Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a dramatic trend has emerged where young adults aged 25 to 44 are relocating to small towns and rural areas at unprecedented rates. According to 2023 county population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, two-thirds of population growth since 2020 occurred in areas with fewer than 1 million residents. This shift is reversing a decades-long trend of migration towards large metropolitan areas, resulting in demographic revitalization of rural communities, even amidst companies pushing for a return to office work.
Perhaps the most striking statistic within the 2023 age estimates is the fact that since 2020, the country's small towns and rural areas have been attracting younger adults at the highest rate in nearly a century.
The migration of young adults from rural to urban areas caused communities to become increasingly unbalanced demographically.
Despite many companies mandating a return to the office, the migration of younger adults into these areas accelerated in 2023.
In stark contrast to the past decade, where 90% of this growth was concentrated in the largest metro areas, rural counties are now experiencing a revival.
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