A Quarter Century of Experience

Abstract

Stimulating the economic life of nonmetro communities by encouraging manufacturing location creates benefits and problems. There are new jobs; but few are filled by local economically disadvantaged citizens. Per capita income increases; but gains are unequally distributed. Population frequently grows; primarily due to in-migration. While more people stimulate local markets they also generate greater demands for public services with the result that gains in the fiscal base of local governments often are exceeded by costs of service delivery. Industrial development of rural areas produces positive gains to owners of local economic assets. It will have a small or even negative effect on local government and economically disadvantaged citizens.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gene F. Summers

Dr. Summers is a professor of sociology, in the Department of Rural Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.