U.S. Growing Bigger, Older, and More Diverse
Within the next few years, the U.S. population is expected to reach twice its 1950 level of 151 million, and that trend will reshape the nation in coming decades. (April 2004)

The Toll on Rural Commuters in the U.S.
In 2000, about 30 percent of rural area residents in the United States commuted more than 30 minutes one way to work, and 4 percent commuted more than 90 minutes one way. (April 2004)

Slow Going for the Population in Rural America
New county population estimates show rapid growth in U.S. metro areas, and slow growth or population losses in much of small-town and rural America. (April 2004)

One in Five Children in Rural America Lives in Poverty
The child poverty rate in 1999 was 21 percent in rural areas of the United States and 16 percent in urban areas. New metropolitan area definitions from the federal government draw attention to the critical needs of children living in remote areas. (April 2004)

American Grandparent Responsibilities on the Rise
For a growing number of U.S. elderly, the golden years are beginning to resemble the old days in one important respect: caring for young children. Demographers even have a new phrase for the most dramatic examples of this child care trend, the ‘skipped- generation’ household, where a grandparent and grandchild reside with no parent present. (April 2004)

Housing and Commuting in U.S. Appalachia (PDF: 513KB)
During the past four decades, economic conditions have improved in many areas of Appalachia, But in other parts of the region, the lack of jobs, high poverty, and social and economic isolation have contributed to serious housing problems. (April 2004)

Government and Democracy, Politics and Science
The following excerpt is from the report “Politics and Science in Census Taking,” by Kenneth Prewitt, published by the Russell Sage Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau. (April 2004)

The Aging of Appalachia (PDF: 704KB)
Data from Census 2000 show how and why the age structure of the Appalachian population differs from the national average. The changing age structure of people living in Appalachia will be important to policymakers in coming years. (April 2004)

U.S. Counties by Metropolitan Area Status in 2003 (PDF: 864KB)
Since June 2003, the Census Bureau has tracked "micropolitan" statistical areas—areas identified as having an urban cluster of between 10,000 and 49,999 population, along with the traditional metropolitan areas—areas with an urban core of at least 50,000 residents. Together, metropolitan and micropolitan areas are known as "core-based statistical areas" (CBSAs). Counties not linked to urban clusters are termed "outside core-based statistical areas."

Emerging Patterns of Population Redistribution and Migration in Appalachia (PDF: 1.75MB)
This report examines patterns of migration within Appalachia, migration between Appalachia and the rest of the United States, and the educational levels of Appalachian counties as a result of these migration flows. (April 2005)