Rural America is booming, but the population growth that’s boosting local economies is also putting a strain on everything from schools to housing and roads.
The influx — which started during the pandemic — has continued even as COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. The latest government data released just last month points to a second year of increases in 2022 after years of declines.
The trend is sparking resentment as house prices in the top 10 rural counties that have seen the biggest population increases surging more than 40% over the past three years. Schools are overloaded and the shift is even impacting farmland prices.