Rural/Urban Differences: Persistence or Decline☆

A long line of sociological research has found that rural residents tend to be more conservative than urban residents in the U.S. on a wide range of attitudes and behaviors. Two primary arguments have been utilized to understand why these differences exist. First, rural/urban differences were thought to be largely a function of rural isolation and differences in types of employment. As rural areas have become less isolated and employment differences have diminished, rural/urban differences are thought to diminish as well. Any remaining rural/urban differences can largely be explained by social class variations. Second, differing interaction patterns in rural areas resulting from fewer people and lower population densities continue to make rural areas unique. This manuscript found strong support for the second argument that rural areas remain unique. Even when statistically controlling for race/ethnicity and social class, rural residents were much more likely to vote for Trump in the 2020 presidential election, were more likely to choose the conservative side on six controversial political issues than urban residents. These findings have important implications in understanding our deeply divided nation. The need for quality social science research to understand modern rural America is apparent.

Automated summary

Sociological research has shown that rural residents in the U.S. tend to be more conservative than urban residents. The differences are believed to be influenced by rural isolation, employment differences, and unique interaction patterns in rural areas. Even when controlling for race/ethnicity and social class, rural residents are more likely to vote for Trump and hold conservative views on controversial political issues compared to urban residents.