Rural flight is the phenomenon that occurs in farming communities. As farms have become more mechanized, fewer people are needed to work them. Therefore, the children of farmers often leave for work in cities. Rural flight often depopulates towns to the point that the majority of the residents are elderly.
The Midwest and the Great Plains regions are replete with examples of rural flight. Younger people move away from the farming towns due to a lack of jobs and opportunity. This leaves many of the towns with an aging population.
by New English July 9, 2010