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Rural dependency ratios higher than urban ratios in 2023, indicating a greater need in rural areas for caregiving for children and older adults

  • by Richelle L. Winkler
  • 5/5/2025
  • Rural Economy & Population
Horizontal bar chart showing dependency ratios, which compare number of youth or older people for every 100 working-age persons, for different rural-urban continuum groupings.

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Working-age populations in rural counties are shrinking. As a result, rural populations are becoming more concentrated in younger and older age groups, which tend to require more economic support and caregiving.

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