Population decline in rural areas across the US is being curbed by an influx of new immigrants, a new study shows. The study examined 2,767 nationwide rural areas, including 412 Texas communities, which had shown a population decline of 11% since 1990.
Center for American Progress senior analyst on immigration, Nicole Svajlenka, says that the study shows a decline in native-born adults of 19% combined with an immigrant growth of as much as 96%. 71% of the 412 Texas communities in the study had experienced a decline in population, which, she said, would have been worse but for immigrants who moved to those areas.
Svajlenka says that the communities are revitalized by immigrants, who also bolster local workforces, particularly in industries such as agriculture and meatpacking. They also help to ensure that doctor’s offices and schools remain open and even start their own restaurants and stores. Svajlenka adds that embracing new members of the community is to the benefit of those communities, despite concerns from some residents about increased competition for jobs and the loss of their traditional culture. She notes that Texas was already a state rich in immigrants, which may be why it suffered a bigger decline in rural areas, compared to national figures.
27% of the Texas rural communities featured in the study saw an increase in population, with a third (64) increasing their population exclusively because of immigration.