phasized in Table 5 where migration is expressed as a percentage of the 

 1940 age groups for each county. Coos, Grafton and Sullivan counties lost 

 heavily in all age groups. With the exception of Rockingham and Strafford 

 counties there was a net exodus from each county of the age groups who 

 were 5 to 24 years of age in 1940 and who would have been 15 to 34 years 

 in 1950. Industrial development and job opportunities undoubtedly con- 

 tributed to a net increase in these productive age groups in the two southern 

 counties of Rockingham and Strafford. 



Rural — Urban Migration 



The definition of rural farm and urban residence was different for the 

 1940 and 1950 census. Applying the 1940 definitions to the 1950 data made 

 it possible, however, to establish the net migration of persons to 54 in 

 1940 and who would have been 10 to 64 in 1950 by urbsn and rural 

 residence classes. The results show a decrease in the rural farm and urban 

 age groups and an increase in the rural nonfarm residents. For every 100 

 farm residents between the ages of to 54 in 1940, for example, there were 

 only 72 in 1950. For every 100 rural nonfarm residents between the ages 

 to 54 in 1940, there were 114 in 1950. 



Table 6. Net Migration from 1940 to 1950 of Urban, Rural Form and 

 Rural Nonfarm Residents in the Age Groups to 54 in 1940 



Net Migration Percent of 1940 Population 



Urban - 8241 3.54 



Rural Nonfarm 16830 14.38 



Rural Farm —13043 28.39 



The increase in rural nonfarm residents can be explained by the move- 

 ment of city residents to neighboring rural areas and small towns. Improved 

 roads and transportation facilities together with improved incomes has 

 accentuated this preference for small town life. The decline in farm resi- 

 dents is typical of the United States during and since the 1940-50 decade. 

 The decrease in number of farms has been accompanied by an increase in 

 the level of living of the remaining farm families. The number of farms in 

 New Hampshire declined from 18,786 in 1945 to 10,411 in 1955 but the 

 average size increased from 107 to 140 acres. The major sources of farm 

 income are dairy and poultry. Cow numbers decreased somewhat during 

 the decade from 65,000 to 59,000. At the same time, however, milk pro- 

 duction per cow increased by at least 25 percent. Poultry numbers in- 

 creased 20 percent from 1945 to 1955. The movement off farms does not 

 indicate a decline in the economic significance of the industry so much as 

 an economic reallocation of resources to increase the total product of the 

 state. The farm-operator family level-of-living index as published by the 

 IJSDA shows that the New Hampshire farm family level of living compares 

 favorably with the rest of New England and is certainly higher than most 

 other regions of the United States. There has been an improvement in 

 levels of living as shown by a comparison of the 1930 level with 1950. 

 Movement out of agriculture has in part contributed to this progress. There 

 is some variation between counties and levels of farm-family living. The 

 lowest levels are in Coos, Grafton, Belknap, and Carroll, and the highest 

 are in Hillsboro, Cheshire, and Strafford. 



