1. RECENT NON-TRADITIONAL RURAL RESIDENTS AND THE URBAN-RURAL INTERFACE

2. Alabama Rural Population According to the 2000 US Census, now only a minority of Alabama rural residents call themselves farmers, or live on farms (see next slide). We do not know much about the non-farm rural residents.

3. Alabama Population 2000 (US Census Data) Total Population4,447,100 Urban Population2,465,539 Rural Population1,981,561 –Rural Non-farm Population1,927,390 –Farm Population 54,171 Total Housing Units1,963,711 Urban Housing Units1,080,525 Rural Housing Units 883,186 –Rural Non-farm Housing Units 862,385 –Farm Housing Units 20,801

4. Various “New” Residents Old farmers with small plots of land Retired people looking for a cheap place to live People on pensions Poor people in general, many of whom have moved back to the countryside Mobile home park residents Ex-urbanites with a job in town and 1-30 acres of a home site Ex-urbanites with 10-200 acres of land, and who often raise some livestock Hobby farmers and cattle growers

5. The Urban-Rural Interface In the past 30 years, cities, satellite towns, suburban housing developments, and ex-urbanites home sites have all expanded rapidly into farmland. Counties that were once predominantly farming now have many non-farming residents living right next to farms. The non- farming residents might outnumber the farmers. The farmers and non-farmers do not always know each other’s way of life, and get along.

7. Southeast Fastest Growing Region Over 3.26 million acres developed 1992-1997 Over 652,000 acres per year

8. Atlanta in 1972

9. Atlanta in 1993