Lichter & Johnson: Latino Population as a Lifeline to Rural America

In A Demographic Lifeline to Rural America: Latino Population Growth in New Destinations, 1990 – 2019, authors Daniel L. Lichter (Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell) and Kenneth M. Johnson (Sociology, New Hampshire) explore how “Latinos and other immigrant and refugee populations” have provided “a demographic lifeline and an engine of economic development in many declining parts of rural America.”

This recent book chapter provides a clear summary of changing rural demographics, including overall downward trends in both population and economic development in many rural spaces. The chapter also clearly summarizes and documents growing racial and ethnic diversity of rural America since 1990 – after the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) became law.

As Lichter and Johnson summarize: “Between 1990 and 2019, the nonmetro Hispanic population nearly doubled in size. Hispanics are now the largest minority population, representing 9% of the rural population compared with 8% of the African American population. Asian, Native and multiracial peoples represent the remaining 5% of the nonmetro population.”

To further clarify this “outsized demographic footprint of Latinos,” the authors note that “Latinos accounted for 58% of overall nonmetro growth between 1990 and 2019, compared to only 7% among the non-Hispanic white population.”

(Throughout the chapater, the authors use Hispanic and Latino interchangeably, explaining that ”Hispanic” is used by the U.S. Census Bureau but is sometimes objected to by scholars who prefer Latino or other terminology.)

Ultimately, Lichter and Johnson conclude that America’s Latino population – both native and foreign born – is a clear source of rural demographic and economic resilience. They also acknowledge that Latinos and other immigrant and refugee populations have often filled the demand for low-wage labor, especially in the meatpacking industry, in corporate agriculture and food processing, on dairy farms, and in hospitality jobs in rural recreational and amenity areas.

The policy implications of Latino immigration in rural America are vast. Given these trends and realities, any federal, state, or local restrictions on legal immigration or the number of refugees or asylum-seekers will directly impact rural America. Overall, the authors suggest that Hispanic growth is integral to the future well-being of rural America and for ongoing economic development efforts that promote thriving rural people and sustainable communities.