When the 20th century began, 60 percent of the American population lived in rural areas. Today? Roughly 20 percent.
That makes rural areas lacking in population density and companionship, and it's having an effect on the residents. Social isolation is a concern in many parts of the country, but the sheer distance to other people can make the concern acute in rural areas.
And it can affect overall health, not just mental health. Carrie Henning-Smith at the University of Minnesota recently co-authored a report on rural isolation. She shares the details with us in a JX visit.