Counterurbanization in the rural global south: Evidence from Chile

Abstract

At an international level, rural-urban movements have been explored through counterurbanization, a concept that examines population growth in small and medium-sized cities or rural areas, alongside a decline in large metropolitan areas. In Latin America, research on counterurbanization is limited and not well connected with contemporary discussions. In Chile, although there has been an increase in internal migration, a detailed analysis of this process is still lacking, especially in the rural areas of the south, valued for their landscape quality. This study analyzes the magnitude, origin-destination flows, and key characteristics of migrants related to rural counterurbanization, defined as migration from large or medium-sized cities to rural areas in three regions of southern Chile. Using statistical analysis of census microdata between 1992 and 2017, the results highlight three main points. First, while the rural population is decreasing, there is a gradual increase in rural counterurbanization in the south, although its magnitude is lower than in other countries. Second, this process is driven by a decentralization movement, where the Metropolitan Region becomes a significant source of rural migrants, while the main cities of the studied regions lose relevance. Third, the profile of the rural migrant in the south is younger, more educated, and works less in agriculture than the native population, suggesting the possibility of ongoing rural gentrification processes. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.