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Human Capital and Population Growth in Nonmetropolitan U.S. Counties

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  • John V. Winters

Abstract

Researchers have consistently shown that the stock of human capital in an area, measured as the share of the adult population with a college degree, is a strong predictor of future population growth. This article examines this relationship for U.S. nonmetropolitan counties and posits that student migration for higher education may play an important role. Students often move to an area for college and then stay in the area after their education is complete, causing the area’s educated population to grow. Empirical evidence suggests that student migration explains nearly all the greater in-migration to highly educated nonmetropolitan counties. Implications for nonmetropolitan brain drain are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • John V. Winters, 2011. "Human Capital and Population Growth in Nonmetropolitan U.S. Counties," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 25(4), pages 353-365, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecdequ:v:25:y:2011:i:4:p:353-365
    DOI: 10.1177/0891242411418221
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    4. Alvarez-Dias, Marcos & D'Hombres, Beatrice & Ghisetti, Claudia & Pontarollo, Nicola & Dijkstra, Lewis, 2018. "The Determinants of Population Growth: Literature review and empirical analysis," JRC Working Papers in Economics and Finance 2018-10, Joint Research Centre, European Commission.
    5. Ann Marie Fiore & Linda S. Niehm & Jessica L. Hurst & Jihyeong Son & Amrut Sadachar & Daniel W. Russell & David Swenson & Christopher Seeger, 2015. "Will They Stay or Will They Go? Community Features Important in Migration Decisions of Recent University Graduates," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 29(1), pages 23-37, February.
    6. Philipp Gareis & Tom Broekel, 2022. "The Spatial Patterns of Student Mobility Before, During and After the Bologna Process in Germany," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 113(3), pages 290-309, July.
    7. Tunstall, Thomas, 2015. "Recent Economic and Community Impact of Unconventional Oil and Gas Exploration and Production on South Texas Counties in the Eagle Ford Shale Area," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 45(1).
    8. Sjoquist, David L. & Winters, John V., 2013. "The effects of HOPE on post-college retention in the Georgia workforce," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 479-490.
    9. Zhenshan Yang, 2023. "Human capital space: a spatial perspective of the dynamics of people and economic relationships," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Francisco Rowe & Jonathan Corcoran & Martin Bell, 2017. "The returns to migration and human capital accumulation pathways: non-metropolitan youth in the school-to-work transition," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(3), pages 819-845, November.
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