The debates about suburbanization and sprawl raging in metropolitan areas are also prevalent in small towns and rural communities. New highway construction has made rural areas increasingly accessible. These communities are highly desirable to urban or suburban residents seeking expansive open space and closeness to nature. As a result, many towns are rapidly changing from rural, agricultural communities to bedroom suburbs of larger metropolitan area. This growth brings increased tax revenues, new investment and new jobs, but it also brings a number of stresses that many rural communities are not prepared to handle.
Rapid growth increases pressure on infrastructure.
Many previously sleepy towns are ill equipped to deal with high volumes of traffic, sewage and electricity demands. Housing is in short supply and increasingly unaffordable to residents of low to moderate incomes. Growth also changes the character of communities. New residents need grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants and other services. These establishments tend to crop up on the major commuter arteries and drain business and activity from the traditional downtown commercial centers.