The dynamics of rural gentrification and the effects of ageing on gentrified rural places

Theories of gentrification represent gentrifiers as social groups at early- to mid- phases of their lifecourse. In urban contexts, this encompasses young, childless and upwardly mobile professionals and family gentrifiers with children. The latter are also prominent figures within representations of idyllic, gentrified rural places for raising children, family life and neighbourly relations; although in early rural gentrification studies there was reference to retirement migration. Such issues, however, are under-explored and mature populations have been absent from gentrification scholarship, despite the recognition of affluent households within ageing societies. At the same time, the ageing of gentrified populations is overlooked within cross-sectional analyses of gentrification. Our aim is to widen the lens on gentrifier populations, and to consider the effects of ageing in gentrified villages. Drawing on 2011 census data for England and Wales and findings from a household questionnaire, we identify populations of ageing gentrifiers who in-migrated before and at retirement, and have ‘stayed-put’ for considerable lengths of time. Through three vignettes, we highlight how these staying rural gentrifiers may create displacement pressures impacting on younger residents and potentially influence the supply of housing for subsequent waves of gentrification, although they may also come to be displaced by such waves.