essay on rural area life

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✍️Essay on Village Life: Samples in 150, 250 Words

Updated on
Nov 7, 2023

Essay on village life: In an era of technological advancement, village life offers you a much better lifestyle than any other place. People living in the countryside lead a simple life because they are more involved in activities like farming , pasture grazing, etc. The chirping of birds, mud houses, huts, fields, fresh air, etc is the reflection of village life. The simplicity in the environment of the village provides a welcoming environment .

People living in the village live in peace and harmony with each other. The real beauty or the origin of a city can be briefed through the environment of the village. Apart from all these, village life is much more economical as compared to urban life . This blog will provide sample essay on village life for students and children, you can refer to these essays for exams or essay writing competitions!

Table of Contents

1 Short Essay on Village Life
2 Essay on Village Life in 150 Words
3 Life in a Village 250 Words

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Short Essay on Village Life

Village life is a reflection of interdependency between the different communities. You can witness pure love and brotherhood among people. People living in rural areas are simple and lead a life following the traditional method of living without any modern amenities. The other side to its beauty is its difficulty.

Villages are devoid of the comfort and facilities that are available in urban society. There is no source of entertainment and people need to arrange things on their own. Facilities like proper sewage areas, toilets, electricity, etc are also not available in villages. In spite of all such difficulties, people adjust to live a peaceful life in villages.

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Essay on Village Life in 150 Words

With an increasing number of people in the world, pollution is also increasing. But you can lead a pollution-free life in the village. India is known for its rural life because the majority of the people are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.

People lead a very simple life in villages. The roles of men and women are well-defined there. Women are the homemakers and look after the household activities, whereas men in the village go out and do harvesting, sowing, and other agricultural activities to earn for the family.

Though their life is simple there are various difficulties like lack of amenities, electricity, water supply, nursing house, etc.

Authentic Indian culture can be witnessed through the lifestyle led by the villagers. One thing which is a major concern for village life is the lack of education.

Education is a basic human right and every individual in the country must get an education . The Government of India must take some steps and draft some policies to impart high-quality education to the people living in villages for the further development of the rural sector.

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Life in a Village 250 Words

Village life is the most beautiful representation of hard work. It is considered as the backbone of the Nation. Villagers, especially farmers give their sweat and blood for the agricultural produce to satisfy the domestic as well as international consumers. Despite all this, the villagers had to face many challenges as they were deprived of the technological advancements as well as the facilities available in the urban area.

If we compare village life vs. city life, the lack of amenities, technological advancements, and industrial inference in the villages tend to create a fresh and pollution-free environment. On the other hand city life is very polluted owing to industrialization , urbanization, and heavy population.

People in the village lead a healthy, peaceful, and happy life. If the government introduced some policies and raised funds for the development of the rural sector and provided them with some basic amenities like hospitals, nursing homes, proper sanitation systems, sewage systems, schools, electricity, etc. then the village life would be much more comfortable.

Talking about safety, the crime rates are lower in villages as compared to cities. Most of the people living in cities take some days off to spend their holidays in villages so that they can live in peace away from the chaos of city life. The honking of cars, pollution, traffic, work stress, etc is very stressful to deal with whereas in village life things are more simple and sorted because there is no chaos and people share a bond of brotherhood.

The major section in India is dependent on agriculture for livelihood so they live in villages. Agriculture is a tough job and living in villages is also quite a challenge but people in villages lead a peaceful and simple life.

Village life is simple and economical. Owing to less industrial pollution in villages, the village environment is full of fresh air to breathe. Children can play freely and people share the feeling of brotherhood neglecting the religious boundaries.

Away from the chaos of city lights and traffic, village life is just the opposite. It is calm and free of noise and pollution. People in the village lead a simple life and are mainly involved in the agriculture sector.

A village is a type of settlement for people in a rural area. Villages are smaller than cities. People in villages generally perform agricultural tasks and take care of the livestock. A maximum of 2500 inhabitants live in a village. People belonging to different religions, caste, or creed live here peacefully.

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Rural Living: Exploring Quality of Life Beyond Urban Centers

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Natural Connection and Reduced Stress

Community Relationships and Education

Employment challenges and landscape connection, conclusion: the rich tapestry of rural living.

Rural Living: Exploring Quality of Life Beyond Urban Centers. (2016, Apr 06). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/rural-vs-urban-life-essay

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Essay on City Life Vs Village Life for Students and Children

500+ words essay on city life vs village life.

Village life reflects the rural lifestyle and city life shows the urban lifestyle. Life in both rural and urban areas has its own plus points and problems. One is quite different from each other. Traditionally, India is a predominantly rural country as Mahatma Gandhi had said, “The real India lives in villages”. Though India is mainly a land of villages, there are many cities as well in the country. Life in these big cities is quite different from life in a village. Let us consider, in brief, life in a big city and point out some of its important advantages and disadvantages.

Comparison: City life Vs Village life

The facility of education.

In big cities, there are good arrangements for education. The big college even universities are available. There are also a very large number of school both government and private in the big city. These arrangements do not exist in small towns and villages.

Medical Facility

Cities also provide sufficient medical facilities. Almost in every city, there are good hospitals in which the poor get free medicines and treatment. Many qualified doctors are also there to serve the sick and the suffering. Indeed lack of such medical arrangement is the main drawback of villages.

Amusement and Recreation

Cities also provide many opportunities for amusement and recreation. In every city, there are a number of cinema houses and multiplexes, where we can enjoy with family. Also, a number of restaurants and hotels are available for better food of variety. There are also many parks and gardens where we can enjoy the best natural beauty. Villages are always lacking such facilities.

The Opportunity of Employment

The most important advantages of cities are the availability of huge opportunity for employment . They are centers of trade and commerce as well as offices of many multinational companies . Persons with different qualifications can easily find jobs to suit them. In villages, employment is available mostly in farming. Due to farming, only seasonal jobs are available to a large population in villages.

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Mixed Culture

Cities are having a variety of people from various cultures. But real India and its customs are highly visible in villages.

Natural Environment

It is fact villages are always natural due to be their self-creation by nature. On the other hand, most cities are manmade. Hence the natural environment of villages is their main attraction. In villages only we may have the charms of birds and flowers or the beauty of the day-dawn.

Pollution and Adulteration

City life is extremely unhealthy due to air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution . The people are not getting fresh air to breathe or the clear sky to enjoy the sunshine. Also, food in the cities is dirty, unhealthy and adulterated. The villages are very much away from such drawbacks.

Population and Other Issues

In city life is very costly. People have to live with a lot of pomp and show. A simple life as in the villages is almost impossible in the city. Besides, the cities are over-crowded and it is very hard for people to get suitable accommodation. People in the city do not have much sympathy with others even with neighbors. The sympathy and close interdependence which is marked in the village’s life is entirely lacking in the city.

Thus, life in villages and in cities presents two contrasting pictures. There are positive as well as negative aspects of both. Therefore it is up to the individual to make the most of it irrespective of the rural or urban setting that one lives in. I, myself, like to live in a village in the close vicinity of a modern city so that I can enjoy the pleasures both of the city and the village.

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What is the difference between urban and rural life?

As a travel writer, I often find myself exploring the differences between urban and rural areas. These two types of environments offer unique experiences and lifestyles, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this article, I will delve into the contrasts between urban and rural life, providing insights from my own observations and research.

Urban Life: Vibrant and Dynamic

Living in an urban area, such as a city, suburb, or town, offers a multitude of benefits. Urban areas are characterized by their extensive development and access to modern infrastructure and connectivity, including airports, ports, railways, housing, and roads. The high population density and abundance of human structures, such as houses, commercial buildings, and bridges, contribute to the fast-paced and vibrant atmosphere of urban life.

One of the main advantages of urban living is the wide range of employment opportunities available. Urban areas tend to have a diverse job market, with various industries, businesses, and organizations. This can translate to better career prospects and higher salaries for urban dwellers.

Urban areas also boast better access to public services, including healthcare, education, and transportation. There are usually more schools, universities, hospitals, and transportation networks in urban areas, making it easier for residents to access these essential services. Additionally, urban areas often offer a plethora of cultural activities, entertainment options, and recreational facilities, providing residents with a vibrant social life.

Rural Life: Serene and Close-Knit Communities

On the other hand, rural areas are characterized by their lower population density and limited development in terms of infrastructure. Living in a rural area often means being surrounded by nature, with picturesque landscapes, open spaces, and fresh air. Rural communities are often closely knit, with residents enjoying a sense of community and belonging.

One of the main advantages of rural living is the lower cost of living. Compared to urban areas, the cost of housing, utilities, and daily expenses tends to be lower in rural areas. This can lead to a more affordable lifestyle and financial stability for rural residents. Additionally, rural areas often have a slower pace of life and less stress compared to the hustle and bustle of urban areas.

However, rural communities also face challenges. Access to quality healthcare services can be limited, with fewer hospitals and medical professionals in rural areas. Public transportation options may be lackluster, making it harder for individuals without private vehicles to get around. Moreover, rural areas may have poor infrastructure, including roads and internet connectivity. Educational attainment can also be lower in rural areas due to limited access to schools and universities.

FAQs about Urban and Rural Life

1. Is it better to live in a city or in the countryside?

Both urban and rural living have their advantages and disadvantages. It ultimately depends on individual preferences and priorities. Urban areas offer more opportunities, access to services, and cultural activities, while rural areas provide a sense of community and closer connection to nature.

2. What are the main differences between urban and rural areas?

Urban areas have higher population densities, better access to infrastructure and amenities, and a greater variety of job opportunities. Rural areas, on the other hand, have lower population densities, a lower cost of living, and a stronger sense of community.

3. Is rural life healthier than urban life?

There are pros and cons to both rural and urban life when it comes to health. Rural areas may have lower pollution levels and a slower-paced lifestyle, which can contribute to better overall health. However, rural areas often lack access to quality healthcare services, which can be a disadvantage.

4. Why do people choose to live in rural areas?

Some people choose to live in rural areas to enjoy a slower pace of life, closer proximity to nature, and a stronger sense of community. Others appreciate the lower cost of living and the opportunity to have more space and privacy.

5. Are urban areas safer than rural areas?

Crime rates can vary between urban and rural areas, but it is not accurate to generalize that urban areas are less safe. While urban areas may have higher crime rates due to a larger population, rural areas may experience lower rates of certain types of crimes. Safety can vary depending on specific locations and circumstances.

6. What challenges do rural areas face?

Rural communities often face challenges such as limited access to healthcare, fewer job opportunities, inadequate infrastructure, and lower educational attainment. These factors can contribute to disparities in quality of life between rural and urban areas.

7. Can you have the best of both worlds?

Yes, it is possible to experience the best of both urban and rural life. Some people choose to live in suburban areas, which offer the convenience and amenities of urban areas while still providing a quieter and more spacious environment. Additionally, individuals can choose to work in urban areas while living in rural areas, enjoying the benefits of both lifestyles.

8. How can travelers experience both urban and rural environments?

Travelers can plan their trips to incorporate both urban and rural destinations. They can explore vibrant cities, visit cultural landmarks, and experience the energy of urban life. At the same time, they can venture into rural areas, hike through scenic landscapes, and immerse themselves in the tranquility of nature. This way, they can gain a deeper understanding of the differences and similarities between urban and rural life.

In conclusion, urban and rural areas offer distinct lifestyles and experiences. Urban areas boast advanced infrastructure, employment opportunities, and access to services, while rural areas provide a sense of community, lower cost of living, and closeness to nature. Each has its own advantages and challenges, and the choice between the two depends on individual preferences and priorities. Whether one prefers the fast-paced vibrancy of urban life or the serene tranquility of rural living, both environments have their own charm and allure. So, why not embrace the best of both worlds and explore the contrasts between urban and rural life?

About The Author

Kelli Wheeler

Urban Versus Rural Areas: Compare and Contrast

Introduction, comparison of life in urban and rural areas, reference list.

There has been series of questions on the quality of having a superior or more favourable living condition or position between the rural and urban existence. However, High social status is the most important cardinal concern in the relation based on similarities and differences between rural versus urban course of human events and activities.

Despite the statement of facts and reasons used to support whichever locality as conducive and a better place to reside. Although, having qualities or abilities that merit recognition in some way there is comparison between the similarity and difference of both the urban and rural existence, and of great significance or value are the aspects of choosing or selecting the most suitable locality, noticeable heterogeneity, the state of being free of physical or psychological disease, illness, or malfunction, and the state of being employed or having a job manipulates both aspects of the comparison and even though, there is a mutual great advantages of living condition in both the rural and urban area, moreover, they both have an apparent same quantity, value, or measured amount of negative aspects.

In general, both the rural and urban areas are similar in status with respect to the relations between people or groups relations but hold opposing views in the issues of choice and multiplicity.

Consequently, the life in urban areas has quite a number of optimistic in addition to the pessimistic issues which provide a particular quality or character of the standard of living.

In spite of this, the life in the urban area creates avenue for diversity and choice compared to that of the rural area, for the fact that in the urban area there is wider choice variety on the standard of living and opportunities to explore from various options open to people.

For example, in the urban area, there is various choice of food which could show the way to general better health because of the assortment in diet.

In addition, the inhabitants of the urban areas benefit from the favourable possibility due to a combination of circumstances of accommodating various cultural or social events because of the diversity of choice compared to their rural counterparts. Consequently, they are more civilized and exposed to different culture and ethnicity within ethnic group.

In spite of this, there are various and wide choice of educational institutions, both in the private and public school district in the urban area compared to the rural area and this tend to or result in the possibility of an enhanced schooling.

Moreover, it is worthwhile noting that there is choice of employment alternative prospect due to the large number of businesses or establishments in the urban areas than the rural areas (Kottak, 2006, p.37). Besides this, the urban dwellers have more improved and equipped health care sectors and there is easy access to them compared to the rural dwellers.

Accordingly, human creativity Shine intensely in the urban areas more than the rural area (Hall, 1998, p.15). For a span of 1000 years, the urban areas have been the place where some particular activity is concentrated and the choice of business-related, technological progress, social relationships involving authority or power and ethnical life, thereby inducing into action by using its charm upon the whole country and areas.

The incontrovertible and advancement in severity characteristic to be considered of urban area compelling recognition by economic expert and historiographers contrast with the negative situation and the effect that it has on people and public health. Partly this evolves from a latent or potential state from the iconic point located with respect to surface features of the urban region on the ground that makes the urban area comprehensible by describing the relevant structure, operation or circumstances of poor health.

Research was conducted in Canada and showed that, “populations in the rural showed poorer health than the others in urban, both in general health gauges (i.e. infant mortality, standardized mortality, life expectancy at birth) and also in factors like motor vehicle accidents, being overweight not withstanding” (Mollenkopf, 2005, p.65). Less dependence on vehicles in urban areas may possibly be the consequence of as well as greater importance on walking. However, there are a several drawbacks to living in urban also.

Determining how urbanization affects poverty is essential and coloured by the reality that about one third of the people living in urban areas reside in slums (Sclar et al, 2005, p.901). These impoverished areas are typified by the poor physical and mental health conditions of their inhabitants and by inadequate services. Although some gains have been made on the public health front in urban areas, the benefits are clearly not universal, with urban slums matching some rural mortality and morbidity rates (Sclar et al, 2005, p.902).

However, as cities make good on their promise of better socioeconomic conditions, they can contribute to a downturn in the epidemic. Today, cities generally account for a much larger share of national economic production and have much greater potential than rural areas for reducing poverty and fulfilling aspirations (UNFPA, 2007)

In addition, the absence of daily stress experienced in cities from peripheral factors is a vital issue ((Mollenkopf, 2005, p.70). In as much as the rural area has minimal number of grocery stores and recreation centres, most people in the rural areas have vast lands which are of immense importance and usage. Urban areas theoretically offer more opportunities to deal with a changing population composition, but these would have to be materialized, in the practice, through better policies on a wide front.

Increases in the proportion of the rural population composed of older people have raised concerns about their wellbeing. On the one hand, rural dwellers in developing countries tend to be more vulnerable than the urban counterpart because of their higher incidence of poverty, greater transportation problems, and lack of access to social services and infrastructure (Montgomery, McGranahan, and Martine, 2008, p.262).

Living in rural areas however has its negative aspects too. Unlike urban areas, residents in the rural areas have no vast opportunities of choosing from different employment opportunities for they are not as many in the rural areas as they are in the urban setting. In other words, if there is any statement to be made, rural living has the best worth of life. There is a better ability of hooking up with people and the landscape. Although, the living standard of both the urban and rural area is comparable because they both entails an elevated level of adoption of the behaviour patterns of the surrounding culture. The inky difference is when it comes to the accessibility of choices and diversity, in particular when fundamental factors (healthcare, education, and employment options) are concerned.

Hall, P . (1998). Cities in Civilization – Culture, Innovation, and Urban Order. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.

Kottak, C., P. (2006). Anthropology : the exploration of human diversity. Columbus, OH: McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Mollenkopf, H. (2005). Enhancing mobility in later life. Amsterdam, The Netherland: IOS Press.

Montgomery, M., McGranahan, G., and Martine, G. (2008). The new global frontier: urbanization, poverty and environment in the 21st century. London: IIED.

Scalar, E. D., Garau, P. and Carolini, G. (2005). ‘The 21st century health challenge of slums and cities’ , The Lancet. 365, no 9462. 901-902.

UNFPA (2007). The State of the World’s Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth. New York, NY: UNFPA.

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Rural-Urban Migration, Its Causes and Effects Essay

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Introduction

The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas has been a concern focused on by many studies. According to the United Nations report, almost 50% of the total world population lives in urban areas, and the figure is expected to increase by 10% by the year 2030. This is an indication of the massive movement of people from rural areas to big cities. Rural to urban migration is higher in developing countries as compared to the developed nations. In Nigeria, a developing country, the population in cities is projected to rise from 1.9 billion to 3.9 billion between 2009 and 2030 (Ajaero & Onokala, 2013). This paper explains the causes and the impacts of migration of population from rural areas to large cities. Although the reasons for rural-urban migration vary from one country to another, the causes and effects are similar.

The factors responsible for the movement of people from rural areas to large cities are characterized by either a push or a pull. People are mostly pulled to the areas with positive characteristics and pushed from those with undesirable conditions. Rural to urban migration usually occurs as people look for perceived or actual opportunities that are missing in rural settings but present in large cities. Additionally, the migration takes place as people living in rural areas escape the hostile or unfavorable living conditions. Most urban centers have the majority of wealth, economic activities, and different services as compared to rural areas (Okhankhuele & Opafunso, 2013). On the other hand, rural areas have continuously experienced neglect and degraded environment. Most of the government policies favor the development of urban areas by deliberately and constantly creating more employment and academic opportunities, healthcare facilities, transport systems, among other infrastructural amenities in the urban areas than rural parts (Ali, Shafi, Rehman, & Jadoon, 2015). As a result, the imbalance of quality of life and development between the two areas occurs, consequently increasing the rural to urban migration.

People may decide to migrate from rural to urban areas due to disrupted economy, for instance, as a result of natural disasters like floods, drought, earthquakes, soil infertility, and misfortunes such as war family/community disputes among others. According to Isaac and Raqib (2013), most of the rural-urban migration in Ghana is due to the search for employment opportunities, which are normally concentrated in the major cities. Most of the Ghanians attribute such as migration to economic purposes. The migrants, most of whom are men, are frustrated by the limited resources for livelihood in rural areas, and the scarcity compels them to look for greener pastures in large cities so that they can get enough to take care of their families. Other migrants cite harsh environmental factors as reasons for their movement from rural areas to cities. Farming, the major economic activity in most rural areas, is adversely affected by the harsh environmental conditions such as infertile soil and inadequate rain for farming. Besides, farming faces other challenges such as limited lands, high fertilizer costs, and low crop prices. All such factors negatively affect agricultural production and profitability. As a result, the youth have continued to lose interest in farming and perceive the agricultural lifestyle as a low-status career. Therefore, they move to large cities to look for seemingly more promising jobs.

Rural to urban migration affects the conditions of the rural areas as well as those in large cities where the migrants settle after moving from their original homes. First, the population of the countryside reduces significantly, and as a result, the agricultural production and development in the regions are adversely affected (Bimerew, 2015). As the youthful move to cities to look for better livelihood, the fascinating social life in the rural areas is replaced by a gloomy condition. The youthful people have energy and vitality, and their movement leaves behind weak, aging parents and young children to carry out farming activities. As a result, the agricultural output reduces, consequently leading to decreased country’s gross domestic product as well as minimal rural income, development funds, and standard of living (Jahan, 2012).

The rural development stagnates, and the areas lack vital social amenities. For instance, the Nigerian rural areas do not have social facilities like proper roads for motor vehicle transport, industries, pipe-borne water, and electricity, as well as well-paying jobs due to increased movement of people to cities. These inadequacies have seen the Nigerian rural areas undergo a vicious poverty cycle. The majority of the educated and strong people desert rural areas, leaving behind the illiterate population in the countryside who are unable to fight poverty effectively. As a result, the standards of living in rural and large cities differ significantly, the latter being better places to live in.

The movement of people from rural regions to major cities has various consequences on the basic facilities in urban areas. Cities become overcrowded, congested, and experience high food costs, a strain on social services, as well as aggravating air and water-borne diseases. The unplanned expansion of cities also leads to the inadequate supply of social amenities such as housing, transport infrastructures, electricity, and water, as well as sewerage system issues (Isaac & Raqib, 2013). The increase in the squatter settlement in cities is perhaps the most remarkable impact of rural-urban migration. The huge increase in city population as a result of the movement has made it difficult for the urban authorities to keep records of the details of the people living in the areas properly.

Attributable to the absence of proper records, the control of some criminal activities such as robbery, theft, murder, among others, becomes a complicated affair in some of the large cities (Okhankhuele & Opafunso, 2013). Besides, the farmers surrounding the expanding cities are displaced as a result of the unplanned growth of the urban areas. Consequently, the agricultural production continues to decline and the displaced people may resort to relocating to urban areas, where job opportunities are already limited, in search of better livelihood. The majority of the people who move from urban to rural areas get jobs in informal sectors, which eventually become congested, resulting in reduced productivity and minimal opportunities for eradicating poverty. Most of the new workers in the cities tend to start up their businesses for employment, and this has made self-employment in urban areas account for 71%, 63%, 61%, and 59% of the entire informal employment in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Latin America, and Asia respectively.

Although the migration of people is a global phenomenon, more rural populations in the developing countries move to cities as compared to the developed nations. The migration is triggered by factors that push these people away from rural areas or opportunities and amenities in the urban regions that are not present in the countryside. Although this shift of population leads to increased self-employment in the cities, other negative impacts such as congestion, increased unemployment levels, poor drainage systems, and crime among others are caused by the scenario in urban areas. Additionally, rural areas experience low agricultural output, stagnated development, and a huge aging/weak population.

Ajaero, C. K., & Onokala, P. C. (2013). The effects of rural-urban migration on rural communities of southeastern Nigeria. International Journal of Population Research , 2 (13) , 1-11.

Ali, H., Shafi, M., Rehman, M., & Jadoon, M. (2015). Causes and effects of rural-urban migration in rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. Arts and Social Sciences Journal, 6 (5), 1-6.

Bimerew, H. (2015). Rural-urban migration and its consequence on urban living: The case in Hawassa city Southern Ethiopia. Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research , 15 (4), 60-75.

Isaac, A., & Raqib, A. S. (2013). Rural-urban migration and rural community development: A case of Kpongu community of Upper West Region of Ghana. African Journal of History and Culture , 5 (4), 72.

Jahan, M. (2012). Impact of rural urban migration on physical and social environment: The case of Dhaka city. International Journal of Development and Sustainability , 1 (2), 186-194.

Okhankhuele, O. T., & Opafunso, O. Z. (2013). Causes and consequences of rural-urban migration Nigeria: A Case study of Ogun Waterside local government area of Ogun State, Nigeria. British Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 16 (1), 185-194.

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IvyPanda. (2020, November 8). Rural-Urban Migration, Its Causes and Effects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/rural-urban-migration-its-causes-and-effects/

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1. IvyPanda . "Rural-Urban Migration, Its Causes and Effects." November 8, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/rural-urban-migration-its-causes-and-effects/.

Bibliography

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14.4 Problems of Rural Life

Learning objectives.

List three positive aspects of rural life in the United States.
Describe two problems of rural life in the United States.

Rural areas can be beautiful and relaxing, but they also must confront important challenges. These problems include a lack of public transportation, human services, and medical professionals and facilities.

Marina del Castell – Rural life – CC BY 2.0.

About one-fourth of the US population and more than 40 percent of the world population live in rural areas. As the previous section demonstrated, a dual view of cities exists: they have many advantages, but they also have many disadvantages. This dual view also applies to rural areas, but it does so in a sort of mirror image: The advantages of cities are often disadvantages for rural areas, and the disadvantages of cities are often advantages for rural areas.

On the positive side, and focusing on the United States, rural areas feature much more open space and less crowding. Their violent and property crime rates are much lower than those in large cities, as we have seen. The air is cleaner because there is less traffic and fewer factories and other facilities that emit pollution. Life in rural areas is thought to be slower paced, resulting in lower levels of anxiety and a greater sense of relaxation. For these and other reasons, rural residents exhibit better mental health on the average than do urban residents.

On the negative side, rural areas are often poor and lack the services, employment opportunities, and leisure activities that cities have. Teens often complain of boredom, and drug and alcohol use can be high (Johnson et al., 2008). Public transportation is often lacking, making it difficult for people without motor vehicles, who tend to have low incomes, to get to workplaces, stores, and other venues (Brown, 2008). Rural residents with motor vehicles often must still travel long distances to shop, to visit a doctor, to go to work, and to do any number of other activities. Many rural areas in the United States lack high-speed broadband, a necessity in today’s economy. As a result, their economic development is impaired (Whitacre, 2010). All these challenges contribute to special problems in rural areas. We now examine some of these problems.

Rural Health

As Chapter 13 “Health and Health Care” noted, rural areas often lack sufficient numbers of health care professionals, hospitals, and medical clinics. The National Rural Health Association (2012) points out that although one-fourth of the US population is rural, only one-tenth of physicians practice in rural areas. Urban areas have 134 physician specialists for every 100,000 residents, but rural areas have less than one-third this number.

Compounding these shortages are other problems. The first is that the small hospitals typical of rural areas generally lack high-quality care and equipment. A patient who needs heart bypass surgery, brain surgery, or other types of complex medical care is likely to have travel to an urban hospital far away.

The second problem is the long distances that ambulances and patients must travel. Because ambulances and other emergency vehicles must travel so far, rural residents with emergencies receive medical attention more slowly than their urban counterparts. The long distances that people must travel make it more difficult for patients with health problems to receive medical care. For example, a rural cancer patient who needs chemotherapy or radiation might have to travel two to three hours in each direction to receive treatment. Travel distances in rural areas also mean that rural residents are less likely than urban residents to receive preventive services such as physical examinations; screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer; and vaccinations for various illnesses and diseases.

In yet another problem, rural areas are also much more likely than urban areas to lack mental health care, drug abuse counseling and programs, and other services related to physical and mental health.

For all these reasons, rural residents are more at risk than urban residents for certain health problems, including mortality. For example, only one-third of all motor vehicle accidents happen in rural areas, but two-thirds of all deaths from such accidents occur in rural areas. These problems help explain why rural residents are more likely than urban residents to report being in only fair or poor health in government surveys (Bennett, Olatosi, & Probst, 2009).

An additional health problem in rural areas arises from the age profile of their populations. Compared to urban areas, rural areas have an “aging population,” or a greater percentage of adults aged 65 and older. This fact adds to the health-care problems that rural areas must address.

Rural Schools and Education

The discussion of education in Chapter 11 “Schools and Education” focused mostly on urban schools. Many of the problems discussed there also apply to rural schools. However, rural schools often face hurdles that urban and suburban schools are much less likely to encounter (Center for Rural Policy and Development, 2009).

First, because rural areas have been losing population, they have been experiencing declining school enrollment and school closings. When a school does close, teachers and other school employees have lost their jobs, and students have to rather suddenly attend a new school that is usually farther from their home than their former school.

Second, rural populations are generally older than urban populations, as mentioned earlier, and have a greater percentage of retired adults. Therefore, rural areas’ per-capita income and sales tax revenue are lower than that for urban and suburban areas, and this lower revenue makes the funding of public schools more challenging.

Third, rural families live relatively far from the public schools, and the schools are relatively far from each other. As a result, rural school districts have considerable expenses for transporting children to and from school, after-school athletic events, and other activities.

Finally, it is often difficult to recruit and retain quality teachers in rural areas. This problem has forced some rural school districts to offer hiring bonuses or housing assistance to staff their schools.

Rural Poverty

Although many US cities have high poverty rates, the poverty rate is actually somewhat higher overall in rural areas than in urban areas. In 2010, 16.5 percent of rural residents were classified as officially poor, compared to 14.9 percent of urban residents. However, the poverty rate in the nation’s largest cities was higher yet at 19.7 percent. The number of poor rural residents was almost 8 million, while the number of poor urban residents (reflecting the fact that most Americans live in urban areas) was almost 36 million (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, & Smith, 2011).

Rural poverty is thought to be more persistent than urban poverty because of the factors that contribute to its high rate. These factors include the out-migration of young, highly skilled workers; the lack of industrial jobs that typically have been higher paying than agricultural jobs; and limited opportunities for the high-paying jobs of the information age. Biotech companies, electronics companies, and other symbols of the information age are hardly ever found in the nation’s rural areas. Instead, they locate themselves in or near urban areas, in which are found the universities, masses of people, and other necessary aspects these companies need to succeed.

Compounding the general problem of poverty, rural areas are also more likely than nonrural areas to lack human services programs to help the poor, disabled, elderly, and other people in need of aid (National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, 2011). Because rural towns are so small, they often cannot afford services such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and Meals on Wheels, and thus must rely on services located in other towns. Yet rural towns are often far from each other, making it difficult and expensive for rural residents to obtain the services they need. For example, a Meals on Wheels program in an urban area may travel just a few miles and serve dozens of people, while it may have to travel more than one hundred miles in a rural area and serve only a few people. Adding to this problem is the strong sense in many rural areas that individuals should be strong enough to fend for themselves and not accept government help. Even when services are available, some people who need them decline to take advantage of them because of pride and shame.

Domestic Violence

One of the sad facts of rural life is domestic violence. This form of violence is certainly common in urban areas, but the defining feature of rural areas—a relatively low number of people living in a relatively broad area—creates several problems for victims of domestic violence, most of them women (DeKeseredy & Schwartz, 2009).

For example, these women often find it difficult to get help and/or to leave their abusers wherever they live. However, it is often even more difficult for rural women to do so. Rural police may be unenlightened about domestic violence and may even know the abuser; for either reason, they may not consider his violence a crime, and abused women may be that much more reluctant to tell the police about their abuse.

Another problem concerns the availability of battered women’s shelters, which provide invaluable services for abused women and any children they might have. These shelters tend to be found in cities, which still do not have nearly enough shelters. Rural areas generally lack shelters, and any shelters that exist are often long distances from the homes of abused women. In rural areas, abused women are also more likely than their urban counterparts to lack neighbors and friends to whom they can turn for support, or at least to live farther from these individuals. For all these reasons, rural women who experience domestic violence face a problem that has been called “dangerous exits” (DeKeseredy & Schwartz, 2009).

Key Takeaways

Like cities, rural areas also have their advantages and disadvantages. They can be beautiful, relaxing places in which to live, but they also lack many of the cultural advantages and other amenities that cities feature.
Rural areas are characterized by sparse populations and long distances that people must travel. These conditions make it difficult to provide adequate public transportation and various kinds of human services. The poverty of many rural areas aggravates these problems.

For Your Review

If you had your choice, would you want to live in a large city, medium-sized city, small town, or rural area? Explain your answer.
Americans often seem to blame city residents for many of the problems affecting US cities today, including low academic achievement, rundown conditions in city schools, and crime in the streets. Do you think it is fair to blame city residents for these problems, or are there other reasons for them? Explain your answer.

Bennett, K. J., Olatosi, B., & Probst, J. C. (2009). Health disparities: A rural-urban chartbook . Columbia, SC: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center.

Brown, D. M. (2008). Public transportation on the move in rural America . Washington, DC: Economic Research Service.

Center for Rural Policy and Development. (2009). A region apart: A look at challenges and strategies for rural K–12 schools . Saint Peter, MN: Center for Rural Policy and Development.

DeKeseredy, W. S., & Schwartz, M. D. (2009). Dangerous exits: Escaping abusive relationships in rural America . New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

DeNavas-Walt, C., Proctor, B. D., & Smith, J. C. (2011). Income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States: 2010 (Current Population Reports, P60–239). Washington, DC: US Census Bureau.

Johnson, A. O., Mink, M. D., Harun, N., Moore, C. G., Martin, A. B., & Bennett, K. J. (2008). Violence and drug use in rural teens: National prevalence estimates from the 2003 youth risk behavior survey. Journal of School Health, 78 (10), 554–561.

National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. (2011). The 2011 report to the secretary: Rural health and human services issues . Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services.

National Rural Health Association. (2012). What’s different about rural health care? Retrieved from http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/left/about-rural-health .

Whitacre, B. E. (2010). The diffusion of Internet technologies to rural communities: A portrait of broadband supply and demand. American Behavioral Scientist, 53 , 1283–1303.

Essay on Development of Rural Areas

Students are often asked to write an essay on Development of Rural Areas in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Development of Rural Areas

Introduction.

Rural areas are essential parts of a country’s landscape, often home to agriculture, forestry, and traditional industries. However, they can lack development compared to urban areas.

Importance of Rural Development

Rural development is vital for a balanced and inclusive growth. It improves living standards and reduces poverty. It also ensures food security by boosting agriculture.

Ways to Develop Rural Areas

Rural areas can be developed through education, healthcare facilities, infrastructure, and technology. Providing quality education and healthcare can improve the quality of life.

In conclusion, rural development is crucial for a country’s overall progress. It brings prosperity and reduces inequalities.

250 Words Essay on Development of Rural Areas

The need for rural development.

Rural areas, home to a significant portion of the world’s population, often lag in terms of infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. This urban-rural divide can lead to social inequity, economic disparity, and political instability. Hence, rural development is a pressing necessity.

Strategies for Rural Development

The development of rural areas should be multi-dimensional, encompassing various sectors. Firstly, infrastructure development is crucial. This includes building roads, providing electricity, and improving water supply. Secondly, the agricultural sector should be modernized and diversified to increase productivity and income.

Education and Healthcare

Education and healthcare are two pillars for the development of any society. Rural areas often lack quality educational institutions and healthcare facilities. Investment in these sectors can lead to a healthier and more educated rural populace, thus fostering development.

Economic Opportunities

Creating economic opportunities is another significant aspect of rural development. This can be achieved through promoting small-scale industries, agro-based enterprises, and providing vocational training to the rural workforce.

In conclusion, rural development is a complex, multifaceted process that requires a comprehensive and integrated approach. It is not just about economic growth, but also about enhancing the quality of life for rural inhabitants. Therefore, it is essential for the inclusive and balanced growth of a country.

500 Words Essay on Development of Rural Areas

Rural areas often lag behind urban centers in terms of infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. This disparity can lead to a host of issues, including poverty, migration, and social unrest. Therefore, rural development is necessary to ensure balanced growth, social equity, and stability.

Key Aspects of Rural Development

Rural development is a holistic process and involves multiple dimensions. It is not solely about economic progress but also encompasses social, cultural, and environmental aspects.

Economic Development

Social development.

Social development aims at improving the quality of life in rural areas. It involves enhancing education and healthcare facilities, providing clean drinking water and sanitation, and ensuring access to electricity and good quality housing. Empowering women and marginalized sections of society is also a crucial aspect of social development.

Environmental Sustainability

Rural development should also focus on environmental sustainability. It involves promoting sustainable farming practices, conservation of natural resources, and use of renewable energy sources. This not only protects the environment but also ensures the long-term viability of rural economies.

Challenges in Rural Development

Rural development is a complex and multidimensional process. It requires coordinated efforts from the government, non-governmental organizations, and the rural community. While significant progress has been made in several areas, much work remains to be done. The aim should be to create self-reliant and sustainable rural communities that can contribute effectively to the overall growth and prosperity of the nation.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Rural and urban areas: comparing lives using rural/urban classifications

Published: 01 June 2011
Volume 43 , pages 11–86, ( 2011 )

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Tim Pateman 1

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Most people have a clear impression of what the cities, towns and countryside look like in the UK, both physically and in terms of the lives of the people who live there. This article compares rural and urban areas statistically for themes such as working, earnings, services and population, using geographical classifications.

There is quantitative evidence that rural areas are better off than urban areas on a number of different measures, such as unemployment and crime, but there are substantial differences within both rural and urban areas. In a few respects rural areas are worse off. Analysis indicates that house prices are less affordable to local workers in rural areas than urban areas and the costs, travel time and carbon emissions resulting from transport tend to be higher in rural areas.

Using classifications that show sparse areas of England, some topics, such as incomes and qualifications, show ‘two countrysides’ – a better off, less sparse and more accessible one, and a less populous and isolated sparse countryside. Patterns within urban areas often differ, with the most urban areas of England frequently showing different trends from those in other places, and the widest variations.

This article shows that while no single rural/urban classification can be used for all geographies, using such a product helps to better understand the differing characteristics of rural and urban areas in a consistent, transparent way. This article will be of interest to those who wish to explore local authority or small area datasets, covering countries within the UK, for rural/urban differences, as well as those who wish to develop a greater understanding of rural/urban differences in general. It will also be of interest to those involved in local policy development and the allocation of resources within areas, as well as academics, journalists, researchers and members of the public with an interest in the classification and characteristics of rural and urban areas.

50-year Deprivation Trajectories: Local Area Change in England and Wales, 1971–2021

Beyond the census: a spatial analysis of health and deprivation in england.

Deprivation in England, 1971–2020

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

Despite the continued spread of our towns and cities, the UK geographic landscape is still predominantly rural. Whichever classification is used, for all four countries in the UK, less than one-third of the land area is classified as urban. However, at least 60 per cent of the population is concentrated in these smaller urban areas.

The topographic differences between town and country might be expected to lead to very different experiences for their residents. Transport and access to services are the most obvious areas for study, and this article looks at these as well as population structures, education, health and the physical environment. Although the article does not look at change over time and the recent recession, there is an emphasis on household finances and working lives.

The rural/urban classifications established for different nations and geographies within the UK present excellent opportunities to examine all these themes. The aim of this paper is to apply seven recognised classifications to a variety of datasets to determine if differences and patterns exist in UK life according to how rural or urban a place is.

These classifications allow us to study not just specific places, but ‘place’ in general. They potentially allow differences between places to be shown for big groupings of people, and the bigger the groups, the more quickly or more cheaply robust statistics can be produced. In effect, classifications offer opportunities to help understand complex differences, with less information.

Seeing clear differences between broad groupings of areas may present opportunities for designing, implementing and monitoring policy; but it raises the question – are the differences positive or negative? What effects do they have on the people who live there? Qualitative research is better placed to answer that question Footnote 1 . However, official statistics can be used to consider whether barriers exist (in which case differences might be divisive), or whether people appear to be moving freely, in which case differences could be argued to represent genuine diversity and choice. Both rural and urban areas have been painted positively (idylls and cosmopolitan centres), and as traps. Statistical classifications allow us to dig deeper than stereotypes and impressions.

Some of the data used in the article were already aggregated to urban and rural area types. However, this is mainly an exercise in taking publicly available datasets, published at local authority or small area level, and matching to a rural/urban classification then aggregating the data directly.

It is worth noting that a wealth of data are available at the small area level from the 2001 Census. This was considered too out of date for analysis for this article. However, when 2011 Census data are released over the next few years there will be many opportunities for rural/urban analysis.

This article aims to complement the large volume and wide variety of rural/urban material published by other UK organisations. For England these include the Commission for Rural

Communities (CRC), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) through its Neighbourhood Statistics Service. The Welsh Government (WG) publishes topic reports and compendia, such as ‘Statistical Focus on Rural Wales’ which gives more information on the local authority level rural/urban classification used here.

The Scottish Government publishes rural/urban material, and, as with other countries, this is both in the form of dedicated reports (for example briefings and key facts documents) and as appendices or sub-sections of wider reports. Different government departments in Northern Ireland publish rural/urban statistics, including the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and Department for Social Development (DSD).

The data used in the figures are available at:

www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/themecompendia/RegionalSnapshot/rt43-rural-urban-areas.xls

Issues and limitations

There are a number of things to bear in mind when interpreting the material in this article.

Interpretation

Policies designed specifically for urban or rural areas might refer to extremes - inner cities or small villages. Using a statistical classification puts every place in a country, including the areas most people think of as suburbs, into either an urban or a rural area type

These classifications make it easy to slip into the ‘ecological fallacy’ - for example thinking of all people in the most deprived areas as deprived, when in fact many people in the most deprived areas are by no means ‘poor’ and the majority of deprived people do not live in deprived areas. Even the biggest rural/urban difference can obscure there being more variation within areas than there is between them

On the other hand, it is often hypothesised that neighbourhoods do affect people. For example, studies on deprivation and health sometimes show that even when many other factors are taken into account, simply living in a deprived neighbourhood is associated with poorer health

Classifications may feel wrong for particular areas. None of the classifications used in this article take account of the look and feel of a particular place, rather they are modelled using sets of definitions and rules

Presentation

In all cases areas can be split into urban and rural groups (or more accessible, less accessible for local authorities in Northern Ireland), but most classifications give at least one more detailed way of breaking down the data. This report shows a number of different ways of sub-dividing such classifications. However, not all the classifications offer breakdowns of urban areas

Urban and rural areas should not be compared using more than one classification, so in general each country is analysed separately

Data are not collected and published consistently across the UK, especially for devolved matters such as housing. Although many datasets used here are multi-country, sometimes there has only been space for data analysis for a single country

Data accuracy

In order that official statistics do not identify individual people or businesses, data are subject to disclosure control. In many cases the datasets here have been subject to some degree of rounding or suppression (where some data may not be available). Unfortunately this is more likely to affect smaller areas. Since this article aggregates published data, for local authority datasets the estimates for rural areas (which tend to be less populous) are likely to be less accurate

While some datasets, such as those covering crime and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or equivalent scores, are derived from administrative sources, in most cases a sample survey has been used. All the figures in this report should be assumed to be estimates and subject to sampling variability, unless stated otherwise

Where national figures are published in this report, they may have been aggregated from local data, and therefore may differ from national figures published elsewhere. Different time periods, geographies and use of public (disclosure controlled) datasets may also make figures here difficult to compare with those elsewhere

Rural/urban classifications

This article uses two main types of classification to divide areas into rural and urban. To cover small area data and local authority level data for the four countries of the UK requires seven classifications. A summary of each of these, including the data used, publication links, and the headline proportions of urban and rural people, can be found in Appendix A. This section presents a map and a table of key population figures for each one.

Many alternative and older classifications exist - it was estimated in 2007 that 30 different definitions were in use across the UK (Scott, Gilbert and Gelan, 2007). Some classifications cover only some types of area - for example the Commission for Rural Communities’ uplands areas. Other products cover the whole of the UK, but do not focus on rural and urban issues alone. ONS’s Local Authority Classification and Output Area Classification products have some categories that show rural areas; however, these show different geographical distributions from those developed by or with Defra, and are not widely used as rural/urban classifications.

Dedicated rural/urban classifications are generally based on complex modelling exercises. Some aspects have been devised subjectively, for example, selecting the Valleys group of local authorities in Wales using local knowledge and existing policy area boundaries. Thresholds differ, so that any settlement with more than 10,000 people will be considered urban in any UK small area definition; however, settlements with between 3,500 and 10,000 people are treated differently in each classification. Several have been updated, and it is worth noting that a number of government organisations, including Communities and Local Government (CLG), Defra, ONS and WG, are jointly looking into updating the rural/urban definition covering small areas in England and Wales for use with 2011 Census outputs.

What makes a good rural/urban classification? A common approach is to take several continuous data variables, not just one, and look for clusters of areas. Commonly-used factors are population size, population concentration and remoteness (which can be measured as physical distance to other settlements, travel time, or a modelled measure of where people are in relation to each other known as ‘population potential’). Ultimately there is no limit to the kinds of settlements a classification can pick out. Vickers’ 2003 UK district classification Footnote 2 picks out area groupings such as ‘agricultural fringe’ and ‘averageville’ but this classification has seen less use in recent years than simpler definitions. The perfect classification would be comparable across different nations. Only the Eurostat ‘urban-rural typology’ Footnote 3 can offer this at the moment; however, because it is based on larger (NUTS 3 Footnote 4 ) areas than those used in this article, and it does not allow different kinds of urban area to be distinguished, it is not widely used in analyses such as those in this article.

The classifications used in this article are based on different sets of criteria. Individual classifications may have methodological limitations. Such issues tend to be set out in a methodology or technical report for each classification, links to some of which can be found in Appendix A .

The Rural/Urban Definition (England)

Map 1 , which uses a small area geography based on Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs), shows a complex patchwork of area types. Of particular note are the ‘sparse’ areas, both urban and rural, which are few in number, and concentrated in particular areas broadly round the fringes of the country. This definition picks out a far larger number of urban areas than the local authority definitions do, but groups them all together, so that, for example, Westminster and Weston-super-Mare are shown in the same group. It is also worth noting that Town and Fringe – Less Sparse areas almost always lie next to Urban – Less Sparse ones.

The Rural/Urban Definition for MSOAs 1 in England

Table 2 shows the predominance of the Urban – Less Sparse area type; no other area type in this report includes such a high proportion of people. There is an interesting symmetry in the difference between urban and rural areas: in England urban areas contain about 80 per cent of the population but cover roughly 20 per cent of the land area, rural areas cover roughly 80 per cent of the land and 20 per cent of the population. Some 42 million people live in urban England by this definition, and just under 10 million in rural England.

Sparse areas, which cover three narrower area types in both rural and urban areas, contain 1.4 per cent of the population. Only 15 per cent of this group are resident in urban areas and the remainder in rural areas. The Urban – Sparse area type, in particular, is very small with a population, of 114,000, which compares, for example, to that of the 2001 Census-defined urban areas of Southport or St Albans. Sparse area types should therefore be expected to have distinct characteristics where survey data are being analysed, as sample sizes are likely to be close to the acceptable minimum. A population pyramid showing the age structure for the rural and urban populations is presented in Figure 52 on page 63.

Population pyramid for England: by area type, mid-2009

The Rural/Urban Definition (Wales)

While the Rural/Urban Definition is the same for Wales (shown in Map 3 ) as for England, the aggregation of area types into urban and rural wider area types can in practice be done in different ways. For example, in Wales, the Town and Fringe area types may sometimes be divided into urban and rural areas by population size. This report follows the convention of classifying all town and fringe areas as rural.

The Rural/Urban Definition for MSOAs 1 in Wales

Table 4 shows that according to the Rural/Urban Definition two-thirds of people in Wales live in urban areas (just below 2 million people), and a third in rural areas (just above 1 million). One in seven Welsh people live in a sparse area; these cover just over 60 per cent of the land area of Wales. With 430,000 people, this is greater than the population of any urban area in Wales from the 2001 Census (Cardiff urban area had a population of 328,000), and roughly equivalent in population size to the Bristol or Sheffield urban areas in England. Higher proportions of the total population live in each sparse area type compared with England, and in most of the rural areas types. At 11 per cent of the population, the Village, Hamlet and Isolated Dwellings (VHID) – Sparse area type is the third biggest in population terms in Wales, and one that covers more than half of the total land area.

Roughly one in eight of the population lives in an area that is both rural and sparse, two in eight in less-sparse rural areas, and five in every eight in urban areas. A population pyramid showing the age structure for the population of Wales is presented in Figure 53 on page 64.

Population pyramid for Wales: by area type, mid–2009

Population by area type (England and Wales)

Figure 5 shows the population of England, Wales and each English region for the six narrower area types. There are three regions that have a similar proportion of their population living in rural areas to Wales: the South West (33 per cent), the East of England (31 per cent) and the East Midlands (29 per cent). Data for Figure 5 and subsequent figures area available at: www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/RegionalSnapshot/rt43-rural-urban-areas.xls

Population proportions: by area type, region and country, 2009

The Rural/Urban Local Authority Classification (England)

Map 6 shows which rural/urban area type each local authority in England falls into. Note that this is based on pre-April 2009 boundaries, which gives a higher level of geographical detail for some areas than using current boundaries Footnote 5 . However, the methodology for the classification based on the new boundaries has been updated, with a small number of changes, mostly resulting in local authorities moving between the Significant Rural and Other Urban area types. Where new boundaries have been used in this article, this is indicated. See Appendix A for more details.

Rural local authorities exist in all regions except London. Most regions have local authorities in all six narrower area types. Note that in some cases local authority types are defined by their population (for example, large urban local authorities have populations of 250,000 to 750,000 people); but the proportion of people in rural areas is used for other types (so Rural-80 local authorities have 80 per cent of their population living in rural areas). Table 7 details key population information for each area type.

Nearly two-thirds of England’s population live in urban local authorities, covering around 15 per cent of the total land area. The classification splits the population into area types of roughly equal numbers of people (with the exception of the much larger Major Urban area type) and similar levels of population growth.

The local authority classification for Wales

Map 8 shows the local authority rural/urban classification for Wales, used for example, in ‘A Statistical Focus on Rural Wales'. For more information, see Appendix A.

The map shows a continuous block of Rural local authority areas through the west, centre and north of the country. The Urban and Other area types are split across two different geographical blocks, in the north east and south of Wales. The Valleys local authorities are a group of ex-mining and industrial areas. The local authorities in this group contain the Heads of the Valleys Action Area which is the focus of a programme that takes action on deprivation.

All local authorities in Wales are a mix of urban and rural areas to some degree. There are urban areas within rural local authorities and the reverse.

Two-thirds of Wales’ population of about three million people live in urban local authorities. Such areas cover only a sixth of the total land area of Wales, as set out in Table 9 . These urban local authorities are split into three narrower area types of broadly equal population size. It is interesting to note that since mid-2001, populations in the Urban narrower area type have expanded the most, while Valleys local authorities have shown the smallest population growth of any area type. Population densities vary from nine people to every hectare in Urban local authority areas, to just one person to every two hectares in Rural ones.

The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification

Map 10 shows the distribution of area types for Data zones in Scotland, using the classification with the largest number of area types of any of the classifications used in this article. Large Urban Areas (with populations greater than 125,000) cover Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. Very Remote Small Towns (which have populations between 3,000 and 10,000 people, and are more than 60 minutes by road and ferry to a settlement of more than 10,000 people) appear in all corners of the country, including the Western Isles and Shetland Isles. The sophisticated measure of remoteness, based on driving time rather than distance, makes a distinction between more accessible rural areas south of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the more remote areas that start just a short distance north and west of Glasgow.

Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification for Data zones

The proportion of the population living in urban areas according to the Scottish Rural/Urban Classification (shown in Table 11 ) is more than 81 per cent, covering nearly 6 per cent of Scotland’s land area. This classification could therefore be said to give a ‘tighter’ urban group than the ‘Randall’ definition of local authorities (see below), picking up more people but covering a smaller area. Population growth rates differ too: post-2001 growth is similar in areas defined by local authorities, but far higher in rural areas when defined using Data zones. By contrast Very Remote Rural Areas contain 3 per cent of the population, but cover almost half of the land area.

Populations in all three narrower types of rural areas have shown at least moderate growth since 2001, and average 9 per cent for rural areas as a whole, which is far greater than for urban areas (1.2 per cent). The population within the Remote Small Towns and Very Remote Small Towns area types have actually declined over this period. The classification allows areas to be split by settlement type and remoteness as well. The remote group covers some 305,000 people; the very remote group is even smaller, at 225,000 people, although this is more than the current population of Aberdeen. A population pyramid for the Scottish population is presented in Figure 54 on page 65.

Population pyramid for Scotland: by area type, mid-2009

The 'Randall' definition of Scottish local authorities

Map 12 shows a much simpler geography than that of the small area classification in Map 10 . It gives a continuous stretch of Urban local authority areas, sandwiched between Rural local authority areas, running from Dundee in the east to the Isle of Arran, which is part of North Ayrshire local authority, in the west. Aberdeen, which lies in its own local authority area, is classified as Urban; however Inverness, which lies in the Highland Council area and has a low overall population density, is not. These examples show why the more refined small area classification is to be preferred, if data can be produced at the appropriate geographic level.

Some 70 per cent of Scotland’s population live in the 10 per cent of the land area covered by local authorities classified as Urban, according to the ‘Randall’ definition shown in Table 13 . Population densities are extremely low in Rural local authorities, with an average of one person to every five hectares of land.

The Northern Ireland Urban-Rural Classification of settlements

The Northern Ireland Urban-Rural Classification of settlements The Northern Ireland settlement classification in Map 14 does not give continuous spans of particular area types; rather it highlights and classifies particular settlements against a background of small villages, hamlets and open countryside. Less populous urban and more populous rural areas are clustered around Lough Neagh and Belfast, and lie roughly between the middle of the country and the east coast. There is a smaller cluster around Derry in the north west, but some of the larger settlements in the western part of the country are very isolated. Omagh in particular has few urban neighbours.

The Northern Ireland Urban-Rural Classification of settlements for output areas

Of Northern Ireland’s 1.8 million inhabitants, some 36 per cent, or around two-thirds of a million, live in rural areas ( Table 15 ). This is a slightly smaller proportion than in the local government district classification, yet it covers a much greater proportion of the land area – in other words the small area definition is much more precise. This is true of different levels of small area data too. The 2001 Census Output Area geography is used here, because data based on this geography are compatible with a number of other datasets. However, it gives a very slightly lower proportion of the population living in rural areas than data based on precise settlement boundaries.

Table 15 shows band A (Belfast) is the largest settlement area type by population size, with nearly a third of the population of Northern Ireland; bands B to G are much smaller, each covering 4 to 14 per cent of the population and up to 2 per cent of the land area. More than a quarter of the population, just less than half a million people, live in the most rural areas (band H), covering 91 per cent of the country. Population growth since 2001 has been highest in this settlement band and above average in other rural areas. A population pyramid for Northern Ireland is presented in Figure 55 on page 66.

Population pyramid for Northern Ireland: by area type, mid-2008

The less accessible/more accessible Northern Ireland local government district classification

This classification, shown in Map 16 , splits the country into two area types. The more accessible group of local authorities, sometimes referred to as ‘urban’, or simply ‘eastern’, is centred in and around Belfast. The less accessible group of local authorities or ‘western’ group can be used to define areas as rural, although this group includes Northern Ireland’s second most populous city, Derry.

Less accessible/more accessible Northern Ireland local government district classification

Table 17 shows that the Northern Ireland local government district classification defines a larger proportion of the total population as rural than the other classifications set out in this section, at 39 per cent of the population. However, this population lives in over two-thirds of the area of the country, suggesting the classification is picking out a distinct area type. Population growth in the less accessible, western group of local authorities has been almost twice that of the more accessible group since 2001.

Job locations

In 2008 the UK had an estimated 32 million jobs and 40 million people aged 16 to 64, which includes students, homemakers, those with multiple jobs, and others not actively seeking work. This jobs estimate is based on workplace location, and includes the self-employed, those on government training schemes and HM Forces. A ‘jobs density’ can be calculated by dividing the number of jobs in an area by the number of residents aged 16 to 64, and is one way of measuring disparities between the number of workers and jobs. It can be produced for local authority areas. The UK average is 0.79 jobs per person; national rates range from 0.71 in Wales to 0.80 in Scotland. This section aims to answer the question, are rural areas generally ‘dormitories’, with more workers than actual jobs? Figures 18 to 21 examine the patterns country by country.

In England two of the urban area types have the highest jobs densities, at 0.83 jobs per person for Other Urban Footnote 6 and 0.82 for Major Urban, the group of local authorities covering the cities with the biggest populations. There is no clear pattern among the other area types, and differences are small overall. Of the eight rural local authorities with jobs densities above one, six are in the Rural-80 group (the most rural areas). Some are self-contained by virtue of their geography – the Isles of Scilly, for example; others have historic importance – such as Stratford-on-Avon.

Of all urban local authorities, the City of London has an exceptionally high density of 37 jobs per resident aged 16 to 64; Westminster is next highest at 3.3. A number of London boroughs appear at the top and bottom of the urban rankings, with Lewisham showing the lowest jobs density in England at 0.41.

In Wales, the Valleys area type shows the lowest jobs density of any area type at 0.57 jobs per person, while local authorities in the Urban area type Footnote 7 have the highest jobs density at 0.87. The Rural area type jobs density is only a little lower than that of Wales as a whole. The highest jobs density is for an Urban local authority (Newport, 0.92), the lowest in a Valleys area (Blaenau Gwent, 0.49).

Jobs densities in Wales: by area type, 2008

Jobs densities in Scotland: by area type, 2008

Jobs densities in Northern Ireland: by area type, 2008

There are only small differences in jobs density between Urban and Rural areas in Scotland, with Urban areas showing a jobs density of 0.81 jobs per person, compared with Rural areas at 0.77. Some of the most isolated Rural local authorities have the highest jobs densities – Highland, Shetland Islands and Orkney Islands all have densities above 0.90. However, the highest jobs density, at 1.27, is in an Urban local authority – Aberdeen City – which may relate to jobs offshore in the oil and gas industries. This is three times as high as the lowest jobs density – 0.39 in East Renfrewshire (an Urban area).

The less accessible area type covering local authorities in the western part of Northern Ireland shows a lower than average jobs density, at 0.66 jobs per person. The highest value for this area type is 0.79 for Coleraine – so while this group has fewer jobs than might be expected, there are no highly isolated areas that have high jobs densities because commuting out of these areas is hard. Local authority areas in the more accessible area type vary substantially, from 0.38 in Carrickfergus to 1.33 in Belfast.

There is no evidence that rural areas are simply ‘dormitories’ in any country of the UK. If anything, urban areas could be said to contain a higher proportion of more ‘dormitory’ local authorities, with the highest and lowest jobs densities tending to appear in urban areas.

Working patterns

ONS’s Annual Population Survey (APS) is an on-going social survey based on the Labour Force Survey, which asks a large sample of people a variety of questions about working life. The records include the Rural/Urban (MSOA) Definition area type; Figure 22 examines the urban/rural and less sparse/sparse dimensions. It is worth noting that some aspects of working life not shown here, such as patterns of part-time working, display only very small differences across area types.

Working patterns in England: by area group, 2009/10

Self-employment and working from home (or being based at home) are both more common in rural areas of England than in urban areas. They are more common still in sparse areas, where people are twice as likely to be home-based or self-employed, as those in less sparse areas (one in four in sparse areas compared with roughly one in eight in less sparse areas). While Figure 18 shows that there are fewer jobs per worker than average in rural areas, Figure 22 shows that people access work in different ways in both rural and sparse areas compared with urban and less sparse areas.

Jobs densities in England: by area type, 2008

Rural areas have slightly higher proportions of people in higher managerial and professional occupations (12 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 compared with less than 10 per cent in urban areas), and lower proportions of people who have never worked (which include students) than urban areas. Interestingly, sparse areas show the reverse pattern, with about half the proportion of people in the higher managerial and professional occupation (some 6 per cent) compared with rural areas.

The APS asks a number of questions to estimate how many people want or need to work more than the standard hours for their job. There is no clear pattern in the results – respondents in urban or less sparse areas are somewhat more likely to have worked overtime recently, and to want to work more hours at their current rate of pay (classified as ‘underemployed’). Likewise, respondents in sparse areas are more likely than those in less sparse areas to have a second job (7 per cent of workers compared with 4 per cent in less sparse areas). Figure 23 shows the same data for Wales.

Working patterns in Wales: by area group, 2009/10

Working patterns in Wales show very similar rural/urban differences to those in England. Working based from home or being self employed are far more common in both rural and sparse areas than in urban and less sparse areas. Workers in higher managerial or professional occupations are slightly more common in rural areas and less common in sparse ones. There are only small differences in the proportions of people with second jobs; however, working overtime and wanting to work more hours at the same rate of pay (underemployment) are more common in urban and in less sparse areas.

The ONS Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR), from which the following data are taken, covers the vast majority of UK economic activity, using administrative records and survey estimates. The 2010 IDBR details nearly 2.2 million ‘local units’ in England, and around a further 113,000 in Wales. A local unit is defined as an individual business site, such as a branch of a national retail chain, located in a geographically identifiable place, as opposed to the parent ‘enterprise’ such as a head office. Local units are sometimes referred to as ‘businesses’, however, it is important to remember that they include public sector employers as well as those in the private sector. Figure 24 shows which of the 17 industries Footnote 8 showed the biggest differences in prevalence between rural and urban areas, using the small area (MSOA) Rural/Urban Definition. Is the rural economy dominated by farming?

Local business units in England for selected industries: by area type, 2010

There were nearly 560,000 rural local units in England in 2010, representing a quarter of all businesses (or some 23 per cent when agriculture, forestry and fishing units are excluded). Given that 19 per cent of all people live in rural areas, the prevalence of local units in rural areas might be greater than that expected, even when agriculture, forestry and fishing is excluded.

Figure 24 shows some of the largest percentage point differences in the prevalence of businesses in urban and rural areas by broad industry group. Just under 15 per cent of all rural local units were in the agriculture, forestry and fishing category, while retail represents a notably higher proportion of local units in urban areas. Construction has a higher proportion of the industry mix in rural areas than in urban areas, with one in eight Rural area units being in that industry. None of the 17 broad industry groups are absent from rural areas, with finance and insurance having the smallest proportion of total units by broad industry group in rural areas. Public administration and defence units, not shown, are also noticeably more prevalent in urban than rural areas, with just 18 per cent of these located in rural areas (compared with 26 per cent of all units).

Nearly half of Wales’ 110,000 local units were located in rural areas. When agriculture, forestry and fishing local units are excluded, this falls to 42 per cent of all local units. When compared with the population living in rural areas (34 per cent of the total population) this is higher than might be expected. Just under a quarter of all rural businesses were in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector.

Figure 25 shows that several industries, and especially the retail category, have a higher share of the industry mix in urban areas than in rural areas. As is the case in England, there is no industry that shows a very strong urban or rural predominance, beyond agriculture, forestry and fishing. Public administration and defence local units (not shown) are less likely to be located in a rural area than local units are in general, with 37 per cent of such units present here. Two industries, health and finance and insurance (not shown), had fewer than a third of their units in rural areas (at 32 per cent in both cases).

Local business units in Wales for selected industries: by area type, 2010

In relation to their resident population, rural areas are home to a relatively high proportion of local units and they are more likely to be small employers. Some 75 per cent of rural units in both England and Wales have fewer than five employees; this compares with 66 per cent of urban local units in England and just under 60 per cent in Wales.

Unemployment and inactivity

The APS is the main source for official unemployment estimates at sub-regional level. Bespoke data were obtained from the survey using the more geographically detailed 2001 Census Output Area level definition, which separates ‘Villages’ from ‘Hamlets and Isolated Dwellings’. A disadvantage of looking at data this way is that sample sizes for the smallest area types, such as Very Remote Rural areas in Scotland, for example, will give less reliable results than for more populous area types. Figure 26 shows three key measures of economic activity for England for the financial year 2009/10 using the Output Area level definition. Figures 26 to 28 reflect an aggregation of narrower area types.

Labour market activity in England: by area type, 2009/10

Some 7.9 per cent of the economically active population of England was estimated to be unemployed in 2009/10, and 23 per cent of the population aged 16 to 64 was economically inactive. The rural/urban unemployment rates show clear differences, ranging from an estimated 8.6 per cent in urban areas (1.8 million people), to 5.2 per cent in rural areas (260,000 people).

The employment rate is higher and inactivity rate lower than the national average in rural areas. In the most rural settlement types unemployment was estimated at just 4 per cent, just over half the national average. Sparse areas differ in their labour market characteristics from rural areas Footnote 9 . On average, sparse areas have a relatively low unemployment rate close to that of the whole rural group, but a rate of economic inactivity that is only slightly below average.

Inactivity covers a broad range of circumstances. In rural areas generally, and in all three rural area types, below national average proportions of the population (aged 16 to 64) are economically inactive students, home-makers, or sick/disabled. However, there are above national average proportions of early retired people. Figure 27 shows the equivalent data for Wales.

Labour market activity in Wales: by area type, 2009/10

The rural/urban differences in Wales are generally smaller than in England. Unemployment is estimated at 6.2 per cent in rural areas, and is roughly half as high again in urban areas, at 9.6 per cent. Interestingly, all three labour market rates are close to average in Town and Fringe areas; the rural pattern is only seen in the Village, and Hamlet and Isolated Dwellings settlement types, where unemployment is less than two-thirds of the national average.

Figure 28 shows the equivalent data for Scotland. Some 7.3 per cent of the economically active population was estimated to be unemployed in 2009/10, and 23 per cent of the population aged 16 to 64 was economically inactive. There is a very strong rural/urban difference in Scottish working life. While in Urban Areas the unemployment rate was estimated to be 8.0 per cent, and 24 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 were economically inactive, Rural Areas had corresponding rates of 4.5 per cent and 20 per cent.

Labour market activity in Scotland: by area type, 2009/10

Compared with Scotland as a whole, economically inactive students or sick/disabled people represent lower proportions of the rural population aged 16 to 64; similar proportions are looking after homes or families, and a higher proportion of people are early-retired. Small Towns have employment and unemployment rates lying between those for Urban and Rural Areas; however, economic inactivity rates, and specific types of inactivity, are closer to those for rural areas generally.

Very Remote areas Footnote 10 had the highest employment rates at an estimated 80 per cent of the population aged 16 to 64 and Accessible areas the lowest at 71 per cent. The unemployment rate in very remote areas, at 3.3 per cent, was less than half that for Scotland as a whole. Unemployment rates for Remote areas show rates in between those of Very Remote and Accessible areas.

Income and earnings

Average incomes.

Differences in income, as distinct from earnings or overall wealth (which is difficult to measure at small area level), are a useful indicator of economic wellbeing. Modelled data for MSOAs show that in 2007/08 the average weekly gross income per household in England was £670, and £540 in Wales. When taking account of household composition (a process known as ‘equivalisation’), deductions such as tax, and housing costs, incomes fell to £420 and £380 respectively. Figure 29 shows how incomes in England vary by area type, using the small area (MSOA) definition. Are incomes higher in one type of area?

Average weekly household income: by area type, 2007/08

Considering areas by their rurality and sparsity, however income is measured; the most rural and the least sparse areas perform better. Total weekly income was as high as £751 per week in Village, Hamlet and Isolated Dwellings – Less Sparse (VHID – Less Sparse) households (equivalent to about £39,000 a year), and as low as £533 in Urban – Sparse households Footnote 11 (or about £28,000 a year). Urban – Sparse areas had lower incomes than average, ranging from 79 per cent of the national average when using total income, to 83 per cent when taking household structures into account (either before or after household costs). Among less sparse areas there is greater variation in incomes. The highest earning 10 per cent of Urban – Less Sparse MSOAs had almost twice the total income of the bottom 10 per cent of MSOAs. Wales, not shown in Figure 29 , shows similar patterns of differences between area types; however, the variations in income between area types tend to be smaller in value.

Poverty is conventionally measured by the proportion of all households that fall below the recognised poverty threshold, which is set at 60 per cent of the England and Wales mean weekly equivalised income (after housing costs). In 2007/08 for England and Wales this was estimated at £199 per week (or £862 per month). Figure 30 shows how poverty rates in Wales varied by small area (MSOA) type.

Percentage of households below poverty threshold: by area type, 2007/08

Both sparsity and rurality appear to affect poverty levels. VHID – Less Sparse Footnote 12 areas have the lowest estimated poverty rate at one household in five. Sparse areas that fall into the town and fringe or urban settlement types have the highest proportions of households below the poverty threshold; however, results may be less reliable for these areas because they each contain very small proportions of the total population and are more difficult to estimate. No area type is poverty free – there is often more variation within area types than there is between them.

England shows similar differences by area type; however, the two Town and Fringe area types have lower relative poverty. Both types of less-sparse rural area (Town and Fringe and VHID) show well below average poverty levels for England.

Across England and Wales there were 75 MSOAs where more than 50 per cent of households were in poverty, all in urban areas. Of these MSOAs only one was in Wales (in Cardiff) and 21 were in Birmingham. The highest percentage of households in poverty was in a Leicester MSOA at 68 per cent; the lowest level, at less than 5 per cent of households, was an MSOA in Wokingham, Berkshire. Both these MSOAs are classed as Urban – Less Sparse.

Earnings flow

The rural/urban differences in income suggest investigating the flow of earnings for people who earn in one area type and live in another area type. Are rural/urban areas self-sufficient, or dependent on well-paid jobs elsewhere? The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) estimates workers’ earnings based on both where people live and where they work, at local authority level Footnote 13 . The data in Figures 31 to 32 reflect a snapshot of weekly average earnings as at 1 April 2010. Areas types with a ‘positive’ flow are those where workers living in the area, regardless of where they work, earn more on average than those whose jobs are located in the area, regardless of where they live.

In England all three rural local authority area types have a positive earnings balance for each identified employee type ( Figure 31 ). Differences in the levels of these positive balances are similar for all three rural area types, suggesting that this situation doesn’t just cover people in rural areas adjacent to urban ones, commuting out to take high paid jobs. Conversely earnings are ‘flowing out’ of Major Urban areas at a higher level than in any other area type (that is, employees living in these areas earn less than those working there). The rural/urban earnings flow is much more pronounced for male and full-time workers, although it is important to recognise that more men than women work full-time.

Flow of earnings in England: by area and earner type, 2010

In Wales, for all types of employees, there is a net flow of earnings into Rural local authority areas from non-rural areas; and overall earnings are also flowing into Urban area type local authorities ( Figure 32 ). For the Other Footnote 14 area type, there is a net earnings outflow for males employees but a larger net earnings inflow for female employees. For both Other and Valleys local authority areas there is a net earnings outflow for all employees, though a net earnings inflow for part-time employees in Valleys areas. These findings suggest that there are important gender differences in earning flows, with women bringing net earnings into Rural and Other areas, and out of Valleys and Urban areas.

Flow of earnings in Wales: by area and earner type, 2010

Within Scotland there is a net earnings flow from Urban local authorities into Rural ones. This effect is more pronounced for full-time and male workers.

Services and life chances

Access to services.

Life in any type of area can be much harder if it takes disproportionately longer to travel to basic services, such as shops or GPs. Differences in travel times vary according to transport mode.

Scottish data, presented for Data zones, allow both area types and transport modes to be compared Footnote 15 . Figure 33 shows modelled driving times, which were developed for the Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation, for five services.

Average drive time to service: by area type, 2009

Driving times to most services for both urban and rural areas could be described as brief, at less than 10 minutes from all but the most remote rural areas. Shopping centres and GPs are typical of services that take longer to reach from both more rural and more remote areas. Driving times to libraries, not shown here, display a similar pattern.

Journey times to petrol stations and primary schools seem to be determined by ‘rurality’ alone, with all three types of rural area showing times that are high in relative terms, but still less than 10 minutes. Driving times to many services – police stations, banks, general stores, and nurseries – are also relatively higher in rural areas only, although the average driving times vary.

Small towns provide similar access to services compared with other urban areas, as do the less remote rural areas; only services such as higher education and citizens’ advice centres (not shown) are relatively quicker to access in the most urban areas (areas such as Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow). Being remote therefore may only mean being remote from ‘specialist’ services, rather than everyday ones.

Public transport travel times shown in Figure 34 are relatively similar in urban areas and small towns areas, at typically 10 minutes for post offices, banks and general stores. Times for rural areas are much higher, rising to over an hour for access to chemists in the most remote rural areas (most of which are in the Shetland Islands). For people without access to a car, therefore, access to even the most everyday services may be a barrier to living in a rural area. Furthermore, the extent to which services can be accessed in different ways (for example by offering home delivery) may vary between area types.

Modelled travel time estimates for Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) are published as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) 2009 Core Accessibility Indicators Footnote 16 . This shows that in 2009 on average eight key services (employment; primary schools; secondary schools; further education; GP; hospital; food store; and town centre) could be accessed within a reasonable time by 60 per cent of users in urban areas compared with 48 per cent in rural areas. Differences were highest for hospitals and town centres, but lowest for primary schools.

Analysis of the ‘employment centre’ estimates from this data source shows that similar proportions of people have (by walking or public transport) access to work in different kinds of areas. Bigger differences occur when looking at the availability of public transport required for these journeys. In less sparse urban areas the availability indicator is close to the maximum. It is far lower for sparser and more rural areas, and falls to just 40 per cent in Village, Hamlet and Isolated Dwellings (VHID) – Sparse areas Footnote 17 .

Data for Wales show estimated travel times for LSOAs for nine different services by public transport or walking. These data are the geographical access to services indicators for the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2008, produced by WG. Travel times are similar for urban areas and town and fringe areas, so most people can be said to have ‘reasonable’ levels of access. VHID – Less Sparse areas showed substantially higher travel times, while the equivalent sparse areas have travel times 40 per cent to 70 per cent higher again.

Internet access and use

There are multiple ways of measuring access to the internet: broadband coverage; actual take-up; speed of access; and how often people use it. Figures produced by Ofcom, the internet regulator, show survey results on internet access for urban and rural areas based on the ‘Locale classification’ which covers the whole of the UK Footnote 18 . In each UK country the proportion of people with access to the internet was somewhat higher in rural areas than urban ones. In Scotland, however, the difference was very small; although a slightly higher proportion of the rural population reported an intention to acquire internet access in the following year.

Is access to the internet a status symbol in rural areas, or a functional tool? Figure 35 shows the proportions of adults (defined here as aged 15 and over) with internet access reporting specific uses of the internet within each wider area type in England.

Use of different types of internet site: by area type, 2010

Although this is based on a small list of many possible internet uses, the findings do suggest that adults in rural areas with access to the internet are more likely to use each kind of site. The biggest difference occurs in the use of banking sites in rural areas, with a majority of adults in rural areas (51 per cent) reporting this use, compared with 44 per cent of urban area internet users. The internet seems to compensate for poorer access to physical services Footnote 19 .

Expenditure

The Living Costs and Food Survey uses respondent diaries to capture the expenditure of around 16,000 households across Great Britain. In the period 2007 to 2009 rural households on average spent an estimated £500 per week, 11 per cent more than the £450 spent on average by urban households. Note this definition combines the Defra Rural/Urban definition for England and Wales and the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification. Figure 36 shows this spending broken down into categories, sorted in order of the absolute rural/urban difference in expenditure.

Average household weekly expenditure: by category and area type 2007 to 2009

There are two material aspects of rural life that may appear to make rural areas worse places to live: older, harder-to-heat housing stock, and poorer transport connections Footnote 20 . However, rural households are estimated to be spending less on total housing costs than urban ones (excluding mortgage interest payments and council tax), but substantially more on transport. The difference in transport spending is estimated to be just below £20 per week, or 43 per cent of the overall difference in expenditure between urban and rural households. Rural households also spend more on a range of goods and services, including food, restaurants and hotels and household goods and services. These figures could be interpreted to indicate that life in the countryside is more expensive; but equally it could be argued that people in the countryside are enjoying the benefits of higher disposable incomes.

Average travel time, by public transport: by area type, 2009

Early years

The Department for Education in England publishes rural/urban area figures comparing how teachers assess their pre-school pupils, entitled ‘Achievement in Early Years Foundation Stage Profile’. In 2010 some 76 per cent of all pre-school pupils living in urban areas achieved ‘78 points across all scales’ which is a recognised development standard, while 55 per cent were thought to show ‘a good level of development’. These figures are 7 and 6 percentage points lower than in rural areas, respectively. Is pre-school education better in rural areas? This is not necessarily the case when deprivation is considered, as Figure 37 shows.

Assessments of early years pupils: by deprivation decile and area type 2010

Comparing rural and urban areas within each 10 percentage point group of the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index Footnote 21 (IDACI) shows only small differences in performance levels on the ‘78 or more points across all scales’ measure. There was little difference between rural and urban areas within the least deprived group. In the most deprived group, however, for the pre-school pupils living in approximately 81,000 urban areas, they outperformed those living in approximately 550 rural areas. For the ‘good level of development measure’ urban areas outperformed their equally-deprived rural counterparts in all but two deprivation groups, albeit by only a small margin. Overall then, it seems that low deprivation is important to a good start in the education system; area type only appears to have an influence through the fact that rural areas are less likely to be deprived.

GCSE and equivalent results

GCSE and equivalent qualification results are a very useful benchmark of education levels, providing a record (as opposed to survey-based estimates) of performance in the final year of compulsory education in England. In 2008/09, 51 per cent of eligible pupils achieved five or more A*–C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and Maths. Some 54 per cent gained two or more A*–C GCSE grades or equivalent in science subjects. Figure 38 shows these by area type at the MSOA level.

Proportion of pupils achieving GCSE and equivalent targets: by area type, 2008/09

The proportion of pupils achieving the English and Maths target varied considerably, from 44 per cent for those living in Urban – Sparse Footnote 22 areas, to 61 per cent for those living in VHID – Less

Sparse areas. The difference between these two area types is even more extreme when looking at the target for science subjects. There is a broad pattern: the more rural an area is, the better its pupils’ results; the more sparse it is, the worse. However, as shown in Figure 37 , rural and urban levels of deprivation are very different and comparing similarly deprived areas may show a different story.

Qualifications

Another way of looking at education is to examine patterns in the qualifications of the adult population. Figure 39 shows data on the highest level of qualification obtained by the employed people in each area type, derived from the APS for 2009. Using the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) qualifications can be grouped, with Level 2 being equivalent to GCSEs graded A* to C, and Level 4 covering higher education qualifications (certificates, diplomas, degrees) and equivalents. Footnote 23 Results are presented twice – once splitting out the urban and rural areas, and again comparing sparse areas with those that are less sparse, based on the Output Area each respondent lives in.

Adult highest qualification levels in England: by area group, 2009

Rural areas have somewhat higher proportions of employed adults with qualifications from Level 2 (GCSEs grade A*–C or equivalent) to Level 4 (a degree or equivalent), and with trade apprenticeships (not shown). Urban areas have higher proportions of employed adults with below Level 2 qualifications (not shown), no qualifications, and the ‘other’ qualifications group.

Sparsity shows a different pattern. Sparse areas, which contain only 2 per cent of the eligible adults covered by the survey, have below average levels of employed adults with no qualifications or ‘other’ qualifications, like rural areas. Unlike rural areas, however, sparse areas have below average levels of the highest levels of qualifications. This highest level varies by area type from 36 per cent of employed adults in Hamlet and Isolated Dwellings – Less Sparse areas, to half that rate (18 per cent) in Urban – Sparse areas.

The reason for these differences is not clear. Differences might reflect employers requiring different levels of qualifications, differences in access to education, or commuters with high qualifications moving to particular areas (earnings flow analysis in Figures 31 and 32 suggest high earners are commuting between area types). Figure 40 shows the same data for Wales.

Adult highest qualification levels in Wales: by area group, 2009

The qualifications of employed adults in Wales show little rural/urban variation although, those in rural areas are more likely than average to be qualified to degree level or equivalent (Level 4) and are less likely than average to have no qualifications. Differences between sparse and less sparse areas are very small, however, with no difference between the two groups in the rates of employed adults with the highest level of qualifications.

One key indicator of health in an area is life expectancy, which is an estimate of the number of years that a person can expect to live, on average, in a given population. An ONS study (Kyte and Wells, 2010) explored variations in life expectancy at birth between rural and urban areas of England during the period 2001 to 2007. The Rural/Urban Definition and the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2007 were used to explore differences between area types, taking levels of deprivation into account.

They found that:

people in rural areas lived longer than those in urban areas - an additional 2.1 years for males and 1.4 years for females

there was a difference of 7.8 years for males and 5.4 years for females between the most deprived and least deprived fifth of areas, suggesting that pockets of poor health exist across England

in the least deprived fifth of areas, urban life expectancies were slightly higher than rural life expectancies for both men and women. However, in the other fifths, life expectancy was lower in urban areas than in rural areas

in terms of sparsity, there was little difference in life expectancy between sparse and less sparse areas within the rural and urban area types. However, variations were observed when deprivation was taken into account and greater differences were evident in less sparse areas than in sparse areas

figures for local authorities in England show that life expectancy improved in all areas over the 1991-93 to 2006-08 period, by 4.2 years on average for males and 2.9 years for females. However, although variations in life expectancies between regions in England have reduced, differences between the local authorities with the highest and lowest figures widened over this period

Physical environment

Carbon emissions.

Carbon dioxide emissions (referred to here simply as ‘carbon emissions’) result predominantly from the combustion of fossil fuels. They can result, for example, from transport, use of buildings, production of food or the manufacturing of goods. In 2008 domestic sources accounted for 30 per cent, and transport for just over 25 per cent of all carbon emissions in the UK. The Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) sector shows positive carbon emissions in some areas; in others the sector acts as a ‘sink’ absorbing carbon dioxide and so emissions are counted as being negative. The final group of sources, Industry and Commercial, accounted for more than 40 per cent of the half a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted in the UK. Figures 41 to 44 show carbon emissions for local authority area types for each UK country, using the locations of end users (so homes using electricity rather than power stations generating it). Are carbon emissions higher per person in urban areas?

Carbon emissions per person in England: by area type, 2008

Carbon emissions per person in Wales: by area type, 2008

Carbon emissions per person in Scotland: by area type, 2008

Carbon emissions per person in Northern Ireland: by area type, 2008

Carbon emissions in England ranged from 6.5 tonnes per person in 2008 in Major Urban local authority areas to 11.6 tonnes per person, per year in Rural-50 areas, compared with an England average of 8.0 tonnes. The four local authorities with very high emissions per person include two Rural-50 local authorities, North Lincolnshire and Wansbeck (north of Tyneside), plus City of London (a Major Urban local authority with far more workers than residents) and Redcar and Cleveland (Large Urban).

Carbon emissions per head from domestic fuel were around 5 per cent below the England average in each type of urban area, but higher in each rural type, especially in Rural-80 Footnote 24 where carbon emissions 12 per cent above average might result from older, larger housing stock in poorer condition, or from differences in heating systems. However, Road Transport represents the key rural/urban difference, with carbon emissions ranging from 35 to 47 per cent above the England average in rural areas.

Carbon emissions in Wales averaged 10.8 tonnes per head in 2008, 2 tonnes more than the next highest UK country, Northern Ireland. Industry and Commercial carbon emissions account for the greatest difference between area types in Wales which were as high as 52 tonnes per head in Neath Port Talbot. This resulted in higher total carbon emissions per head in the Other area type Footnote 25 , despite them having average Domestic and Road Transport emissions.

In rural local authority areas Road Transport and Domestic carbon emissions per head were 13 to 14 per cent above average. In Wales, rural domestic fuel consumers do appear to be responsible for somewhat higher carbon emissions than urban ones, a difference which might result from differences in heating systems and the housing stock in each area type.

Carbon emissions in Scotland averaged 7.9 tonnes per person in 2008. In Rural areas carbon emissions for the Domestic sector were almost 10 per cent higher than the average, and a third higher for Road Transport. Rural and Urban differences from Industry and Commercial were small, however it is the LULUCF sector where the largest differences are seen – rural Scotland is effectively absorbing 4 million tonnes of carbon each year because of this sector.

Urban local authorities with notably higher carbon emissions in Scotland in 2008 include Clackmannanshire, East Lothian and Falkirk, each producing between 14 and 20 tonnes per person.

As a nation, Northern Ireland emitted just under 8.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person in 2008. There was a clear rural/urban difference: carbon emissions from both Industry and Commercial, and from Road Transport were around 30 per cent above the Northern Ireland average in the less accessible (rural) local authorities, and almost 20 per cent below average in more accessible ones. Domestic carbon emissions, however, were lower in rural areas. Two rural local authorities were responsible for carbon emission levels per person around twice the national average – Fermanagh and Cookstown, while there were four local authorities, all more accessible, with carbon emissions below 7 tonnes per person.

Crime may be seen as a feature of everyday life through media coverage; however, crime is experienced on a personal level much more rarely. Does this vary by area type – is crime an urban phenomenon? Differences in income, population density, transport and housing stock could all potentially result in differences in crime levels between area types.

Local authority Footnote 26 level data are published for England showing notifiable offences recorded by the police, as opposed to British Crime Survey estimates of the number of crimes experienced. These show that when rural/urban differences in estimated population sizes are taken into account, there are more than three offences recorded by the police per resident in urban areas for every two in rural areas (in 2009/10). This equates to one recorded crime per resident, every 13 years in urban areas, compared with every 21 years in rural areas.

For England as a whole there were 66 crimes recorded per 1,000 residents. This varied substantially by area type, from 39 in the most rural areas (Rural-80) to 79 in the most urban areas (Major Urban). While recorded crime per resident is therefore substantially higher in urban areas, it is something that happens everywhere, and is not simply an ‘urban phenomenon’. Figure 45 shows a selection of specific offences which give a range of patterns by area type.

Notifiable offences: by area type, 2009/10

Harassment decreases in similar sized steps, halving from the most urban areas (Major Urban) to the most rural (Rural-80). Theft from a motor vehicle shows similar differences within rural areas, but a much higher level in Major Urban areas than in the other urban area types. However, common assault occurs at a lower rate in Major Urban areas than the other two urban area types. Crime is one subject where it is useful to distinguish different types of urban area, rather than treating them as a homogenous group.

Housing affordability – private sector

House prices, and how they change over time, attract much media attention and debate. Comparing local incomes with house prices gives a more balanced picture of whether people can afford to live somewhere. The number of homes being sold and their price (in this case mean average prices from 2009) can be obtained for local authorities Footnote 27 in England and Wales from the Land Registry via Communities and Local Government (CLG) or ONS, and used in conjunction with gross annual earnings of full-time workers taken from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). It is worth noting that this method is similar to that used by CLG, but has been calculated from mean prices and earnings, rather than medians or lower quartiles. It has fewer similarities to the methods used by mortgage lenders, which take account of purchaser household incomes and deposits.

For England the mean price of all homes sold in 2009 was £216,000. These Land Registry house prices exclude some transaction types, and are not adjusted for the mix of dwelling types. In all three rural area types, the variation from this average was between £2,000 and £3,000; in Major Urban areas the mean price was roughly £40,000 above the national average; in the other two urban area types it was roughly £40,000 below. When area types are grouped, both urban and rural areas have house prices very close to the average. Figure 46 shows housing affordability calculated using mean house prices and mean earnings.

Mean house price affordability, England: by area type, 2009

For England as a whole this particular way of calculating affordability shows that the average home sold in 2009 cost 7.2 times the average salary of full-time workers. Although this measure is not comparable with mortgage multipliers, it seems that no area type in England is particularly affordable by this measure. For rural local authorities the price to earnings ratio ranged from 4.0 in Copeland, Cumbria (Rural-80), to 15.9 in Chiltern, Buckinghamshire (Significant Rural). For urban local authorities it ranged from 3.6, for Kingston upon Hull (Large Urban) to 28.4 in Kensington and Chelsea (Major Urban).

Of the area types, Large Urban areas Footnote 28 have the lowest housing affordability indicator, at 6.2 times the average full-time earnings of people working in those areas. Rural-80 areas Footnote 29 , have the highest affordability scores, at 9.5; while Major Urban workers have higher average full-time salaries than workers in rural or the other two urban area types, resulting in affordability close to the national average. Combined, the rural area types have roughly average house prices but lower salaries, and therefore worse affordability (at 8.7). Urban areas combined have average house prices, but great variations by area type, and higher salaries that result in more affordable housing (at 6.6).

Figure 47 compares average earnings with average house price data in the same way for Wales. Compared with the national average of £152,000, homes in the Urban and Rural area types are more expensive (by £10,000 and £14,000 respectively). The Valleys areas have prices that are £42,000 below average, and so the average house price across all urban local authority types is £14,000 below the national average. How does the pattern change when earnings are brought in?

Mean house price affordability, Wales: by area type, 2009

There are substantial differences between affordability ratios for different area types in Wales. Rural local authority areas are the least affordable, with a price to earnings ratio of 6.7; Valleys areas are the most affordable by this method, with a price to earnings ratio of 4.4. Interestingly these differences are similar to the differences in house prices – earnings do not vary dramatically by area type, although Rural areas do show the lowest average earnings as well as the highest average house prices.

In the Rural area type, price to earnings ratios varies from 5.4 in Denbighshire to 8.5 in Monmouthshire. In the urban area types price to earning ratios varied from 3.6 in Blaenau Gwent to 7.0 in the Vale of Glamorgan. This illustrates that there is often as much or more variation in housing affordability within urban or rural areas than there is between them – but that important rural/urban differences still exist.

Affordable public sector housing

Social housing, often seen as a basic ‘safety net’ in society, is provided by local authorities and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), such as housing associations. In 2000/01 just over 1 million households in England were on a social housing waiting list; by 1 April 2009 the level stood at 1.8 million. Just 56,000 additional affordable homes were provided in 2008/09, or one home per 32 households on the waiting list (not accounting for homes sold). It is therefore likely that the rate at which households leave the social housing sector is the key factor in access to an affordable home. While it is not possible to compare turnover of affordable housing by area type, Figure 48 compares the number of households on waiting lists Footnote 30 with the number of existing dwellings in the social rented sector (not including ‘intermediate housing’ schemes such as key worker housing), as at 1 April 2009.

Households on waiting list per 100 existing social rented homes: by area type, 2009

Based on the Rural/Urban local authority classification, for every 100 existing social rented homes in England there are, on average, 43 households on the waiting list. No area type shows a very low ratio – it ranges from 39 in Significant Rural areas Footnote 31 to 54 in Large Urban ones Footnote 32 . In general, waiting lists suggest that barriers to accessing social housing are high everywhere but do not show a strong rural/urban pattern, with Large Urban local authorities the only area type to stand out.

Tourism and leisure

Tourism is a measure of the attractiveness of urban/rural areas as places to visit. The UK Tourism Survey asks tourists and non-business visitors, normally resident in the UK, about specific trips. Data are presented separately for people saying they visited different area types defined by the respondents themselves. These include: seaside, large city/large town, small town or countryside/village areas. Do we all like to be beside the seaside?

Of the 18 million visits (visits to friends and relatives, as opposed to ‘tourism trips’) in England in 2009, nearly half were to ‘large cities/large towns’ ( Figure 49 ), which is where most people live. Of the 45 million short holiday trips (tourism trips lasting fewer than four days) in England in 2009, around 20 per cent were to the seaside, and 40 per cent to large cities/large towns. For the 22 million holidays lasting four days or longer, this pattern was reversed, with more trips to the seaside. The effect is that nearly as many tourism bed nights are spent at the seaside as in large cities/large towns. The share of tourism trips to both small towns and the countryside was consistent for both long and short-duration trips, and they are somewhat less popular than more urban locations in terms of time spent there.

Different aspects of tourism in England: by destination, 2009

All of the measures in Figure 50 show the popularity of the seaside and countryside/villages as tourist destinations in Wales. Of the £1.4 billion spent on visitor and tourist trips in Wales in 2009, more than 40 per cent was spent during trips to the seaside; a similar proportion of the 33 million tourist nights were spent in these areas. The seaside was popular for short trips, at 38 per cent of all short trips, and even more popular for long holidays, with 50 per cent. Overall, the seaside appears to be the key tourist attraction in Wales; although this might involve stays in both rural and urban areas.

Different aspects of tourism in Wales: by destination, 2009

Large towns and cities were still popular destinations, but only when looking at number of visits, or expenditure on those occasions. However, the number of nights spent visiting friends and relatives in the countryside/villages was notably high, perhaps reflecting the large rural population in Wales.

Figure 51 show that, on all measures, visits to large cities and towns were the most popular choice for tourism trips and visits in Scotland in 2009. Small towns and countryside/village areas had similar proportions of visitor or tourist trips, while the seaside received the fewest visitor or tourist trips.

Different aspects of tourism in Scotland: by destination, 2009

For longer holidays, countryside and village locations were the most popular destinations, covering two-fifths of such trips. Long holidays, however, represent less than a third of the total number of trips in Scotland; so overall tourists appear to be more attracted to urban areas than rural ones.

Of the £2.7 billion spent by tourists in Scotland in 2009, 44 per cent was spent in large cities and towns. The total expenditure represents 13 per cent of the total for the whole UK; Scotland has a slightly lower share than this when looking at tourist trips, or tourist nights.

Population and demography

While material on household structures and composition is not readily available for small areas, it is known that some differences exist. The Living Costs and Food Survey estimates that the average urban household in Great Britain had 2.4 people in 2007 to 2009, compared with 2.3 for those in rural areas. This is not a dramatic difference: should populations therefore be expected to be similar as well?

Population structure

Population pyramids demonstrate the age and gender structure of a population. Figure 52 shows the populations of urban small areas (MSOAs) in England as bars, compared with rural ones, shown as lines.

The English population pyramid for rural areas has a corseted appearance. There are relatively low proportions of people aged 20 to 39 in rural areas, a roughly average proportion aged 40 to 44, and particularly high proportions thereafter, peaking at age 60 to 64.

The higher proportion of people in their late 40s and above-average proportion of children aged 10 to 14 in rural areas may indicate migration to the countryside by parents with school-age children, from either urban areas or abroad. Alternatively, fertility rates may have differed in the past between urban and rural areas and then converged; however migration seems a more plausible driver of this pattern.

In rural areas there are 6 men aged 20 to 24 for every 5 women in that age group. The pattern reverses as age increases so that for 35 to 39-year-olds there are 9 men for every 10 women, but at age 45 to 49 there are approximately equal proportions of men and women in rural areas.

Figure 53 shows the populations of urban small areas in Wales as bars, compared with rural ones, shown as lines.

The Welsh population pyramid for rural areas, like that for England, has a corseted appearance. The rural population is half the size of the urban one but this varies from as little as a third for 20 to 24-year-olds,to two-thirds for 65 to 69-year-olds. Overall, England and Wales show similar patterns with certain age groups being more likely than average to live in rural areas in respect to their population size – 10 to 14-year-olds, and the over-40s, but especially those aged 50 to 74. However, the ‘gender imbalances’ seen in England are not seen in Wales.

Single-year-of-age data allow the median age for different area types to be estimated, as an overall indicator of differences in population structures. In Scotland urban males are the youngest, with a median age of 37.4; urban females are older, at 40.5. Rural males and females are both somewhat older, and there is less of a gender difference, with median ages of 42.7 for males and 43.9 for females. Figure 54 examines population differences in more detail.

As in England and Wales, rural areas have relatively low proportions in the 20 to 34 age bands. Rural areas have a distinctive ‘middle-aged’ population, with the proportion of the population by age group almost doubling when comparing the 30 to 34 and the 40 to 44 age groups.

There are roughly equal proportions of men and women in rural areas. There are exceptions, however, by age band: for 20 to 24-year-olds there are 6 men for every 5 women, but for the 35 to 39 age group there are 9 men for every 10 women. If migration is causing this, women move earlier than men.

Northern Ireland

Figure 55 shows that there are few noticeable differences in the age structure for both males and females between rural and urban areas in Northern Ireland, as defined in the classification of settlements for Output Areas. Both rural and urban areas have young age profiles, with high proportions of residents aged less than 30.

There are some differences. Rural areas have higher proportions of children aged 0 to 14 than urban areas, but lower proportions of adults in their 20s. There are also differences between men and women, with rural areas showing lower proportions of people aged over 45 than urban areas, but for women only.

Population change – migration

Together with natural change (births less deaths), migration is a key element of population change, and a topic that receives a large amount of news coverage and interest. There were 5.4 million internal migrants within Great Britain in the year to mid-2009 (in this instance defined as moves between different local authorities Footnote 33 ); an individual moving multiple times over the course of a year would only be counted once to reflect the change in location between the start and end of the period. Some 549,000 international in-migrants came into Great Britain from abroad, and 374,000 international out-migrants left Great Britain. Unfortunately it is not possible to easily link the area type of the start and end point of an internal migration – so figures here show migration to urban local authority areas, for example, but do not show whether those migrants came from other urban or rural local authority areas (subsequently referred to in this section as urban or rural areas).

Figure 56 compares the proportion of internal and international in- and out-migrants for rural and urban local authorities in England. The pattern of people moving into and out of areas results in population turnover or ‘churn’; although overall population numbers may remain relatively stable, the age structure may change as a result of population turnover.

Migration: by type and area type, mid-2008 to mid-2009

At local authority level, internal migration is generally a larger driver of population change than international migration and this is true for both urban and rural areas (as shown in Figure 56 ). In rural areas there was both net internal and international in-migration (where numbers of internal and international in-migrants exceeded numbers of out-migrants). In rural areas, net internal in-migration (reflecting migration between local authorities in Great Britain) was considerably higher than net international in-migration. A key difference between migration in rural and urban areas is that internal migration results in population gain in rural areas and losses in urban areas, while net international in-migration results in much larger population gains in urban areas than in rural areas, when considered against their respective population sizes.

Net in-migration results in population increases in all area types in Wales. Rural area populations increased a little over the period mid-2008 to mid-2009 as a result of net internal in-migration between local authorities in Great Britain, while population change resulting from international migration was negligible. Urban areas showed growth from migration at almost twice the rural area rate, at 0.22 per cent, with net internal out-migration and net international in-migration from outside Great Britain.

The urban area local authority population in Scotland grew by 0.40 per cent in between mid-2008 and mid-2009 from net migration (ignoring births and deaths), with a small net internal in-migration (of people within Great Britain). Rural area populations saw small levels of both net internal in-migration and net international in-migration. As with other countries there were far more internal migrants than international – but the 2.1 per cent of residents who had moved into an urban area were largely balanced by the 2.1 per cent of residents moving out of these areas.

Residents’ perception of their area

As previously mentioned the statistical analysis of areas does not always describe the look and feel of a neighbourhood. Key considerations when asking questions about places might be: do people like where they live? Does a particular area type foster wellbeing? The most accurate way to measure this is to ask people directly.

Responses to the 2008 Place Survey in England, 2008, show the proportions of people answering positively or very positively to questions about their area and home. Figure 57 shows that differences by area type are small, but that some patterns do exist.

Satisfaction with area in England: by area type, 2008

Based on the Rural/Urban local authority classification, people in rural areas were slightly more likely to feel they belonged to their area, and satisfied with their area and home. Satisfaction was higher in the most rural (Rural-80) areas, and lowest in the most urban (Major Urban). Within urban areas, the Large Urban Footnote 34 area type showed more positive results than the others. In 30 local authorities 90 per cent or more of their residents were estimated to be satisfied with their area. These are a mixture of all three rural area types, and four Urban area local authorities, comprising three London boroughs, City of London, Richmond upon Thames, and Kensington and Chelsea, and one coastal retirement area (Christchurch, in Dorset).

Similar questions are asked in Scotland through the Scottish Household Survey Footnote 35 . Figure 58 shows satisfaction using the ‘six-fold’ version of the small area (Data zone) classification. In total some 94 per cent of adults rated their area as being a ‘very good’ or ‘fairly good’ place to live.

Satisfaction with area in Scotland: by area type, 2009

Satisfaction, or rather rating of the neighbourhood as a good place to live varied little by area type, from 92 per cent in Large Urban to 98 per cent in both types of rural area. No single area type demonstrates widespread dissatisfaction among residents. However, more people in the two types of rural area reported their area to be ‘very good’ than in the four types of urban area.

Four-fifths of the populations of England and Scotland live in urban areas (defined at small area level); roughly two-thirds in Wales and Northern Ireland. Rural/urban classifications also allow differences to be identified between more and less sparse (or remote and accessible) area types. What are the main differences between urban/rural areas and sparse/less sparse areas, and what do they tell us about choice?

In some regards rural areas are clearly different from urban areas:

employment rates are higher and unemployment rates lower in the more rural areas of England, Wales and Scotland. In the most rural area types unemployment was as low as half each country’s national average

comparing the earnings of an area’s workers to those of its residents shows a net flow of money into all types of rural area in England, Wales and Scotland

average house prices are less affordable to local workers in rural areas than in urban areas

levels of home working (or working based from home) and self-employment in rural areas in England and Wales are substantially above the national average

rural areas of England and Wales have higher proportions of local business units in relation to their total population, even when farming business units are excluded; although rural units are likely to employ fewer people than those in urban areas

the industry mix in rural areas includes most of the agricultural units and has relatively low proportions of retail, and finance and insurance local units

levels of internet access in each UK country are higher (sometimes only very slightly) in rural areas than urban ones. This suggests that people in rural areas are no longer reliant on physical access to services that tend to be urban, such as banking

reported crime levels in urban areas equate to one crime per resident every 13 years; much higher than the rural equivalent of 21 years

the populations of rural areas have smaller proportions of young adults and average or above-average levels of middle-aged people, children aged 10 to 14, and, except for females in Scotland and Northern Ireland, people aged 60 and over

Where remoteness or sparsity can be shown, ‘two countrysides’ often emerge: one group of more well-off, better connected areas spread across England and Wales; and one much smaller group of less well-off areas concentrated in a handful of areas in the two countries, and in central Wales in particular.

Areas that are rural but less sparse show the highest levels of household income, and the lowest levels of poverty of any area type. Each kind of sparse area, urban or rural, shows much lower levels of income and higher levels of poverty than its less sparse counterpart

The levels of people qualified to at least degree level or equivalent, or working in higher managerial or professional occupations, are higher than average in rural areas, but average or below average in sparse areas

Some datasets show substantial differences between and within urban area types:

the very small group of Urban - Sparse areas shows the lowest average household income, and the highest level of household poverty

looking at local authority areas, the Major Urban area type often shows some distinct characteristics, with, for example, earnings flowing out of these areas at a higher level than for the other two urban area types

large variations are seen within urban areas, even within the same area type, for example jobs densities show great variation within London

incomes vary dramatically within the heavily populated Urban - Less Sparse areas of England, showing both very high and very low incomes

Some datasets show substantial differences between and within rural area types:

rural areas in England have better pre-school and GSCE results than urban ones; however when areas with similar levels of deprivation are compared, differences in the pre-school results, for example, can almost disappear

a similar pattern occurs with life expectancies: boys born in rural areas are expected to live 2 years longer than their urban counterparts; girls, 1.4 years. Within the most deprived group of areas, people born in urban areas are actually expected to live longer than those in rural areas, although in less deprived areas the opposite is found

A pattern emerges of interdependence between urban and rural areas:

population structures suggest that young adults move out of rural areas to urban ones, and that people in their 40s with older children move in

the residents of rural areas earn more than those who work in those areas, showing that rural incomes are at least partially dependent on the ability to commute, especially for full-time workers and for men. Higher transport expenditure accounts for almost half the higher expenditure by rural households than urban ones in Great Britain

Differences in how people say they feel about their area are not dramatic. Surveys in both England and Scotland asking people about their satisfaction with the area where they live show that differences in levels of dissatisfaction are small, although residents in rural areas express higher levels of satisfaction.

In summary, it is difficult with the available data to assess whether rural-urban differences represent genuine free choices in lifestyles, or traps that make it difficult to live how one would like. Some of the findings suggest that certain groups are exercising choice - people in their 40s and those with the means to work in one area type and live in another. Perhaps the more important differences lie within rural and urban areas - between sparse and less sparse rural areas, or particular kinds of urban areas; whether these represent choice is unclear.

Many possibilities exist for further research. Change over time often allows different stories to emerge Footnote 36 . Combining urban/rural classifications with other geography products can produce illuminating results. For example, mixing the rural/urban definition for England and Wales with the 2001 Census Output Area Classification Footnote 37 gives an ‘urban fringe’ group split across the urban and rural area types (Allen, 2008). Differences can be interpreted in systematic ways, so that different patterns in data can be compared to some extent (Poverty Site, 2009). European comparisons can put issues in a useful context; however with rural/urban analysis this involves either using different classifications or using the Eurostat classification for the comparatively large NUTS 3 areas. When 2011 Census data become available a great many more small area datasets will be publicly available for rural/urban analysis.

The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has commissioned qualitative ‘rural insight’ surveys.

For an example of this classification being used, see ONS’s Population Trends 134 , available at: www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=6303&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=272

More information on the Eurostat ‘urban-rural typology’, which can be used to compare urban and rural regions across different countries, can be found here: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Urban-rural_typology

Some 133 ‘Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics level 3’ areas cover the UK, and tend to cover groups of local authorities, resulting in areas such as ‘Lancashire’ in England, and ‘Monmouthshire and Newport’ in Wales.

On 1 April 2009 the reorganisation of some local authorities in England resulted in the creation of nine new unitary authorities, replacing 37 former local authorities (including the Isles of Scilly which is considered as a unitary authority for coding purposes).

The Other Urban area type includes cities (such as Derby), ‘historic’ towns and cities (such as Oxford and Worcester), and towns (such as Hastings and Barrow-in-Furness). For more information see Appendix A or Map 6.

The Urban area type in Wales includes only the most urban local authorities – Cardiff, Swansea and Newport.

These 17 industries are derived from the United Kingdom Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities (SIC) 2007. For more information see: www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14012

The sparse group in both England and Wales is made up of a small proportion of all the rural areas, and an even smaller proportion of all urban areas.

Very remote areas are Data zones mostly located in the Shetland Islands, and in eastern Scotland.

Urban – Sparse areas are a very small group of MSOAs spread across England and Wales, covering settlements such as Berwick-upon-Tweed, Scarborough, Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

Village, Hamlet and Isolated Dwellings (VHID) areas are the most rural types of LSOA or MSOA for the rural/urban definition for England and Wales – see Classifications section or Appendix A for more details.

Local authority areas after the April 2009 boundary reorganisation are used; the classification for these local authorities uses a slightly different methodology from that used for the pre-2009 boundaries shown in Map 6.

Other areas in Wales includes local authorities in the north such as Wrexham, and local authorities in the south such as Bridgend – see Map 8 for more information.

These are not the same measures as those used to create the ‘remoteness’ aspect of the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, which is based on travel time to nearest urban area. Only 5 of the 17 services have travel times above 30 minutes in very remote areas.

Available at: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/ltp/coreaccessindicators2009

For a variety of analyses of access to services for England, see the Commission for Rural Communities’ ‘State of the Countryside 2010’ report: www.defra.gov.uk/crc/documents/state-of-the-countryside-report/

This definition is based on population size of settlements – for both England and Scotland this will define more settlements as urban than the official classifications would. For more information see the ‘technical appendix’ at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/media-literacy/medlitpub/medlitpubrss/2010-metrics-bulletin/

See ‘Indicators of Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural England, 2009’, the Commission for Rural Communities; available from The Poverty Site: www.poverty.org.uk/reports/rural%202009.pdf

The IDACI shows the proportion of children aged 0 to 15 in an LSOA that live in an income deprived household.

For more information see: www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/DG_10039017

The Rural-80 area type includes many areas in the South West region – see Map 6 for more information.

Other areas in Wales include local authorities in the north such as Wrexham, and Bridgend in the south – see Map 8 for more information.

Local authority areas after the April 2009 boundary reorganisation are used; the classification for these authorities uses a slightly different methodology from that used for the pre-2009 boundaries shown in Map 6.

Large Urban Areas include local authorities such as Sheffield, Bournemouth and Coventry. For more

The Rural-80 area type includes many local authorities in the South West region.

Note that this may underestimate the numbers on waiting lists – RSLs sometimes have their own separate lists.

Significant Rural local authorities include for example Guildford, Lancaster, New Forest, and Bedford.

Large Urban local authorities include for example Sheffield, Bournemouth and Coventry.

The Large Urban area type includes local authorities such as Sheffield, Bournemouth and Coventry.

Results are presented on the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Website, and in Rural Scotland Key Facts 2010

For example, the Commission for Rural Communities’ ‘State of the Countryside 2010’ presents change over time for some topics. See: www.defra.gov.uk/crc/documents/state-of-the-countryside-report/

For more information see: www.statistics.gov.uk/about/methodology_by_theme/area_classification/

Allen P (2008) ‘Comparing area classifications’, Regional Trends 40, pp 21-30, available at: www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/article.asp?ID=1975

Kyte L and Wells C (2010) ‘Variations in life expectancy between rural and urban areas of England, 2001–07, ’ Health Statistics Quarterly 46, pp 27-52, available at: www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/article.asp?ID=2425

Poverty Site (2009) Indicators of poverty and social exclusion in rural England 2009: www.poverty.org.uk/reports/rural%202009.pdf

Scott A, Gilbert A and Gelan A (2007), ‘The Urban-Rural Divide: Myth or Reality’, The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, available at: www.macaulay.ac.uk/ruralsustainability/RS_applications.php

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Appendix A: More information on rural/urban classifications

With all rural/urban classifications care needs to be taken to make sure that where data are rates or proportions these are first multiplied by a ‘denominator’ variable (such as estimated population) before being added up, to compensate for different sizes in different areas (Birmingham local authority has a far larger population than Braintree, for example). This article has only aggregated individual areas based on counts. Where a denominator, such as the number of people is not published alongside a rate an external dataset, typically population estimates, has been matched to the same geography before grouping area types.

The Eurostat ‘urban rural typology’, based on a methodology developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), although not used in this report, can be used to compare urban and rural regions across different countries. More information can be found here: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Urban-rural_typology

The Rural/Urban Definition (England and Wales

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Pateman, T. Rural and urban areas: comparing lives using rural/urban classifications. Reg Trends 43 , 11–86 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/rt.2011.2

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Home | Land University | Land University Blog | Rural Living: An Honest List of Pros and Cons

Rural Living: An Honest List of Pros and Cons

The allure of rural living has grown in recent years. With more and more Americans looking to escape the rat race for a simpler life, many are trading their cookie cutter houses for a taste of the country. Did you know 97% of our nation’s land is rural? Crazy, right? But rural living isn’t for everyone. If you’re considering a migration to the rural side of life, check out our guide to Rural Living: An Honest List of Pros and Cons:

But first, what is rural living?

A rural area is defined as an open patch of land that has few homes or buildings nearby and very few people. Rural living is living in such an area. Got it? Good. Now on to the pros and cons. You’ll notice some of these overlap. Depending on who you are, some pros can be considered cons and vice versa.

Privacy – Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? If you live in a big city or a closed-in neighborhood, you probably are. Well not when you take a walk on the rural side. From sun up to sun down, you’ll have the freedom and privacy to do whatever you want without another living soul taking notice. Want to eat cereal naked on your front porch? Without a neighbor for miles, you can!
Distance to the neighbors – Starry nights, the sound of gentle night creatures; this is all possible when you remove the neighbors. No more listening to the neighbors BBQ in the backyard or mow their lawn while you’re trying to enjoy a relaxing evening on the porch. Having neighbors more spread out will give you that peace and quiet you’ve been craving.
Living beside wildlife – Are you the kind of person who wants to wake up and see deer standing outside your window? Then this is the life for you. With rural living, what you lack in people, you make up for in animals. You’ll be feeling like a Disney princess in no time with the frequent visits from deer, birds and other woodland creatures.
Slow internet and cable services – If you struggle with the work-life balance then moving to a place where technology isn’t so easily available is probably a good thing. Think of all the time you’ll get back when you aren’t distracted by the Twitterverse. The same applies for your kids who will no longer have the option of spending their days glued to a screen.
More space to grow your own food – Rural living offers plenty of space to plant that garden or orchard and truly live off the land. Some say you haven’t tasted an apple until it’s been plucked from your own tree. It’s cheaper, healthier and can even earn you a little income if you decide to sell it.
Friendly peeps – Those who live in rural communities still adhere to the whole love thy neighbor creed. They may be small town, but they’re big heart. This is true of most rural areas who value friendship, family, and community.
Less stress – The natural side effect of rural living is less stress. Without the outside stimulation of bustling roads, flashing lights, and constant chatter you’ll find your inner self calm and relaxed. This can improve focus and mood, making you a better human to live with. A win for you and your family.
Pets, pets and more pets – Ever wanted a pet llama but never quite had the space? Well, when you go rural, you’ll have the space for that llama, some chickens and even a goat or two. So buy that fourth dog and head on out to the country side. There’s plenty of room.
Cleaner air – Whether you realize it or not, the air around the city isn’t exactly the cleanest. Thanks to exhaust fumes, landscaping chemicals, and other metropolis toxins, we’re all breathing in less than stellar air. Rural living is literally a breath of fresh air.
Self-sufficient living – There’s something about living off the land, getting back to nature, and going off the grid . It’s a primal urge in all of us to make our own living and know that we truly can survive on our own . Rural living fuels this confidence and lets us know that when the “big one” hits, we’ll be alright.

Yes, rural living has plenty of pros. And it really is the perfect location for some people. But like everything else in life, there are cons. Let’s check them out.

Isolating – Where some see privacy, others see isolating. Those who live in rural areas can go days without seeing another living soul. If you love the social game and want the rest of the world to know what you’re up to, then rural living probably isn’t for you.
Distance to the neighbors – Without neighbors nearby, it’s nearly impossible to borrow a cup of sugar, ask them to keep an eye on your house when you’re out of town, or any other thing you use neighbors for. Without neighbors, you really are on your own.
Living beside wildlife – Did you know deer eat apples? And tomatoes? And pretty much any other luscious fruit you’ve planted. Those living the rural life have to nature proof their house. Squirrels and bats in the attic, raccoons in the trashcan, coyotes and other critters in the hen house. Yep, it’s a thing.
Slow internet and cable services – Roughly 35% of the rural populations have slow or interrupted broadband internet. If you rely on internet for your job or simply can’t live without the best of the best, you may find rural living unbearable.
Less accessibility to well, everything – Running up to the grocery store may take an extra 30 minutes. Going to the movies an extra hour. Depending on how close you are to the nearest town, rural living can make convenience nearly impossible.
Slow emergency response – If you have a heart attack or any other emergency, it can take the emergency responders a good 20-30 minutes longer to reach you. And we all know in emergencies, every second counts. This is something to consider if you already have life threatening ailments.
Personal safety is at risk – Most gun owners live in the countryside. This is because they understand that with the lack of neighbors and emergency response, they’re pretty much on their own when it comes to personal safety. Whether it be a burglar or grizzly bear, you’ll need to get good at protecting yourself.
Finding employment – Rural areas aren’t exactly handing out careers. Unless you’re a farmer (and a good one at that), you could find yourself commuting a great distance to collect that paycheck. If you’re planning on working from home, remember you may have trouble with high-speed internet so it may not be possible.
Winter sucks – Depending on where you live, rural roads are nearly impossible to navigate in the winter. This could lead to being snowed in for days or weeks. Remember that isolating was at the top of this cons list.
Poor education – Rural areas lack good schools. They don’t have the resources or funding to supply the areas children with the quality education they deserve. This is a con for you, your children, and society as a whole. Plus rural children often have to be on the bus for an hour or more each way. Not exactly the most comfortable way to travel.

So there you have it. An honest list of rural living. No matter what style of living you choose, we wish you luck. If you’re serious about finding that perfect plot of rural land, check out our awesome list of properties .

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IELTS Essay General Training: Cities vs Rural Areas

by Dave | General Training | 6 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay from the general training exam on whether it is better to live in cities or rural areas.

For my exclusive IELTS PDFs, sign up to my Patreon here .

Some people think that cities are the best places to live. Others prefer to live in rural areas.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

There are fundamentally different reasons that dictate whether one lives in the countryside or an urban area. In my opinion, the health benefits of living in the countryside do not outweigh the range of opportunities available in cities.

The chief advantages of the countryside relate to health. City-dwelling lends itself to a more sedentary lifestyle and the threat of air pollution is ever-growing. In contrast, individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as part of their daily routine. Over time this equates to healthier living habits and can reduce the risk of obesity and concomitant conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Moreover, recent studies have found that worsening air quality in cities and the absorption of microparticles into the lungs is driving up rates of cancer and asthma. The countryside presents an alternative environment where cleaner air can result in both short and long-term health benefits.

Nonetheless, cities offer a wide array of options rural areas lack. This begins with the employment on offer. The vast majority of well-paid jobs are located in cities ranging from doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. Living in the countryside limits one to careers primarily centred around agriculture. Cities also contain a richer variety of educational and cultural opportunities. The best schools are usually found in cities and museums and concerts are rare in the countryside. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world are located next to beautiful concert venues and renowned five star restaurants. This broadens an individual’s horizons and makes cities ideal for both single people and families.

In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle enjoyed in the countryside, city life allows too many modern conveniences to be ignored. Each individual must decide what they value highest but most should opt for city life.

1. There are fundamentally different reasons that dictate whether one lives in the countryside or an urban area. 2. In my opinion, the health benefits of living in the countryside do not outweigh the range of opportunities available in cities.

Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
Write a clear opinion. Read more about writing introductions here .

1. The chief advantages of the countryside relate to health. 2. City-dwelling lends itself to a more sedentary lifestyle and the threat of air pollution is ever-growing. 3. In contrast, individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as part of their daily routine. 4. Over time this equates to healthier living habits and can reduce the risk of obesity and concomitant conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 5. Moreover, recent studies have found that worsening air quality in cities and the absorption of microparticles into the lungs is driving up rates of cancer and asthma. 6. The countryside presents an alternative environment where cleaner air can result in both short and long-term health benefits.

Write another topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Use specific examples to support your idea.
State the results to develop your idea.
Don’t write about a new idea but you can write about multiple ideas within a topic (healthy).
Conclude with a summary sentence.

1. Nonetheless, cities offer a wide array of options rural areas lack. This begins with the employment on offer. 2. The vast majority of well-paid jobs are located in cities ranging from doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. 3. Living in the countryside limits one to careers primarily centred around agriculture. 4. Cities also contain a richer variety of educational and cultural opportunities. 5. The best schools are usually found in cities and museums and concerts are rare in the countryside. 6. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world are located next to beautiful concert venues and renowned five star restaurants. 7. This broadens an individual’s horizons and makes cities ideal for both single people and families.

Write another topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Use counter-examples for more support.
Start with more general sentences.
Then get more specific.
Use a specific city as an example.
Conclude with a strong statement relating it back to your opinion.

1. In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle enjoyed in the countryside, city life allows too many modern conveniences to be ignored. 2. Each individual must decide what they value highest but most should opt for city life.

Summarise your ideas and repeat your opinion.
Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean?

There are fundamentally different reasons that dictate whether one lives in the countryside or an urban area . In my opinion, the health benefits of living in the countryside do not outweigh the range of opportunities available in cities.

The chief advantages of the countryside relate to health. City-dwelling lends itself to a more sedentary lifestyle and the threat of air pollution is ever-growing . In contrast , individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as part of their daily routine . Over time this equates to healthier living habits and can reduce the risk of obesity and concomitant conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes . Moreover, recent studies have found that worsening air quality in cities and the absorption of microparticles into the lungs is driving up rates of cancer and asthma . The countryside presents an alternative environment where cleaner air can result in both short and long-term health benefits .

Nonetheless , cities offer a wide array of options rural areas lack . This begins with the employment on offer . The vast majority of well-paid jobs are located in cities ranging from doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. Living in the countryside limits one to careers primarily centred around agriculture . Cities also contain a richer variety of educational and cultural opportunities . The best schools are usually found in cities and museums and concerts are rare in the countryside. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world are located next to beautiful concert venues and renowned five star restaurants . This broadens an individual’s horizons and makes cities ideal for both single people and families.

In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle enjoyed in the countryside, city life allows too many modern conveniences to be ignored . Each individual must decide what they value highest but most should opt for city life.

fundamentally different reasons basically differing justifications

dictate decide

urban area city

health benefits good for you

outweigh stronger than

range of opportunities many chances

chief advantages main benefits

relate to regarding

city-dwelling lends itself living in a city makes you more likely to

more sedentary lifestyle less active living

threat of air pollution risk of poor air quality

ever-growing always increasing

in contrast however

part of their daily routine something you do everyday

equates means

healthier living habits doing something healthy everday

reduce the risk less chance of

obesity getting fat

concomitant conditions related problems

cardiovascular disease heart disease

diabetes a disease from eating too much sugar

recent studies have found research has shown

worsening air quality more air pollution

absorption becoming part of

microparticles small bits of stuff

driving up rates of cancer increasing the odds of getting cancer

asthma a breathing condition

presents allows for

alternative environment different place

cleaner air less air pollution

result in so

short and long-term health benefits in the near and distant future

nonetheless regardless

wide array of options many chances

lack don’t have

employment on offer jobs available

vast majority most of

well-paid jobs good employment

ranging from including

limits restricts

primarily centred around agriculture mostly to do with farming

contain a richer variety have a lot more

educational related to education

cultural opportunities museums, theatre, music, etc.

usually found often located

rare not common

are located are situated

concert venues places for music

renowned five star restaurants famous restaurants

broadens expands

individual’s horizons what you know about

ideal perfect

enjoyed in that they have

modern conveniences that people expect these days

ignored not paying attention to

value highest consider most important

Pronunciation

ˌfʌndəˈmɛntli ˈdɪfrənt ˈriːznz ˈdɪkteɪt ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪə hɛlθ ˈbɛnɪfɪts aʊtˈweɪ reɪnʤ ɒv ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz ʧiːf ədˈvɑːntɪʤɪz rɪˈleɪt tuː ˈsɪti-ˈdwɛlɪŋ lɛndz ɪtˈsɛlf mɔː ˈsɛdntəri ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl θrɛt ɒv eə pəˈluːʃən ˈɛvə-ˈgrəʊɪŋ ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst pɑːt ɒv ðeə ˈdeɪli ruːˈtiːn ɪˈkweɪts ˈhɛlθɪə ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈhæbɪts rɪˈdjuːs ðə rɪsk əʊˈbiːsɪti kənˈkɒmɪtənt kənˈdɪʃənz ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə dɪˈziːz ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz ˈriːsnt ˈstʌdiz hæv faʊnd ˈwɜːsnɪŋ eə ˈkwɒlɪti əbˈsɔːpʃ(ə)n microparticles ˈdraɪvɪŋ ʌp reɪts ɒv ˈkænsə ˈæsmə ˈprɛznts ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt ˈkliːnər eə rɪˈzʌlt ɪn ʃɔːt ænd ˈlɒŋtɜːm hɛlθ ˈbɛnɪfɪts ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs waɪd əˈreɪ ɒv ˈɒpʃənz læk ɪmˈplɔɪmənt ɒn ˈɒfə vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti wɛl-peɪd ʤɒbz ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm ˈlɪmɪts ˈpraɪmərɪli ˈsɛntəd əˈraʊnd ˈægrɪkʌlʧə kənˈteɪn ə ˈrɪʧə vəˈraɪəti ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃənl ˈkʌlʧərəl ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz ˈjuːʒʊəli faʊnd reə ɑː ləʊˈkeɪtɪd ˈkɒnsə(ː)t ˈvɛnjuːz rɪˈnaʊnd faɪv stɑː ˈrɛstrɒnts ˈbrɔːdnz ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz həˈraɪznz aɪˈdɪəl ɪnˈʤɔɪd ɪn ˈmɒdən kənˈviːniənsɪz ɪgˈnɔːd ˈvæljuː ˈhaɪɪst ɒpt

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

There are f______________________________s that d__________e whether one lives in the countryside or an u_____________a . In my opinion, the h______________s of living in the countryside do not o_____________h the r__________________________s available in cities.

The c___________________s of the countryside r____________o health. C_______________________________f to a m____________________e and the t_________________________n is e_______________g . I_______________t , individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as p___________________________e . Over time this e______________s to h_____________________________s and can r___________________k of o__________y and c_____________________s such as c_______________________e and d____________s . Moreover, r______________________d that w_______________________y in cities and the a________________n of m____________________s into the lungs is d______________________r and a___________a . The countryside p_____________s an a____________________t where c_________________r can r______________n both s________________________s .

N_______________s , cities offer a w____________________s rural areas l_____k . This begins with the e_____________________r . The v_________________y of w_____________________s are located in cities r________________m doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. Living in the countryside l___________s one to careers p_________________________________e . Cities also c________________________y of e_________________l and c______________________s . The best schools are u___________________d in cities and museums and concerts are r_____e in the countryside. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world a_____________d next to beautiful c________________s and r______________________________s . This b_______________s an i__________________________s and makes cities i______l for both single people and families.

In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle e_______________n the countryside, city life allows too many m___________________s to be i_______________d . Each individual must decide what they v_______________t but most should o_____t for city life.

Listening Practice

Learn more about living in New York City below:

Reading Practice

Read a counterpoint below:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/06/pandemic-cities-moving-remote-work/613069/

Speaking Practice

Practice speaking with the following questions from the real IELTS exam:

Countryside

Do you like going to the countryside?
What do you like to do there?
Have you ever lived in the countryside?
Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?

Writing Practice

Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer below:

Some people believe that children should grow up in the city while others believe the countryside is a better choice.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

IELTS Essay General Training: Children & the Countryside

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Hi Dave.. Do you think my essay gets 5.5 score?

While living in the city centre has numerous opportunities, it has different opportunities in rural areas. Both of side has advantages as well as drawbacks. All of these statements can help consider where we live. I am going to writing this essay about discuss both views and give my opinion.

Some people believe that life in the city the best place for most life needs. I partly agree with this view. Because the city has many opportunities such as job, good education, cultural activities. Besides, there have a few undesirable situations such as air pollution, traffic congestion and crowd common areas. In my opinion, these people who live in the city life, have individual reasons for city life. For example, if you like social activities, the city most suitable for you. Also, if you would like to take a good quality of education, you should live in the city. All of the requirements find more easily than a rural area.

On the other hand, the rural area has numerous different kind of opportunities. For example, Air pollution less than the city centre, there has not a problem due to the crowd. However, the rural area also lacks social activities and an exciting life. The people who want these should choose a rural life.

In conclusion, ın my opinion, both the lifestyle should be beneficial to people. The most important point, knowing what lifestyle you do not like and do not need. In addition, The rural area fits my all requirements. So, ı want to live in a rural area and ı advice to everyone.

It is on the border because there is a lot of informality, the 3rd paragraph is short, a lot of overuse of linking phrases, etc.

I think you could quickly fix it up to that score with some direction, Berke!

Thank you for reply :)) ı consider your advice.

No problem, Berke!

People choice of where to live in city or countryside is a subject has recently disused a lot. Certain individuals ascertain that urban or cosmopolitan area are the optimal selection for one to settle in due to its employment availability and its connivant lifestyle. However, opponent of this opt to dwell in countryside. I share the view of those who prefer living in the countryside because of its healthy environment and closeness of its community.

Many major cities offer a wide range of jobs for almost 70% for its residents. When there is a vast number of vacancies that are available for jobseekers in the urban areas this would highly encourage a lot of people to relocate from villages to the city. A friend of mine has left his village last year came to the capital city with sole purpose to obtain a position that he could not find in his natal village. With cities are full packed with working opportunities that are were not found in rural areas. Another vital reason is that cities also do have a convenient way of life for many individuals who live there. Life in a city is much easier compared with a village because there are many facilities and amenities that exist or being provided by city lifestyle. There are a lot of Transportation services and educational entablements in urban settings in contrast with their counterparts of outskirts or rural areas. A lot of individuals chose to live in city to acquire good educations from high-standard universities and high schools and make sure to obtain good services such as better healthcare and all the necessary amenities of modern life. Although the life in a city is comfortable and easy, but others still belief is not the ultimate choice for them.

living in countryside is viewed as better chose for many people for the healthy settings and friendly society exit in it. Villages or outskirts are very quiet and have pollution free environment in terms of water, air, and land. People can breathe fresh air, sleep peacefully, and eat healthy besides their lifestyle is not sedentary one which involve a lot of practice and movement. Therefore, all these elements contribute to their overall well-being and increase their life. Another import reason that drives many people to live in the suburb is that it has a friendly close-knit community. In villages neighbors are friendly and know each other as well as supporting one another in times of need, thus make their bond strong and enjoy living peacefully.

In conclusion, many states that living in city is the most opted, while others believe that rural areas are the best choice. In my opinion, living in countryside is the best choice for its pollution free environment and cohesive society.

Well done, Adbullh!

It’s a little on the long side thought. Try to shorten your introduction and first body paragraph.

Keep up the hard work!

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Life in an Indian Village Essay

Essay on Life in an Indian Village

The villages are the souls of our country, and more than 60% of the population lives in villages. There are more villages and small towns in India than in metropolitan areas. Census 2011 reports the number of villages in our country is 6,49,481. In this essay on Life in an Indian Village, we will further explore the life one leads in a village and how it is different from city life and the advantages and disadvantages of the same.

Short Essay on Life in an Indian Village

The villages of India are major contributors to agriculture, thus making India an agricultural land. Life in an Indian village is called rural life and city life is considered urban life. Life in an Indian village for students and children is different from those growing up in urban households. The children are often led to their family occupation of agriculture and work as farmers. Farmers are the most undervalued people in our society. They work doubly hard to supply food on our plates and don't even get paid half of what they deserve. They work without any modern machines, for long days starting even before sunrise and end their days long after dusk. They toil in the scorching heat and in the rain. The most difficult aspect of a farmer's life is mostly dependent on climatic conditions. Also, one of the other ways of earning a living in the villages is by housing cattle like cows, sheep, goats, and poultry.

People's attraction to rural life

The agricultural lands and open fields and rustic lifestyle makes the villages more scenic and peaceful. People living in metropolitan areas often go on holidays to such scenic countryside locations where they can breathe fresh air due to its unpolluted environment. The village life is slower and not steadfast, unlike the city life, this is one of the main reasons for millennials now who when on holiday from work prefer this kind of lifestyle for a short period of time and take such breaks. On the other hand, organic food has now gained much popularity and this also encourages others to adapt to the countryside way of living where one eats more nutritious food and lives a healthier lifestyle.

Long Essay on Life in an Indian Village

Life in an Indian Village for Students and Children

There are other aspects of living in an Indian village where one has to deal with scarcity on a regular basis. Scarcity, be it lack of electricity, good connecting roadways, transportation; homes built with mud or clay which can be unreliable, along with lack of proper healthcare facilities. Life in an Indian Village for Students and Children is especially hard as along with the aforementioned problems, they are also deprived of basic education, due to which they lack career opportunities.

In some parts of India, there is only one primary school that children from the nearby villages attend. Even gaining primary education is very difficult because the parents are not very keen to send their children, especially girls and want them to join them in their family's line of occupation to earn some extra money for their livelihood and girls are held back from attending school as they are required to support their mothers in household chores.

The importance of primary and secondary education should be spread in villages, highlighting the fact that it creates several career opportunities for both boys and girls. There is not much growth in the agricultural sector as well due to lack of education and training in modern ways to enhance the agricultural produce.

Cultural & Traditional Values

Unlike the cities, the villagers don't live their lives secluded; they enjoy getting together, living like a close-knit family, and helping each other in adversities. This sense of community and belonging is greatly valued. Even with so many problems, life in an Indian village is one to look forward to, as the Indian culture is very much intact and the celebrations are huge. When all as a community celebrate together, with folk music, dance, and songs, all festivals are celebrated with a lot of zeal, especially the harvest season. India should take pride in such rich culture and traditions.

In Life in Indian Village Essay, it is also important to explore the advantages and disadvantages of leading such a life.

Advantages of Life in an Indian Village

One experiences a stress-free life surrounded by beautiful nature and leads a happy life in the Indian villages.

The air is pure and fresh due to low levels of pollution and no release of harmful gases as their mode of transport is usually a bicycle or a bullock cart.

Life in an Indian Village is a healthy one as one is always doing some chore which keeps one fit and the seasonal fruits and vegetables grown naturally in the villages keep one energized.

Disadvantages of Life in an Indian village

Lack of good infrastructure, lack of schools and well-trained and experienced teaching staff hinder the progress of the few children who attend the school.

It is very difficult to break old customs and traditions and change the mindset of the elders of the family, who are usually the decision-makers and their rigid attitude makes it harder for newer generations of children.

The villages are in dire need of basic amenities like hygienic sanitation facilities, electricity, etc.

Many such issues can be resolved when the government, along with citizens, take accountability and encourage education, especially in agriculture and farming, as it is the main occupation in villages and in ways to incorporate modern technology with traditional tools. With the help of many government programs that can primarily focus on the building of schools and hospitals, education could help them earn a living which will eventually lead to a reduction in the poverty rate and increase productivity, thus increasing the GDP of our country.

In today's world, most of the people from villages leave their homes and move to cities to either study or earn a living. But the fact is life in the village area is actually enjoyable and more peaceful than in any other metropolitan city. Villages have a natural beauty to them, and they are simple, calm yet beautiful. The people living in the villages mostly go to the fields to earn their daily living, they are generally hardworking and their day starts very early than most other people living in the cities or town. They work hard in the field the whole day and just get some rest when it is dawn.

The one most relaxed thing about villages is that they are free from the heavy traffic of city life. Villages are found to be more peaceful, calm, quiet, and full of greenery, where one can always breathe fresh air and stay healthy without any pollution problems. Most of the handcraft labor people are from villages such as farmers, other works as potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, etc. The Bulls are used for farming and other activity in the field and, are also considered as their sacred god since they are the ones who help in ploughing the field, cultivating crops, and earning money for them.

FAQs on Life in an Indian Village Essay

1. What are the Advantages of Moving to an Indian Village?

There are many advantages of living in an Indian village; the quieter and calmer surroundings help to lead a simple and peaceful life. Clean air boosts mental and physical health. The consumption of freshly produced food helps maintain fitness naturally. With the least amount of living cost, one can truly enjoy life when one is surrounded by nature.

2. What are Some Beautiful Indian Villages where One can Visit?

There are many beautiful villages in our country be it Gokarna Village in Karnataka located in the southern part of India, Janjheli in North of India, i.e., Himachal Pradesh, Nainital in Uttarakhand, Lachen Village in the Northeast, i.e., Sikkim, and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.

3. What is the importance of village life?

Villages are important because they are the actual backbone of our country's economy and other traditional cultures that are evolving around. They are the primary source of the agricultural sector of the country and help in exporting crops to various countries, which will fetch a good economic status to our country. They also maintain the most important part of the ecological balance of the living environment. Economic growth may mainly contribute to rural areas, as the agricultural field will help in food production and job creation opportunities. As growth in industry and service areas are comparatively slow mainly during this pandemic, many developing countries will not be able to absorb this massive number of new job seekers.

4. Is village life better than city life?

Villages will be seen to be better when it comes to mental relaxation and healthy lifestyle but, anyway city life is seen as generally better than village life because of convenience and open opportunities around because, in the city, you can get whatever you want and quickly in this fast-moving world where everything has become digital. The village life is not that bad like how we always imagine; however, there is the issue of scarcity which is yet to be resolved.

5. What is the importance of rural development in the Indian economy?

As of India, the majority of the people below the poverty line reside in the rural areas and this contributes to a maximum percentage of the population, unfortunately. Hence, the prime goal of rural development is to improve the quality of life of the rural people by alleviating their poverty situation through providing them opportunities for self-employment and wage employment programs, by providing community infrastructure facilities such as drinking water, public toilets, etc.

6. How can we improve the lives of people in villages?

It is possible to improve the quality of rural life since they contribute the maximum of the population in India. For that, we should Identify people's needs and priorities in the rural villages. Plan and define activities or necessary opportunities that can mobilize the complete involvement of the community. Government should plan the structure of resources allocated in their current schemes according to their needs. Draw a plan, then repair and renovate existing infrastructure with good schools, toilets, etc., which will improve their current status. Strengthen the Panchayat team in every village to be responsible and take necessary actions according to the people's needs. Promote transparency and accountability for any action taken and make them understand what is going on and how it will benefit them.

7. What are the most backward villages found that need immediate light and action?

There are many such villages, but still some are considered the most backward in the society with more number of uneducated people, no employment opportunities and many other serious problems which need immediate action by the government.

A village, now known for its house and even banks without doors - Shani Shingnapur, Maharashtra.

India's first fully solar-powered village- Dharnai, Bihar.

India's first bamboo economy consists of tribal people who have access to deep forest - Mendha Lekha, Maharashtra.

A village where everyone speaks only Sanskrit and follows their own specific culture and tradition for generations - Mattur, Karnataka.

From among India's poorest villages to prosperity, this village is now actually developing on its own - Achala, Odisha.

A village with top-notch innovative and unique facilities yet poor - Punsari, Gujarat.

A village with 60 millionaires but then no one to help the village grow - Hiware Bazar, Maharashtra.

Asia's cleanest and most beautiful village - Mawlynnong, Meghalaya

A village where 111 trees are planted every time a girl-child is born yet finds it difficult to cope with economic status - Piplantri, Rajasthan.

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

A rural area is an open swath of land that has few homes or other buildings, and not very many people. A rural area’s population density is very low.

Geography, Human Geography, Sociology

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A rural area is an open swath of land that has few homes or other buildings, and not very many people. A rural areas population density is very low. Many people live in a city , or urban area . Their homes and businesses are located very close to one another. In a rural area, there are fewer people, and their homes and businesses are located far away from one another. Agriculture is the primary industry in most rural areas. Most people live or work on farms or ranches . Hamlets , villages , towns , and other small settlements are in or surrounded by rural areas. Wildlife is more frequently found in rural areas than in cities because of the absence of people and buildings. In fact, rural areas are often called the country because residents can see and interact with the country's native wildlife. Throughout the world, more people live in rural areas than in urban areas. This has been changing rapidly, however. Urbanization is happening all over the world. In Asia, for example, the United Nations estimates that the urban population will increase by almost two billion by 2050. Shift to Cities People are migrating to urban areas for many reasons, including agricultural technology , industrial technology , and the hope of changing ones economic circumstances . Agricultural technology has decreased the need for agricultural workers. Improved transportation , tools , fertilizer , and genetically modified crops mean fewer farmworkers harvest more food. This decreased need for farm employment drives many farmworkers into cities in search of jobs. Industrial technology has created many jobs unique to urban areas. Developing countries often have resource-based economies, meaning most people make their living from agriculture, timber , mining , or other harvesting of natural resources . These natural resources are most often located in rural areas. As developing countries expand the use of industrial technology, they often shift their focus to a service-based economy . Service-based economies use industrial technology to provide finished goods and services to people inside and outside their countries. India, for instance, is a country where many people practice agriculture in rural areas. As the Indian economy develops, however, more people migrate to urban areas like Bangalore to work in the technology industry. Instead of providing the raw materials ( metals ) for computer chips to nations like the United States, Indian companies now manufacture the computer chips themselves. Centers of learning, such as universities, hospitals , and regional government , are usually located in urban areas. Many rural residents travel to cities to take advantage of economic opportunities there. The cost of living in urban areas is usually much higher than in rural areas. It costs more to rent a house, buy food, and use transportation. For this reason, wages are usually higher in urban areas. The search for higher wages is another reason people migrate from rural areas. In the United States, rural areas take up about 98 percent of the country but are home to only 25 percent of the population. In Ethiopia, a less-developed country where agricultural jobs are much more common, 87 percent of the people live in rural areas.

By the Numbers In the United States, the Census Bureau classifies a rural area as a town with fewer than 1,000 people per 2.6 square kilometers (square mile), and surrounding areas with fewer than 500 people per 2.6 square kilometers (square mile).

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What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities

Amid widening gaps in politics and demographics, Americans in urban, suburban and rural areas share many aspects of community life

Table of contents.

1. Demographic and economic trends in urban, suburban and rural communities
2. Urban, suburban and rural residents’ views on key social and political issues
3. How people in urban, suburban and rural communities see each other – and say others see them
4. Views of problems facing urban, suburban and rural communities
5. Americans’ satisfaction with and attachment to their communities
6. How urban, suburban and rural residents interact with their neighbors
7. Life satisfaction and social support in different communities
Acknowledgments
Methodology
Appendix: Additional tables and maps

Large demographic shifts are reshaping America. The country is growing in numbers, it’s becoming more racially and ethnically diverse and the population is aging. But according to a new analysis by Pew Research Center, these trends are playing out differently across community types.

Urban areas are at the leading edge of racial and ethnic change, with nonwhites now a clear majority of the population in urban counties while solid majorities in suburban and rural areas are white. Urban and suburban counties are gaining population due to an influx of immigrants in both types of counties, as well as domestic migration into suburban areas. In contrast, rural counties have made only minimal gains since 2000 as the number of people leaving for urban or suburban areas has outpaced the number moving in. And while the population is graying in all three types of communities, this is happening more rapidly in the suburbs than in urban and rural counties.

At the same time, urban and rural communities are becoming increasingly different from each other politically . Adults in urban counties, long aligned with the Democratic Party, have moved even more to the left in recent years, and today twice as many urban voters identify as Democrats or lean Democratic as affiliate with the Republican Party. For their part, rural adults have moved more firmly into the Republican camp. More than half (54%) of rural voters now identify with or lean to the GOP, while 38% are Democrats or lean Democratic.

Against this backdrop, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that many urban and rural residents feel misunderstood and looked down on by Americans living in other types of communities. About two-thirds or more in urban and rural areas say people in other types of communities don’t understand the problems people face in their communities. And majorities of urban and rural residents say people who don’t live in their type of community have a negative view of those who do. In contrast, most suburbanites say people who don’t live in the suburbs have a positive view of those who do.

In exploring the attitudes, experiences and changing demographics of Americans in different types of communities, this report relies on two distinct approaches to defining urban, suburban and rural areas. For the analysis of findings from the new Pew Research Center survey (Chapters 2-7 of the report), references to urban, suburban and rural communities are based on respondents’ answer to the following question: “How would you describe the community where you currently live? (1) urban, (2) suburban, (3) rural.”

The analysis of how urban, suburban and rural communities are changing along demographic lines (Chapter 1), based on U.S. Census Bureau data, relies on county-level classifications created by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In determining how to draw the lines between “urban,” “suburban” and “rural” communities, Pew Research Center consulted a series of social scientists with expertise in this area. To be sure, there are many ways – and no one right way – to classify communities. Because the survey explored issues related to how Americans are experiencing life in their local communities, including how they relate to their neighbors and how attached they feel to their communities, we settled on a definition based on people’s description of the area where they live.

The classification based on counties used in the analysis of census data makes it more challenging to speak to the specific localities where Americans live, but it has the advantage of allowing for the data to be more easily linked among government data sources to analyze changes over time across the country.

The divides that exist across urban, suburban and rural areas when it comes to views on social and political issues don’t necessarily extend to how people are experiencing life in different types of communities. Rural and suburban adults are somewhat more rooted in their local areas, but substantial shares in cities, suburbs and rural areas say they have lived in their communities for more than 10 years. And about six-in-ten in each type of community say they feel at least some sense of attachment to their communities, though relatively few say they are very attached.

For adults who currently live in or near the place where they grew up – roughly half in rural areas and about four-in-ten in cities and suburbs – family ties stand out as the most important reason why they have never left or why they moved back after living away. And, when it comes to their interactions with neighbors, urban, suburban and rural residents are about equally likely to say they communicate with them on a regular basis.

In addition, urban and rural residents share some of the same concerns. Roughly equal shares of urban (50%) and rural (46%) residents say that drug addiction is a major problem in their local community. When it comes to the availability of jobs, rural adults are somewhat more likely to say this is a major problem where they live (42% say so), but a substantial share of urban dwellers (34%) say the same, significantly higher than the share in suburban communities (22%). Other problems – such as access to affordable housing in cities and access to public transportation in rural areas – are felt more acutely in some areas than in others.

The nationally representative survey of 6,251 adults was conducted online Feb. 26-March 11, 2018, using Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel . 1 It explores the attitudes and experiences of Americans in urban, suburban and rural areas, including their views on key social and political issues, how they see people in other types of communities, and how they’re living out their lives in their local communities. The survey sheds light on what divides and unites Americans across community types as well as on differences within urban, suburban and rural areas – sometimes driven by partisanship, sometimes by demographics. The study also includes a detailed analysis of demographic trends in urban, rural and suburban counties. Among the report’s key findings:

There are significant gaps in measures of economic well-being in urban, suburban and rural counties

In addition to the divergent demographic trends taking place in urban, suburban and rural communities, the analysis finds that rural counties lag behind their urban and suburban counterparts when it comes to some measures related to economic well-being. The average earnings per worker in urban areas were $49,515 in 2016, followed by $46,081 in the suburbs and $35,171 in rural areas, though these figures don’t account for differences in living costs across county types. And while the number of employed adults ages 25 to 54 rose in urban and suburban counties since 2000, it declined in rural counties overall.

When it comes to the number of people living in poverty, however, the suburbs have seen much sharper increases since 2000 than urban or rural counties – a 51% increase, compared with 31% in cities and 23% in rural areas. Overall, the poverty rate is somewhat higher in rural (18%) and urban (17%) areas than in suburban (14%) counties.

Rural Americans, especially those without a college degree, are less optimistic about their financial future

Majorities of Americans in urban (68%), suburban (59%) and rural (62%) communities say they don’t currently have enough income to lead the kind of life they want. But while about half of those in cities (46%) and suburbs (49%) who say this is the case believe they will have enough income in the future, rural residents are less optimistic: 63% of adults in rural areas who say they don’t currently have enough income to lead the kind of life they want don’t expect to in the future, while 36% think they eventually will.

The gap in financial optimism across community types is driven by a marked concern among rural residents without a bachelor’s degree. In rural areas, about a third (34%) of those with some college or less education who say they don’t currently have enough income to lead the kind of life they want think they will in the future; higher shares in cities (44%) and suburbs (46%) say this is the case. In contrast, similar shares of those with a bachelor’s degree or more education in urban (53%), suburban (58%) and rural (53%) areas think they will eventually have enough income to lead the kind of life they want.

Across community types, majorities say rural areas get less than their fair share of federal dollars

About seven-in-ten rural residents (71%), and somewhat narrower majorities in suburban (61%) and urban (57%) communities, say rural areas receive less than their fair share of federal dollars. These views don’t vary considerably across demographic or partisan lines.

When it comes to the amount urban areas receive from the federal government, about half of urban dwellers (49%) say cities receive less than their fair share; only about a third of those in suburbs and rural areas share this view. Across community types, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say urban areas receive less than their fair share, while Republicans are more likely to say these types of communities receive more than their fair share. Similar shares of Democrats and Republicans within each community type say urban areas receive about the right amount of federal dollars.

About six-in-ten rural residents say the values of urban dwellers don’t align with theirs; 53% of urban residents say the same about the values of those in rural areas

Most Americans say people who live in the same type of community as they do generally share their values, but they are less convinced that those in other types of communities do. For example, a majority of rural residents (58%) say the values of most people in urban areas are very or somewhat different from theirs.

Among urban dwellers, 53% see an urban-rural divide on values, while 46% say most people in rural areas have values that are similar to their own. About half in urban and rural areas say most people in suburbs share their values, while suburbanites are somewhat more likely to say most people in rural areas have values that are similar to their own (58%) than to say the same about those in urban areas (51%).

There’s a clear political dimension to these attitudes. For example, majorities of Republicans in urban (64%) and suburban (78%) communities say most people in rural areas share their values, while about six-in-ten Democrats in these communities say the values of most rural residents are different from theirs.

Conversely, Democrats in suburban and rural areas are far more likely than their Republican counterparts to say most people who live in cities share their values. Even among Republicans who live in urban areas, only about half (48%) say most people who live in cities share their values.

Urban and rural Americans differ sharply in their views of some key social and political issues, but in some cases this has more to do with partisanship than geography

Americans in urban and rural communities have widely different views when it comes to social and political issues, including their assessments of President Donald Trump and opinions about race, immigration, same-sex marriage, abortion and the role of government.

In many cases, the differences between urban and rural residents can be attributed to the fact that rural areas tend to have a higher concentration of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, while majorities in urban communities identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party. For example, while urban dwellers are far more likely than their rural counterparts to say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, that the government should do more to solve problems, and that whites benefit from advantages in society that black people do not have, these differences shrink when partisanship is taken into account. In other words, Democrats across community types share similar views on these issues, as do Republicans in urban, rural and suburban areas.

On other issues, differences across community types remain, even after controlling for partisanship. Rural Republicans are more likely than Republicans in urban areas to say the legalization of same-sex marriage is a bad thing for society, and they are also more likely to express very positive views of Trump. In turn, Democrats across community types express different views on immigration, with those in urban areas more likely than their rural counterparts to say the growing number of newcomers strengthens American society.

Seven-in-ten urban dwellers – vs. about half in rural areas – say it’s important to them to live in a community that is racially and ethnically diverse

Rural residents are far more likely than their suburban and urban counterparts to say that, as far as they know, all or most of their neighbors are the same race or ethnicity as they are (69% vs. 53% and 43%, respectively). And urban residents place a much higher priority on living in a community that is racially and ethnically diverse than do those in suburban and rural areas: 70% of city dwellers say this is very or somewhat important to them, compared with a narrower majority of those in suburbs (59%) and about half in rural areas (52%).

Across community types, relatively few say all or most of their neighbors share their political views: About a quarter in urban (25%) and rural (24%) communities and 19% in the suburbs say this is the case. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the political makeup of urban and rural communities, majorities of Republicans in cities (59%) and Democrats in rural areas (57%) say only some or none of their neighbors share their political views.

Living among politically like-minded people is not a top priority for most Americans: Only one-in-ten or fewer in urban (10%), suburban (8%) and rural (6%) communities say it is very important to them personally to live in a community where most people share their political views. Still, many say this is at least somewhat important to them (46%, 43% and 38%, respectively).

Urban and rural residents see drug addiction as a top-tier problem in their local community

About half of urban (50%) and rural (46%) adults say drug addiction is a major problem where they live; a smaller but substantial share in the suburbs (35%) say the same about their local community.

Concerns about drug addiction vary significantly along socio-economic lines. Across community types, those without a bachelor’s degree are more likely than those with more education to say drug addiction is a major problem in their local community.

Certain problems are felt more deeply in some types of communities than in others. For example, rural adults are more likely than their urban and suburban counterparts to say access to public transportation and to high-speed internet are major problems. For their part, urban dwellers express greater concern than those in suburban and rural areas about the availability of affordable housing, crime, poverty and the quality of K-12 education in public schools.

About four-in-ten U.S. adults live in or near the community where they grew up

About half of rural residents (47%) say they live in or near the community where they grew up, including about a quarter (26%) who say they have always lived there. Among those in urban and suburban areas, about four-in-ten say they currently live in or near the community where they grew up (42% and 38%, respectively), with about one-in-five in each saying that has always been the case.

In urban, suburban and rural areas, more point to family ties than to any other factor as one of the main reasons why they stayed in the community where they grew up or why they left and later returned. About four-in-ten of those who left and came back (42%) and 35% of those who have lived in or near the same community their entire lives say they have done so to be near family. For both groups, factors related to the quality of life in the community, such as the cost of living, the climate, amenities, schools, or the sense of community, are the second most-cited reasons; 22% of those who left and returned and 17% of those who never left point to these factors.

About half of adults who have always lived in or near the community where they grew up (52%) say all or most of their extended family members live within an hour’s drive from them, compared with 38% of those who moved away and returned, and even smaller shares of those who don’t live in or near the community where they grew up (17%).

Across community types, relatively few say they feel very attached to the community where they live

A majority of Americans (59%) say they feel some attachment to their local community, but only 16% say they feel very attached; 41% say they are not too or not at all attached to the community where they live. Adults in urban, suburban and rural areas report nearly identical levels of attachment to their local community.

In each of the three types of communities, those who have lived in their community for more than a decade and who have made connections with their neighbors are the most likely to feel a sense of attachment. About seven-in-ten adults who have lived in their community more than a decade (69%) say they feel very or somewhat attached to their local community, compared with 54% of those who have lived in their community six to 10 years and 44% of those who have done so less than six years. And while 77% of those who say they know all or most of their neighbors say they feel attached to their local community, a narrower majority of those who know some of their neighbors (55%) and about a third of those who don’t know any of their neighbors (32%) say the same.

Smaller shares of adults in rural areas than in cities and suburbs say they’d like to move away

About a third of U.S. adults (32%) say they would want to move to a different community if they could, while 37% say they would not want to move and 31% aren’t sure. One-in-four rural residents say they would move if given the chance, compared with 37% of those in urban areas and 34% of suburbanites. Among adults younger than 30, however, about an equal share in urban (42%) and rural (39%) areas say they would move if they could; 48% of young adults in the suburbs say the same.

Among those who say they would want to move, many, particularly in suburban and rural areas, say they would like to stay in the same type of community. For example, about four-in-ten adults in the suburbs who would like to move (41%) say they would choose to move to another suburban community. Similarly, 40% of those in rural areas who report they would like to move say they would move to another rural community.

Among urban dwellers who say they would like to move, similar shares say they would like to stay in an urban area (28%) as say they would like to move to a rural community (30%). About four-in-ten (41%) would like to move to the suburbs.

Rural residents are more likely than those in cities or suburbs to say they know all or most of their neighbors, but no more likely to interact with them

Four-in-ten adults in rural communities say they know all or most of their neighbors, compared with 28% in the suburbs and 24% in urban areas. However, among those who know at least some of their neighbors, rural Americans are no more likely than their urban and suburban counterparts to say they interact with them on a regular basis.

About half of adults who know at least some of their neighbors in urban (53%), suburban (49%) and rural (47%) communities say they have face-to-face conversations with a neighbor at least once a week. Other forms of communication, such as exchanging emails or text messages or talking on the phone with neighbors, are less common: About one-in-five or fewer in urban, rural and suburban areas say this happens at least once a week.

Americans are generally trusting of their neighbors, but those in suburban and rural areas are more so. For example, about six-in-ten of those in the suburbs (62%) and in rural communities (61%) say they have a neighbor they would trust with a set of keys to their home, compared with about half (48%) in urban areas.

There is little variation among those living in different types of communities in the share reporting they have social support, feel optimistic about their lives or feel lonely. And the idea that life in the city feels more hectic than life in the country is not borne out by the data – only about one-in-ten urban, suburban and rural residents say they always or almost always feel they are too busy to enjoy their lives.

For the analysis of findings from the new Pew Research Center survey (Chapters 2-7 of the report), references to “urban,” “suburban” and “rural” are based on respondents’ answer to the following question: “How would you describe the community where you currently live? (1) urban, (2) suburban, (3) rural.”

The analysis of how urban, suburban and rural communities are changing along demographic lines (Chapter 1), based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, relies on county-level classifications created by the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Throughout the report, the terms “urban” and “city” are used interchangeably.

All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party: Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and independents who say they lean toward the Republican Party, and Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and independents who say they lean toward the Democratic Party.

References to Millennials include adults who are ages 22 to 37 in 2018. Generation Xers include those who are ages 38 to 53, Baby Boomers include those who are 54 to 72 and members of the Silent Generation include those ages 73 to 90.

References to college graduates or people with a college degree comprise those with a bachelor’s degree or more. “Some college” includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree. “High school” refers to those who have a high school diploma or its equivalent, such as a General Education Development (GED) certificate.

References to whites, blacks and Asians include only those who are non-Hispanic and identify as only one race. Hispanics are of any race. Nonwhites include blacks, Hispanics, other races and people who identify with more than one race.

“Upper class” refers to those who said they belong in the upper or upper-middle classes. “Lower class” refers to those who said they belong in the lower or lower-middle classes.

The survey includes an oversample of adults living in rural areas. For more details, see the Methodology section of the report. ↩

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Do you prefer living in an urban or rural area? State your preference and give reasons to why you feel that way?

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Government spend millions of dollars each year on their space programmes Most recently Mars is the focus of scientists attention' . Some people think this money would be better spent on dealing with closer to home. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., some people believe that professionals such as doctors and engineers should be required to work in the country where they did their training. others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and more creativity than reading. to what extent do you agree use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer., the governments should give each citizen a basic income so that they have enough money to live on, even if they are unemployed. to what extent do you agree or disagreec.

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The roadmap to teaching in rural and regional areas

Michael's journey from military training to primary teaching on the NSW south coast.

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August 21, 2024

After a military career cut short, Batemans Bay-local Michael Clark unlocked his passion for teaching at UOW Eurobodalla. Now a dedicated primary school teacher and soon-to-be dad, Michael shares how regional education transformed his life and the lives of those around him.

“If you enjoy your work, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This was the motto on repeat for Michael Clark upon returning to his hometown of Batemans Bay after his military stint was cut short. “I had pursued a career in the Australian Army, but left before moving up any rank,” Michael explains. “Now, back in my local area, I didn’t enjoy my work in retail, so I had to reflect on what I’d enjoyed in the past.”

A particular memory from high school stood out: “I remembered tutoring a friend’s son when I was in my late teens, who was potentially going to repeat Year 3. We worked together a few times a week, and he made enough progress to continue with his peers to Year 4,” Michael says. “I wanted to work with kids and help them reach their goals—no matter how big or small.”

With a career objective now set, Michael admits he was clueless on how to make it happen until visiting the UOW Eurobodalla campus. “I had very little experience [interacting] with children, let alone teaching them! But the Bachelor of Arts offered several alternate job opportunities to explore.”

Established in 2000 alongside UOW’s regional campuses in the Shoalhaven , Southern Highlands , and Bega Valley , choosing UOW Eurobodalla for his undergraduate degree was a no-brainer for this proud local. “It was a decision based around family. I had all of my family here in Batemans Bay and a good friend base as well,” Michael says. “Moving to the main campus in Wollongong would have been a major transition. And as a mature age student, I wanted to keep my base here. I could see myself living here for the rest of my life.”

Life lessons

Reflecting on his time at UOW Eurobodalla, Michael’s experience was overwhelmingly positive. “The staff were fantastic. The tutors were highly approachable. You could easily just knock on the door and ask them a question. It was a lot easier, in my opinion, than potentially going and visiting a tutor in the similar position at the main campus. They had an open-door policy.”

Michael also valued the diversity of the student cohort. “We had early school leavers from the age of 17, and some elderly people that were all the way up to their 80s who, when you're doing a history subject, had some really, really valuable knowledge. They had lived through what we were learning about and could contribute to discussions in that sort of way. I found that valuable. I'm not sure if you would get that from the main campus.”

But the transition from the Bachelor of Arts to the Master of Teaching (Primary) program was “a whole other can of worms,” facing a global challenge that nobody planned for. “Three weeks in, COVID was building momentum and shutdowns initiated,” Michael recalls. “Everyone was to study from home, which was no big deal for the regional campuses because we already did that. Yet the Batemans Bay staff rallied and offered adjustments and alternatives to assist us with our education almost without skipping a beat. I truly admire them for their efforts during this time. They are more like friends than anything else.”

Empowering communities

For someone who embodies the benefit of regional education, Michael is optimistic about the future of campuses like UOW Eurobodalla. “I hope that regional campuses continue to maintain their place in the community. I've already seen through my five years of being at UOW Eurobodalla that they have a huge place in the community.

Committed to his dual roles as a working primary school teacher and an excited, soon-to-be dad, Michael believes regional campuses open doors not just for individuals – but for entire communities. “They reach out to different schools, not only secondary but primary, just to let kids know what options are there in the future,” he explains.

“If we continue doing that, then hopefully we get more kids through the door, playing with the idea of what they can be. They don't have to be what their parents are. They can actually study long term and pursue something that's meaningful to them.”

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Urban Life vs. Rural Life
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What is the difference between urban and rural life?

Urban Life: Vibrant and Dynamic

Rural Life: Serene and Close-Knit Communities

FAQs about Urban and Rural Life

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