Steps to Become a Welcoming Community

Just because some rural areas are declining does not mean that all areas are declining or are destined to decline. Rural population gains are often seen in high amenity counties that support both tourism and early retiree relocation and in counties that are located just beyond metropolitan borders. But those are not the only places where gains are being made. Rural areas across the nation are becoming more culturally diverse with “racial and ethnic minorities accounting for 83 percent of rural population growth between 2000 and 2010” (Johnson, 2012).