"Zoom Towns: Migration Patterns in Reverse" by Annie S.
Over the past 2 years the world as we knew it, has changed tremendously. Everything from how we go to school, to cultural norms, to work habits has rapidly changed. Another unexpected change occurring is a new migration pattern. We are seeing rural areas becoming less rural. Rather than the typical migration pattern we have grown used to seeing where people from rural towns move to big cities to get a job and pursue a career, we are now seeing people that work for big corporations actually moving to less populated areas.
What's the driving force behind this new trend you might ask? You guessed it, Covid 19. CoronaVirus forced us to improve our technology to allow students and companies to work from home. It became evident that jobs previously done in-office could actually be done from home. Big corporations don’t have to have employees physically on campus anymore. This means that instead of living in the cities or even the suburbs around the cities, families could move into small towns and still keep their current jobs.
What are the consequences of this new migration pattern? The pattern is straining the small towns the remote workers are moving into. Small towns are not equipped to accommodate the influx of people. Certain resources like housing are going through the roof because of the sudden increase in demand. According to Hp Garage, In Flathead County, Montana, the real estate closings nearly doubled in 2020. The population is increasing in rural areas like we have never seen. Rural development experts said “This year we’ll be where they expected us to be in 15 years.” This is causing the people that lived in the areas prior to the formation of zoom cites, to be pushed out of their town. They can no longer afford to live and work in those areas.
The problems that were once unique to urban cities are becoming rural issues. Another growing issue is that Infrastructure is overwhelmed in these areas. This principle is evident when you take a closer look at the health care infrastructure in rural towns. People are coming into these towns so in the age of a pandemic that means they are probably bringing the virus with them. Hospitals in the area are overcrowded and understaffed. This can lead to patients receiving less than standard care and is a direct example of the effects of a crumbling infrastructure. States like Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, spent 15% of their budget on capital expenses. These are the kind of places people are moving to: big states with low populations. They have to devote more of their budget to keep up with things like the road repairs, school ground upkeep, and sidewalk restoration. Schools are also being hit pretty hard by the effects of zoom cities. New people came into these states and were working and home schooling from home. Onsight teachers were stressed to the max and caused many of the older teachers to decide to retire. Last year 34% of teachers 55 years and older reported that they were seriously considering retirement. The Pandemic is slowing, more and more students are returning to school; however, there are less teachers. The student to staff ratio is unbalanced and this is causing a strain on the education system.
The bottom line is small towns were never built to accommodate large populations. The formation of zoom towns sounds like a good idea but in reality is hurting our small towns. So is this trend here to stay or is it just a fad that will fade in a year or so? If so then have we just rearranged our cities for people who are likely not going to be staying long term? At the moment we can only see the short term effects but experts are wondering what this will look like long term. Do you believe the trend is here to stay?
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