The U.S. is in the midst of a major demographic event: the de-population (DP) of a significant portion of the nation¿s rural counties. This study spells out the causes and ramifications of DP, explores the effects of DP on community banks in the depopulating regions, and discusses possible policies for coping with the phenomenon. It focuses on the relationship between agr. and pop¿n. density; the relationship between agr. and DP; the contributing factors of technol. change; and the commercial structure of rural counties and how it affects DP. Looks at community banks in the Great Plains, which is undergoing the most serious DP. In the U.S., 1,400+ financial institutions with total assets of $131 billion are in counties with declining pop¿ns.