Rural Labor Supply and Economic Opportunities: Commuting, Migration, Tariffs, and Immigration

Some rural counties remain dependent on agricultural or manufacturing jobs, but an increasing proportion have diversified economics. Rural counties also differ in their abilities to commute to an urban market characterized by higher wages and labor productivity. National changes in immigration and trade policies have had heterogeneous effects on rural labor markets, with counties dependent on agriculture or food processing facing rising input costs and shrinking international output markets. Increased commuting will help some rural communities adapt, while more remote counties will face outmigration, population loss, and reduced capacity to sustain public services.