty rates. However, the type and speed of progress was
quite different among minority groups and between men and women of the
same minority group.
Minorities Represent
Growing Share of Tomorrow's Work Force—Minorities constitute
an increasing proportion of the population, particularly among children
and younger working-age adults. Although the proportion of minorities
is lower in the rural population than in the urban population, specific
minority groups are so concentrated in some rural regions that programs
and policies affecting the current economic status of minorities are highly
relevant there.
Rural Conditions and Trends: Socioeconomic
Conditions, Special Issue on Rural Minorities—Provides a capsule
view of current socioeconomic conditions and trends in rural areas across
the country and a special look at the socioeconomic status of rural minorities.
See all recommended readings...
recommended data products
Changing America: Indicators
of Social and Economic Well-Being by Race and Hispanic Origin—This
chart book documents current differences in well-being by race and Hispanic
origin and describes how such differences have evolved over the past several
decades. Lotus worksheets
of the underlying chart data are also available. Topics covered include
population, education, labor markets, economic status, health, crime,
and housing and neighborhoods.
recent research developments
Rural America: Special Issue
on Welfare Reform—Features five articles on welfare reform that
take a look at the effects of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) during its first years. Covering
such topics as rural labor markets, employment of single mothers, female-headed
households, and State welfare and food stamp caseloads, the authors conclude
that the initial impacts of welfare reform were positive. Also in this
issue are updates presenting the latest data on hired farmworkers, Federal
funds in rural America, and child poverty.
related briefing rooms
- Farm labor
- Infrastructure and rural development
policy
- Measuring rurality
- Rural income, poverty, and
welfare
- Rural labor and education
- Rural population and migration
related links
Minority Links—Provides
demographic and economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau for African
Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Hispanic Americans, and Native
Americans.
Changing Faces Project—Assesses
prospects for migrants and their children arriving in rural America.
Rural Migration News—Summarizes
the most important immigration and integration developments affecting
residents of cities and towns in the agricultural areas of California
and rural areas throughout the United States.
See all related links...
maps and images gallery
Rural Gallery—Charts and maps depict information on rural indicators, including population and migration; labor and education; income, poverty, and welfare; housing; and industry.
Rural Indicators Map Machine—An
Internet-based mapping utility that provides a visualization of indicators
for rural areas available from ERS. Users can examine the data and get
information about the features on the map, move to different geographic
levels, and change data layers. For example, a user can select a State,
zoom into a specific county and display the data attributes of that county.
Tabular data for each of the indicators can also be accessed by data queries.
The results of the data queries can be viewed on the interactive map and
downloaded into a text file.
for more information, contact:
William Kandel
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: July 13,
2004
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