Human capital raises rural incomes, but this effect is swamped by higher returns to human capital in urban markets. This leads to 'brain drain' from rural areas. Populations grow more rapidly in rural counties that have a diversified employment base. Farm population grows faster (or declines...

Data from 919 household surveys conducted between 1960 and 2012, spanning 147 economies, are used to evaluate the relationship between rising life expectancy at birth and lifetime years of schooling for successive birth cohorts between 1905 and 1988. The study finds significant positive effects...