Español

Based on the present study, we are hoping to draw attention to some tendencies in Mexican cities, which are essential for the development of their population. On the one hand, rural areas need to be included in the so-called urban processes; these maintain a permanent social, economic and public administration ties to their rural environment, especially in small cities, like La Piedad, with about one hundred thousand inhabitants. On the other hand, cities and metropolitan areas such as La Piedad-Pénjamo, as well as their rural surroundings, find themselves in a process of aging and population loss, which brings up the question ¿Who is going to take care of the elderly? ¿Who works and will work the land? Considering the population tendencies of metropolitan areas like La Piedad-Pénjamo should make us reflect on what kinds of territorial imbalances will develop in the future. Key words: Rural population, medium metropolitan areas, La Piedad-Pénjamo.