The Demographic and Economic Implications of Globalization for the Nonmetropolitan United States

After passing through eras labeled as "Small Town in Isolation" and "Small Town in Mass Society," it is argued that nonmetropolitan America is now entering the era of " Small Town in Global Society." Two factors that distinguish global society from mass society are worldwide competition and the reduced relevance of location. In this article, a model is developed to explore the factors related to demographic and economic outcomes in a global society. Several variables that were related to positive demographic and economic outcomes in mass society, such as adjacency to metro areas, continue to be significant in global society. The most important of the independent variables, however, is natural amenities. Areas with more aesthetic environments are more likely to be successful than other areas in attracting employment in both the goods producing and the service sectors. Positive employment trends are related to demographic and economic growth. The implications of these findings are discussed.