Kenneth Johnson

Kenneth M. Johnson is senior demographer at the Carsey School of Public Policy and professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire. He is an expert on U.S. demographic trends. His research examines national and regional population redistribution, rural and urban demographic change, the growing racial diversity of the U.S. population, the relationship between demographic and environmental change and the implications of demographic change for public policy.

Dr. Johnson has published a book and more than 250 articles, reports and papers. His peer-reviewed publications have appeared in leading academic journals. He is also sought after for his expertise and ability to explain demographic information to a broad audience both by policy groups and by reporters for national media. His research has been funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Dr. Johnson is an Andrew Carnegie Fellow, a fellowship awarded by the Andrew Carnegie Corporation to advance research in the social sciences and humanities. Dr. Johnson has also been honored by the University of New Hampshire, which named him the Class of 1940 Professor for his excellence in interdisciplinary research and teaching. He has also received a UNH Faculty Scholar award and UNH's Faculty Excellence in Research Award based on the quality, originality, and significance of his scholarly work. The Rural Sociological Society also honored him with its Excellence in Research award.

Carsey Publications

Additional Publications

Johnson, K.M., M.J. Ducey, B.D. Cook, K.L. Cottingham. 2026. “U.S. Census Data Reveal ‘Hidden’ High-density Housing Under Forests Along Lake Shorelines.” Ecosphere.17(5): e70550. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70550

Lichter, D.T and K.M. Johnson. 2025. “Rural America at a Demographic Crossroads?  Depopulation, Deaths, Diversity, and Deprivation”. RSF: The Russell Sage Journal of the Social Sciences, Special Issue on US Census 2020: Continuity and Change.11(2): 88-114. https://doi.org/10.7758/RSF.2025.11.2.05

Lichter, D.T and K.M. Johnson. 2023. “Urbanization and the Paradox of Rural Population Decline:  Racial and Regional Variation." Socius. 9:1-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/23780231221149896

Johnson, K.M. 2023. “Population Redistribution Trends in Nonmetropolitan America, 2010 to 2021.” Rural Sociology. 88(1):193-219. https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12473

Johnson, K.M. and D.J. Scala. 2022. “The Rural-Urban Continuum and the 2020 Presidential Election.”. The Forum. 20(2):229-255. https://doi.org/10.1515/for-2022-2057

Lichter D.T. and K.M Johnson. 2021. “Opportunity and Place: Latino Children and America’s Future”. The Annals of Political and Social Science. 696(1):20-45. http://doi.org/10.1177/00027162211039504

Johnson, K.M. and D.J. Scala. 2021. “The Rural-Urban Continuum of Polarization: Understanding the Geography of the 2018 Midterms.” The Forum.18(4): 607-626. https://doi.org/10.1515/for-2020-2102.

Johnson, K.M. 2020. “As Births Diminish and Deaths Increase, Natural Decrease Becomes More Widespread in Rural America." Rural Sociology. 85(4): 1045-1058. https:doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12358

Lichter, D.T. and K.M. Johnson. 2020. “A Demographic Lifeline? Immigration and Hispanic Population Growth in Rural America.” Population Research and Policy Review. 39:785-803. https:doi.org/10.1007/s11113-020-09605-8

Johnson, K M. and D.T. Lichter. 2020. “Metropolitan Reclassification and the Urbanization of Rural America.”  Demography. 57(5):1929-1950. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-020-00912-5