· State of the Countryside 2008 report
        · Analysis: Report reveals the state we're in

Almost one in five people in England live in the countryside, according to the document, published by the Commission for Rural Communities on Wednesday (16 July).

Some 9.6 million people were resident in rural settlements in England in 2005 - eqivalent to 19.1% of England’s population, reveals the report.

The rural population continues to grow fast

Most of this increase is due to internal migration by people moving out of cities rather than different birth and death rates, says the report.

Most households moving into rural England are families with young children and people aged from about 44 to 64, while most moving out are people aged 15 to 29.

The longer distance internal migration moves tend to be towards the South West and to areas such as Norfolk and Lincolnshire from London and major cities.

Migration from overseas has increased dramatically for rural areas over the last four years, but numbers are still below those for cities.

The bulk of migrants are from countries that have recently joined the European Union, although there are now more overseas migrants from the Indian sub continent and the Far East in many rural areas.

For most types of service the number of outlets continues to decline in both urban and rural areas.

Use of broadband is higher in those rural areas with high levels of commuting and lowest in sparse rural areas. Rural internet users are more likely to use it for accessing services.

Rural residents travel greater distances and, out of necessity, more of their travel is by car due to a lack of public transport.

The average rural house price sale in 2007 was £257,600 compared with £212,823 in urban areas.

Housing affordability remains a major issue in rural areas, especially for lower quartile prices and income. It is worse in sparse rural areas, and in the South West, Norfolk and parts of Yorkshire.

Rural residents are likely to have a longer life expectancy, and more of that is likely to be lived in good health than in urban areas.

Children in rural areas tend to perform better at school.

The 2007 Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) shows rural areas to have, on average, less concentrated deprivation than urban areas.

Changes since 2004 have tended to increase inequalities between rural areas.

On most of the measures where rural areas are faring better than urban areas on average, there are areas, generally sparse and more remote, where conditions are not so good.

             See also:
                   • Analysis: Report reveals the state we're in (members only)
                   • Countryside 2008: Poverty gap is widening (16 July 2008)
                   • Countryside 2008: Better for business (16 July 2008)
                   • Countryside 2008: A mixed environment (16 July 2008)
                   • Rural healhcare is 'major challenge' (10 June 2008)
                   • Rural services are in decline - official (17 April 2007)
                   • Government policies 'doomed to failure' (15 March 2007)
                   • One million people living in rural poverty (2 March 2007)
                   • Warning of 'lost city' of rural disadvantage (10 October 2007)
                   • Rural life more expensive than in cities (14 September 2007)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Show/hide comment form