Editing Types of rural communities

{{About|the sociological concept|the incorporated quasimunicipality|List of municipalities in New Brunswick#Rural communities}}
{{Multiple issues|{{globalize|reason=all examples are from the United States|date=December 2024}}}}
{{Rural society}}
[[Rural sociology|Rural Sociologists]] have identified a number of different '''types of rural communities''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America |url=https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/atlas-of-rural-and-small-town-america |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=www.ers.usda.gov |quote=The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America provides statistics by broad categories of socioeconomic factors: People, Jobs, County classifications, Income, and Veterans.}}</ref> which have arisen as a result of changing [[economics|economic trends]] within [[rural sociology|rural regions]] of [[industrialism|industrial]] nations.

The basic trend seems to be one in which communities are required to become entrepreneurial. Those that lack the sort of characteristics mentioned below, are forced to either seek out their niche or accept eventual economic defeat. These towns focus on [[marketing]] and [[public relations]] whilst bidding for business and government operations, such as [[Factory|factories]] or off-site [[data processing]].

For instance, [[International Falls, Minnesota]] markets itself as a site for sub-zero temperature experiments, [[Ottawa, Illinois]] has attracted three [[Japan]]ese firms, [[Freeport, Maine]] has become a center for [[mail-order]] companies such as [[L. L. Bean]], and [[Mobile, Arizona]] has become the home of a number of solid-waste [[landfill]]s.

==Academic communities==
The primary employers in an academic community are [[boarding school]]s, [[college]]s, [[University|universities]], [[research laboratories]], or [[Training and development|corporate training]] facilities. These academic institutions attract people from other regions, bringing new [[Financial capital|capital]] into the area.

Academic institutions in [[rural area]]s are very much like [[Factory|factories]] in that the economic success of the community depends upon the success of the institution. However, academic institutions primarily offer medium-skilled or professional jobs, while factories tend toward low-skilled work.

Examples: [[Ames, Iowa]]; [[Bath, Maine]]; [[Plainfield, Vermont]].

==Area Trade-Centers==
The [[automobile]] allows rural residents to travel farther, in less time, for goods and services. This, along with [[Rural exodus|decreasing rural population]], reduces the importance of the rural store. As businesses relocate from other communities, one town will become the trade center for its region, sometimes constructing a [[shopping mall]].

Generally, businesses in a trade-center town, except for those in competition with the mall, will benefit from the mall's presence as shoppers spill over. However, business in nearby towns will suffer as shoppers converge on the town with the greatest variety of stores.

Examples: [[West Burlington, Iowa]]; [[Wickenburg, Arizona]].

==Exurbs==
See: [[Commuter town]], [[Exurb]]

==Government centers==
Government in rural regions is becoming increasingly consolidated, so that a small number of towns are centers of government activity, while the rest are devoid of government infrastructure. These centers include state and local capitals, and areas with [[prison]]s or [[military base]]s.

Centralized public administration focuses public-sector employment on a single community, assisting it over its neighbors. Benefits for the government center include improved public services, increased efficiency, and economic savings.

Examples: [[Lorton, Virginia]]; [[Quantico, Virginia]].

==Recreation communities==
Recreation communities ("tourist towns") define some local feature, usually a historic site or scenic vista, as a "natural resource" and market this to [[tourism|tourists]]. Travelers will then spend money on food, hotels, and the like, which brings capital into the town.

Examples: [[Deadwood, South Dakota]]; [[Harper's Ferry, West Virginia]]; [[Tombstone, Arizona]]; [[St. Charles, Missouri]]; [[Pleasant Hill, Kentucky]]; [[Intercourse, Pennsylvania]].

==Retirement communities==
[[Retirement community|Retirement communities]] tend to house large numbers of elderly people who have left the workforce. These retirees bring [[pension]]s, [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]], and savings which infuse the area with capital. Many rural [[hospital]]s do not have enough patients to support their operational budgets, but those near retirement communities can make up for this by focusing on [[gerontology]].

Retirement communities often have [[income inequality]] between local residents and those who have migrated from cities.

Examples: [[Green Valley, Arizona]]; [[Heritage Village, Connecticut]].

See also: [[demographic history of the United States]], [[rural sociology]], [[sociology]]

==See also==
* [[Village]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060721104547/http://www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/page.asp?pID=6 UK Commission for Rural Communities - publications]
*[http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/drugfree/v1donner.htm Crime and Violence in Rural Communities]
*[http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/pubs/ USDA Rural Development - Publications]
*[http://www.marshall.edu/jrcp/ Journal of Rural Community Psychology]

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[[Category:Types of communities]]
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