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Demography of Rural Aging

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Rural Aging in 21st Century America

Part of the book series: Understanding Population Trends and Processes ((UPTA,volume 7))

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Abstract

Population aging as a demographic phenomenon, not an individual one, is described in this chapter, in tandem with a description of the demographic characteristics of the rural elderly. Population aging occurs when the population of a place as a whole has fewer births while life expectancies in older ages increase. This process is exacerbated in rural places by the out-migration of rural youth and, in rural retirement areas, by the in-migration of elders. Aging in rural places presents special challenges first and foremost because greater distances between places result in a lower density of services and the associated strain of providing those services for the aged. However, older people can also be a boon to rural areas when they themselves become a source for economic or social development.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In demography, the terms immigration and emigration refer to movements in and out of countries. In-migration and out-migration refer to movements between areas at the sub-national level, i.e. regions, states, counties.

  2. 2.

    This changed somewhat in the 1990s, with some immigrants being drawn directly to nonmetro areas to work in agriculture, food processing, forestry and the retail services that supported immigrant populations. However, the main destination for immigrants continues to be metro areas. Immigration to rural places is further discussed in various chapters later in this volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322, USA

    E. Helen Berry

  2. Cooperative Extension, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA

    Annabel Kirschner

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  1. E. Helen Berry
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  2. Annabel Kirschner
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Correspondence to E. Helen Berry .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept of Development Sociology, Cornell University, Warren Hall 332, Ithaca, 14853-7801, USA

    Nina Glasgow

  2. , Department of Sociology, Utah State University, Old Main Hill 0730, Logan, 84322-0730, USA

    E. Helen Berry

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Berry, E.H., Kirschner, A. (2013). Demography of Rural Aging. In: Glasgow, N., Berry, E. (eds) Rural Aging in 21st Century America. Understanding Population Trends and Processes, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5567-3_2

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