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Abstract
Rural America is a diverse landscape ranging from
rapidly growing amenity rich communities to struggling
resource-based towns and villages. A key feature
is that rural population growth quickly tails off for
rural communities more distant from urban centers. A
long period of higher energy prices will put particular
pressures on exurban and more remote rural communities
that rely on urban commuting. The adverse effects
will also be felt in resource-based communities.
The combination of urban-centered rural growth and
higher energy costs suggests the following:
• More regional planning mechanisms are needed to
ensure rural areas participate in urban growth;
• The adverse effects of high energy costs in remote
rural communities will need special policy supports
including infrastructure investments and
planning for (remote) rural to urban in-migration;
• Higher energy costs and mortgage rates will put
pressures on exurban property values, leading to
local property tax shortfalls that may force state intervention.
Because past trends are likely unsustainable,
future infrastructure planning should be
based on realistic expectations of exurban growth;
• Higher energy costs will likely place strains on
overcommitted exurban households, requiring
workplace supports to ensure their financial viability.