Rural America Is On The Verge Of Collapse

[The_Reader_David]

Population decline in rural zip codes mostly is a result of fewer people being needed to farm the same land, but also of people simply moving into town.  In Kansas our population has been steady over the past century or so, but all of our cities and large towns have been growing.  I'm not sure this is a sign of anything worth calling "collapse".

[GrouchoTex]

Interesting issue.

In my own town, just 25 years ago, the population was 36,846
It is 117,869 last check, 2018.

Some of it due to annexation, and some due to just flat-out growth.
We are just a Houston Suburb now, instead of being just good size town, away from the city.

My wife and I are older now, and we talk about going out farther, to a more rural environment, but one of our concerns as @sneakypete pointed out, is specialized medical care access.
Right now, I am 1 mile from a highway (90A) that splits off to Main street, Houston, Texas Medical Center.

No, I don't like this newer version of were we live now, but I do not know how far out I can go, and still feel comfortable that I can get some of the medical amenities that may be needed.

I do miss seeing stars at night......

[berdie]

Interesting issue.

In my own town, just 25 years ago, the population was 36,846
It is 117,869 last check, 2018.

Some of it due to annexation, and some due to just flat-out growth.
We are just a Houston Suburb now, instead of being just good size town, away from the city.

My wife and I are older now, and we talk about going out farther, to a more rural environment, but one of our concerns as @sneakypete pointed out, is specialized medical care access.
Right now, I am 1 mile from a highway (90A) that splits off to Main street, Houston, Texas Medical Center.

No, I don't like this newer version of were we live now, but I do not know how far out I can go, and still feel comfortable that I can get some of the medical amenities that may be needed.

I do miss seeing stars at night......

It is an interesting issue.

I'm still rural but urban spread is creeping up. And all that goes along with it.
At one time the "city fathers" discouraged any type of growth. Don't get me wrong...I miss the old days but kind of like the restaurants and stores.

And property prices have soared! I'm such an idiot for not buying a lot of property when I first moved here. It was dirt cheap. Oh well...I sold my cattle BEFORE the Atkinson diet.

I still have bright stars...but they are dimmed by the "new folks" that have put in street lights that they can buy from the electric co-op. Some of the magic is gone. I hate that.

[corbe]

   When I first moved here (New Braunfels, TX) in 92 the population was 23K and you could still see a lot of the stars at night.  Bought a 100yo small house for 50K a block from the Comal River.  Now we are the 2nd fastest growing city in the US (percentage wise) and are at 90K population.  My house is now worth 225K but there are very few stars on a clear night and the sirens all through the summer (Houstonians drowning) are a bit too much for me. 
   Contemplating going west to the Frio (Uvalde area) this Town/River is played out.

[corbe]

James McMurtry - State of The Union


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