Types of rural communities
Encyclopedia
Sociologists
have identified a number of different types of rural communities, which have arisen as a result of changing economic trends
within rural regions
of industrial nations.
The basic trend seems to be one in which communities are required to become entrepreneurial. Those that lack the sort of characteristics mentioned below, are forced to either seek out their niche or accept eventual economic defeat. These towns focus on marketing
and public relations
whilst bidding for business and government operations; such as, off-site data processing
or, perhaps, a factory
.
For instance; International Falls, Minnesota
markets itself as a site for sub-zero temperature experiments; Ottawa, Illinois
managed to attract three Japan
ese firms; Freeport, Maine has become a center for mail-order companies such as L. L. Bean
; and Mobile, Arizona
has become the home of a number of solid-waste landfills.
s, college
s, universities
, research laboratories, and corporate training facilities. These communities bring people away from other regions and thus bring new capital into the area.
Academic institutions, in rural areas, are very much like a factory
in that the economic success of the community depends upon the success of the institution. Unlike factories, academic institutions tend to primarily offer jobs in the medium-skilled to professional range.
Examples: Ames, Iowa
; Bath, Maine
; Plainfield, Vermont
;
allows rural residents to travel farther, in less time, for goods and services. This reduces the importance of the rural store, along with decreasing rural population (see: rural exodus
). As business relocate from impoverished communities, one town will become the trade center for its region, sometimes doing so by constructing a shopping mall
.
Generally, business in a trade-center town, except for those in competition with the mall, will benefit from the mall's presence as shoppers spill over. These trade centers will knock out businesses in, and thus impoverish
, nearby towns as shoppers converge on the town with the greatest variety of stores.
See: West Burlington, Iowa
; Wickenburg, Arizona
s or military base
s.
Centralized public administration focuses public-sector employment on a single community, assisting it over its neighbors. Benefits, for the government center, include improved public services, increased efficiency, and economic savings.
See: Lorton, Virginia
; Quantico, Virginia
. Travelers will then spend money on food, hotels, and the like, which brings capital into the town.
See: Deadwood, South Dakota
; Harper's Ferry, West Virginia;; Tombstone, Arizona
; St. Charles, Missouri; Pleasant Hill, Kentucky
; Intercourse, Pennsylvania
tend to house large numbers of elderly people. These retirees, bring pension
s, Social Security
, and savings which infuse the area with capital
. Rural hospital
s are increasingly unable to bring enough patients to support their operational budget, and retirement communities have developed, in some areas, as a means to solve this problem.
Elderly residents, who migrate from the cities, tend to have above average wealth, thus creating an income disparity between the migrant retirees and the local elderly.
See: Green Valley, Arizona
; Heritage Village, Connecticut
See also: demographic history of the United States
, rural sociology
, sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
have identified a number of different types of rural communities, which have arisen as a result of changing economic trends
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
within rural regions
Rural sociology
Rural sociology is a field of sociology associated with the study of social life in non-metropolitan areas. It is the scientific study of social arrangements and behaviour amongst people distanced from points of concentrated population or economic activity...
of industrial nations.
The basic trend seems to be one in which communities are required to become entrepreneurial. Those that lack the sort of characteristics mentioned below, are forced to either seek out their niche or accept eventual economic defeat. These towns focus on marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
whilst bidding for business and government operations; such as, off-site data processing
Data processing
Computer data processing is any process that a computer program does to enter data and summarise, analyse or otherwise convert data into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It involves recording, analysing, sorting, summarising, calculating, disseminating and...
or, perhaps, a factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
.
For instance; International Falls, Minnesota
International Falls, Minnesota
International Falls is a city in and the county seat of Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 6,424 at the 2010 census....
markets itself as a site for sub-zero temperature experiments; Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...
managed to attract three Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese firms; Freeport, Maine has become a center for mail-order companies such as L. L. Bean
L. L. Bean
L.L. Bean, Inc., branded as L.L.Bean, is a privately held mail-order, online and retail company based in Freeport, Maine, United States, specializing in clothing and outdoor recreation equipment...
; and Mobile, Arizona
Mobile, Arizona
Mobile is a community in Goodyear, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is situated about 35 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona, and has a population of less than 100. Mobile is also home to a number of solid-waste landfills. Lufthansa operates a private airport to the north of Mobile, used...
has become the home of a number of solid-waste landfills.
Academic Communities
Academic communities are those in which the primary employers are boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s, college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s, universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, research laboratories, and corporate training facilities. These communities bring people away from other regions and thus bring new capital into the area.
Academic institutions, in rural areas, are very much like a factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
in that the economic success of the community depends upon the success of the institution. Unlike factories, academic institutions tend to primarily offer jobs in the medium-skilled to professional range.
Examples: Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
; Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
; Plainfield, Vermont
Plainfield, Vermont
Plainfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,286 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainfield is located at ....
;
Area Trade-Centers
The automobileAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
allows rural residents to travel farther, in less time, for goods and services. This reduces the importance of the rural store, along with decreasing rural population (see: rural exodus
Rural exodus
Rural flight is a term used to describe the migratory patterns of peoples from rural areas into urban areas.In modern times, it often occurs in a region following the industrialization of agriculture when fewer people are needed to bring the same amount of agricultural output to market and related...
). As business relocate from impoverished communities, one town will become the trade center for its region, sometimes doing so by constructing a shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
.
Generally, business in a trade-center town, except for those in competition with the mall, will benefit from the mall's presence as shoppers spill over. These trade centers will knock out businesses in, and thus impoverish
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, nearby towns as shoppers converge on the town with the greatest variety of stores.
See: West Burlington, Iowa
West Burlington, Iowa
The City of West Burlington is in Des Moines County, Iowa, United States, adjacent to the City of Burlington located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 3,161...
; Wickenburg, Arizona
Wickenburg, Arizona
Wickenburg is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 6,423.-Geography:Wickenburg is located at ....
Government Centers
Rural regions are undergoing increasing government consolidation. This results in a small number of towns becoming centers of government activity, while the rest are devoid of government infrastructure. These centers include state and local capitals, and areas with prisonPrison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
s or military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
s.
Centralized public administration focuses public-sector employment on a single community, assisting it over its neighbors. Benefits, for the government center, include improved public services, increased efficiency, and economic savings.
See: Lorton, Virginia
Lorton, Virginia
Lorton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population is 27,709 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:...
; Quantico, Virginia
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
Recreation Communities
Recreation communities (tourist towns) define some local feature, usually a historic site or scenic vista, as a "natural resource" and market this to touristsTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Travelers will then spend money on food, hotels, and the like, which brings capital into the town.
See: Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...
; Harper's Ferry, West Virginia;; Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. From about 1877 to 1890, the town's mines produced USD $40 to $85 million...
; St. Charles, Missouri; Pleasant Hill, Kentucky
Pleasant Hill, Kentucky
Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, USA, is the site of a Shaker religious community that was active from 1805 to 1910. Following a preservationist effort that began in 1961, the site, now a National Historic Landmark, has become a popular tourist destination...
; Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Intercourse, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated village in Leacock Township, Lancaster County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, ten miles east of Lancaster on PA 340. As with the nearby towns of Bird-in-Hand, Blue Ball, and Paradise, Intercourse is a popular site for tourists because of its...
Retirement Communities
Retirement communitiesRetirement community
A retirement community, or active adult community, is a very broad, generic term that covers many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors - especially designed or geared for people who no longer work, or restricted to those over a certain age . It differs from a retirement home which is a...
tend to house large numbers of elderly people. These retirees, bring pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
s, Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
, and savings which infuse the area with capital
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. Rural hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s are increasingly unable to bring enough patients to support their operational budget, and retirement communities have developed, in some areas, as a means to solve this problem.
Elderly residents, who migrate from the cities, tend to have above average wealth, thus creating an income disparity between the migrant retirees and the local elderly.
See: Green Valley, Arizona
Green Valley, Arizona
Green Valley is a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 17,283 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Green Valley is located at ....
; Heritage Village, Connecticut
Heritage Village, Connecticut
Heritage Village is a census-designated place in the town of Southbury in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,435 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
See also: demographic history of the United States
Demographic history of the United States
This article is about the demographic history of the United States.-Historical population:-Age at marriage:1890: Men 26.1, Women 22.01900: Men 25.9, Women 21.91910: Men 25.1, Women 21.61920: Men 24.6, Women 21.21930: Men 24.3, Women 21.3...
, rural sociology
Rural sociology
Rural sociology is a field of sociology associated with the study of social life in non-metropolitan areas. It is the scientific study of social arrangements and behaviour amongst people distanced from points of concentrated population or economic activity...
, sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...