The revival of rural areas in advanced economies: a review of some causes and consequences

Recent years have seen a substantial growth of population in the rural areas of the United States and Western Europe. This is explored with particular reference to census evidence relating to Great Britain. Two sets of explanations are examined. The first relates to the exercise of residential preferences unconstrained by job location, and it is notable that the retired and the otherwise non-employed have increased substantially in numbers over the past 15–20 years. The second explanation focuses on employment relocation. Much resource-based, tertiary and, especially, manufacturing employment has grown in non-metropolitan areas. British and European evidence shows the manufacturing shift to have been substantial and it is suggested that this, coupled with (pre-)retirement migration and associated multiplier developments, may explain much of the counter-urbanisation that we are witnessing. The paper briefly explores some consequence of these trends, relating to the duplication of infrastructure, pressure on rural land and housing, and social change.