Rural Gentrification in the United States 1975-2000: An Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Trends

Shaun Golding, University of Wisconsin-Madison

I identify where gentrification occurred by operationalizing it as a specific pattern of urban-to-rural migration flows. I track the spread of rural gentrification in the United States between 1975 and 2000, looking for evidence of difference between eastern and western regions, evidence of a diffusion-like spread, referred to as the structural flux hypothesis, and evidence of the relationship between gentrification and national economic trends, referred to as the diffusion hypothesis. I first use spatial analyses to show evidence suggestive of diffusion and of distinct patterns between the East and West. I then model the relationship between rural counties level of gentrification and qualities of their migration appeal using spatial regression. Changes over the course of the three decades suggest that rural gentrification is indeed dependent on the economic context impacting each region in each decade, which is supported by evidence of different spatial relationships found in each region.