Resumen de Measuring Beauty.
This article reports that in recent years the U.S. government has started rating each county in the contiguous 48 states in terms of its natural amenities. The ratings, made by the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are based on six measures: January temperature, January sunshine, temperature gain between January and July (less is better), July humidity, water area, and topographic variation. The map, which summarizes the ratings, reveals a distinct pattern, with the western states and southern Florida at the top of the scale and scoring well on most measures. In contrast, the upper Midwest, from Ohio through the Dakotas, shows a relative lack of amenities. This region, of course, tends to have cold winters. With the study, the USDA hopes to understand the factors underlying the economic viability of rural counties. It demonstrated that natural amenities correlate strongly with population change: Counties having very high amenities scores typically doubled in population during the period from 1970 to 1996, apparently because of their ability to attract retirees and recreational facilities. INSETS: FAST FACTS:;FURTHER READING.
