A new study reveals England's countryside faces a stark future, as the young move out. The Commission for Rural Communities has published its 2007 State of the countryside report revealing some startling statistics about rural areas. There are now 400,000 fewer young people aged 15-29 in rural areas than 20 years ago. Although the rural population is rising, the demographic is both older and ageing faster than in urban areas. Commission chairman, Dr Stuart Burgess, said: ‘The loss of young people is a real threat to the future diversity and sustainability of rural communities. Much more needs to be done to retain young people, and provide them with opportunities and incentives to return to their roots, if they choose.' Rural areas have, however, seen a 200% growth in the number of migrant workers in the last three years.
