It is my hope that increased connectivity and options to study, work, and interact with other people from anywhere will partially revert this trend, but honestly, it seems inevitable.

Part of my family hails from a small Mountain Village which used to be quite alive thirty years ago, but now the majority of the population is above 60, and there's only a handful of children. Small towns have many positive sides, but network effects are too important for people.

For me towns have more perverse networks though. You meet more people but the connections are more shallow (as an adult).

I am really torn about where to raise my kid as it really seems one has to choose between opportunities and social/family life.