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About 50 million Americans live in the 2,051 nonmetro counties, those outside commuting distance of urbanized areas with at least 50,000 people. Non-Hispanic whites were 81 percent of nonmetro residents in 2006, Blacks eight percent, and Hispanics six percent; however, Hispanic populations in nonmetro areas are increasing rapidly.

Nonmetro counties include less than 20 percent of US residents, but have 80 percent of US land. About half of the nonmetro counties gained and half lost population between 2000 and 2006. The counties gaining population were larger--they had an average 32,400 residents, while counties losing population had an average 17,000 residents.

There were about 23 million US workers employed in nonmetro counties in mid-2008, compared with 123 million in metro counties. Nonmetro employment growth slowed in 2008, as higher energy prices and tighter credit slowed construction and other economic activities throughout the US.

Land. Farm land prices in the Midwestern corn and grain belts surged with commodity prices, rising almost 10 percent between 2007 and 2008. Land prices track the increase in net farm income, expected to top $90 billion in 2008, far above the average of $61 billion in the previous decade.

Land prices in states such as Nebraska doubled between 2005 and 2008, as corn prices rose from $2 to $6 a bushel. However, higher revenues for corn and wheat farmers mean higher feed costs for livestock producers, some of whom reduced their herds, which temporarily lowered meat costs.

USDA. ERS. Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/IncomePovertyWelfare/