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February 9, 2006
Some Renville County residents are participating in a North Dakota State University out-migration study. The study will look at how communities and counties adjust to population loss and the impact on communities in which people relocate. “Despite growth in urban areas, vitality in rural areas remains critical to the continued economic and cultural well-being of North Dakota,” says Brandy Randall, an assistant professor in the Department of Child Development and Family Science who is conducting the study. James Deal, chair of the Department of Child Development and Family Science; Margaret Fitzgerald, an assistant professor in the department; and Lori Scharmer, an NDSU Extension Service agent from Ward County, are helping conduct the study. More than 20 Renville County residents from the Mohall and Glenburn areas in northwestern North Dakota participated in meetings and interviews for the study in early January. They included parents, school personnel, community leaders and health-care professionals. They are the first to take part in the study, which is looking at out-migration’s impact on individuals and families, as well as communities. “Understanding how children and families are affected by changing communities can help communities develop potential solutions or new approaches to remain vital,” Deal says. Out-migration affects North Dakota in many ways. The 2000 census shows most of the 53 counties have lost population since 1970, and 37 have large concentrations of elderly residents. Also, North Dakota had a net loss of $896.6 million in taxable income from 1993 to 2004 as a result of out-migration, the North Dakota State Data Center reports. Communities participating in the study will receive research results periodically. The researchers expect the study will provide scientific information applicable throughout North Dakota and to other states facing the challenges of out-migration. The 2000 census showed 250 of 429 counties in the Plains states lost population since 1990. ### Source:
Brandy Randall, (701) 231-8742, brandy.randall@ndsu.edu |
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