Social Disorganization in New Latino Destinations?* Martha Crowley Department of Sociology and Anthropology North Carolina State University Daniel T. Lichter Departments of Policy Analysis and Management and Sociology Cornell University ABSTRACT Rural industrial restructuring, including growth in meat process- ing and other nondurable manufacturing, has generated employment opportunities that have attracted Latino in-migrants to new nonmetropol- itan destinations. Long-time residents, however, are not always receptive. While some observers point to economic and social benefits of a Latino influx, others believe that the newcomers drain local resources, raise poverty and crime rates, and diminish the quality of life in their communities. We evaluate the influence of rapid population growth on emerging Latino destinations—new boomtowns. We use data from the U.S. census and other sources to measure changes in local economic circumstances and quality of life in nonmetropolitan boom counties experiencing high rates of Latino growth between 1990 and 2000. Our findings indicate that large influxes of Latinos had surprisingly few negative economic consequences for local populations. Furthermore, the quality of life in new destinations did not deteriorate in comparison to other nonmetropolitan counties, especially with regard to crime. Mounting pressure to educate students with limited English proficiency is nevertheless apparent. Our conclusion highlights relevant national policy debates and underscores the need for commitment on the part of firms responsible for Latino growth. Introduction Latinos in the United States have traditionally resided in the Southwest (Tienda and Mitchell 2006). In recent years, however, regional economic restructuring, especially in the low-wage, low-skill sector of the economy, has opened up new opportunities for year-round employment and better-paying jobs throughout the country (Crowley, Lichter, and Qian 2006; Kandel and Parrado 2005; Saenz 2004). Many Latino families have resettled in small towns and rural areas in America’s heartland (Durand, Massey, and Capoferro 2005; Kandel and * An earlier version of this article was presented at the 2007 annual meetings of the Rural Sociological Society, Santa Clara, California. Direct correspondence to Dr. Martha Crowley, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Campus Box 8107, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695–8107 or e-mail at Martha_Crowley@NCSU.edu. We acknowledge the helpful comments of the editor and four reviewers. Rural Sociology 74(4), 2009, pp. 573–604 Copyright E 2009, by the Rural Sociological Society