THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON THE NONMETROPOLITAN POPULATION AGE STRUCTURE, 1960-1990

In this paper we examine the short-run impact of migration on the age composition of nonmetropolitan areas. Changes in age structure can hav e important consequences at the local level, and the influence of migr ation is particularly notable because it is highly age-graded, with di fferent migration patterns found in various types of nonmetropolitan c ommunities. Here we compare the impact of migration on age structures in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas across the last three decade s. Within nonmetropolitan areas we also compare counties with colleges , commuting counties, agricultural counties and retirement counties. W e conclude that several factors influence the impact of migration on a ge structure. Impacts will be greater in smaller than in larger popula tion groups, and in areas that specialize in economic functions that i mpinge on a particular age group. But in general, migration adds young people to metropolitan areas and older people to nonmetropolitan area s. Differential impacts may be lessened in periods, such as 1970-80, w hen substantial population redistribution was underway. Nevertheless, prior and present fertility and mortality trends, and the cumulative h istory of migration well exceed the impact of migration on age in any ten-year interval.