Unpopulated area: almost 130 small towns in Russia may disappear
129 small towns may disappear in Russia. 3.4 million people live in such settlements, and in ten years the number of inhabitants there has decreased by 314 thousand. Such data is provided in a RANEPA study prepared for the government. According to the document, the northern coal, metallurgical and timber industries, as well as those located on the periphery of the city in some regions, are experiencing the greatest difficulties. Master plans for the implementation of investment projects with infrastructural development are already being prepared for 106 such settlements. This year alone, 4 billion rubles have been allocated for such purposes. About why the population of small towns is declining, and what measures the government of the country is taking to solve the problem, is in the Izvestia article.
Which cities may disappear
The study by RANEPA experts, who studied demographic trends and economic potential in small towns, was conducted as part of a government order from the government office.
"Expert and analytical materials have been received by the office of the Government of the Russian Federation, and their expert study is currently underway," the Cabinet of Ministers told Izvestia.
Among the reasons, the authors of the study cite a decrease in the population, a decrease in employment and a decrease in the number of representatives of small and medium-sized businesses.
According to the document, in total, more than 3.4 million people live in small towns (with a population of less than 50 thousand inhabitants) today. Over the past ten years, the population in them has decreased by 314.5 thousand, RANEPA analysts estimate. The largest decrease was recorded in the northern coal, metallurgical and timber towns. Similar problems are noted in a number of peripheral cities. As an example, the authors cite Porkhov (Pskov Region), Zavolzhye (Nizhny Novgorod Region), and Nolinsk (Kirov Region). In their opinion, some settlements of the Bryansk, Novgorod and Kirov regions, as well as the Krasnoyarsk Territory, were in the most vulnerable position (i.e. with the highest risk of being lost).
"There are not enough internal resources for development, and due to the large number of small towns, it is difficult to evenly distribute external resources between them," the authors of the study say.
Some northern industrial regions are also in a difficult situation. The largest population decline, according to RANEPA analysts, is recorded, for example, in the cities of Verkhny Tagil. (Sverdlovsk Region), Trubchevsk (Bryansk Region), Inta (Komi), Kem and Medvezhegorsk (Karelia), Torzhok (Tver Region). The document also includes peripheral cities in developed regions: Roshal in the Moscow region, and Okha in the Sakhalin Region.
"The declining cities in the agro-industrial regions are in a slightly better position due to food security and more favorable living conditions for the population. However, the crisis of industrial production and the continued migration of the population to larger centers increase the risks of loss of settlements," the study says.
The process of "compression" of small towns can take place over the course of several generations: in the northern regions it goes faster, in the Chernozem region it goes slower, explained Stepan Zemtsov, head of the Laboratory for Development Economics Research at the Presidential Academy.
— As a result, most often, some of the functions of a small town are lost and a rural locality or a certain village remains, — he said. — However, these processes are not always irreversible. If new economic incentives appear — for example, the redistribution of logistics flows, the creation of industrial or agro—industrial clusters, investment projects in the field of tourism, or the revival of local production - a small town can regain its lost functions. History knows many examples when small settlements, having received a growth point, were reborn.
According to him, much depends on the ability of the region and the local community, including entrepreneurs, to adapt to new conditions and on strategic decisions at the federal and local policy levels.
The RANEPA recommended using the existing potential for the development of a number of cities, for example, specialization in competitive industries, favorable transport and geographical location, natural or migration growth, including through seasonal suburbanization (the development of suburbs of large cities and the relocation of residents to them).
"In the northern regions, the most realistic strategy for mining and timber—processing cities is controlled compression through infrastructure development in key settlements," the authors of the document believe.
Why do people leave cities
The topic of small towns is not about statistics, but about the fate of people and the future of entire territories, said Alexander Yakubovsky, a member of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Communal Services.
"Unfortunately, the population outflow continues," he stressed. — It is also noticeable in the northern territories, for example, in the Irkutsk region. Where there are no jobs or basic infrastructure, it is difficult to talk about creating incentives for young people to return, especially those who have left to study.
The main reasons are job cuts after the closure of city—forming enterprises, outdated infrastructure, that is, the destruction of housing and communal services, the lack of modern transport, communications, medicine, and the massive outflow of young people and the aging population, agrees Vladimir Koshelev, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Communal Services.
— This situation is typical, for example, for Totma or Kargopol, where the population is less than 10 thousand people, — says a tourist named Olga. — Local residents say that the administration has no money to repair buildings, bridges and roads. They are trying to repair them themselves from improvised materials, but this does not improve the condition of the objects.
At the same time, there are positive examples, Alexander Yakubovsky added.
— A project for the construction of a petrochemical plant is being implemented in Ust-Kut today. A stable employer has appeared, and the population has started to flow," the deputy said. — This is an example of how targeted investments, a clear perspective and a real demand for labor can bring life back to a small town.
What influences the outflow of population
There are only 1,120 cities in Russia. Of these, more than 70% are small and medium—sized enterprises, explained Irina Mironova, Director of Federal Program Development at the Skolkovo School of Management.
"In many ways, they are the basis of local identity, the keepers of traditions," she believes. — Younger generations want competitive salaries, access to high culture, and enjoy the benefits of civilization. Declining foreign trade and domestic demand for coal and other minerals have also affected prospects in mining towns and cities. It is important to recognize that saving absolutely all small towns is expensive and inefficient.
The situation around small towns is an ongoing process, said Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing Partner of the analytical agency VMT Consult.
"Now we are seeing the result of the changes that have befallen the country since the 90s," she said. — Single-industry towns are in the highest risk zone, since their prosperity comes down to the issue of the well-being of one company. Thus, as coal deposits are developed, the very need for a city disappears. It's a sad, but basically natural process.
The problem requires a comprehensive approach: not only monetary injections into the microbusiness, but also changes in tax and industrial policy in relation to city-forming enterprises, said Vladimir Koshelev. For example, it is necessary to cancel a number of taxes for city-forming enterprises. To introduce additional social guarantees for citizens — increased pensions, preferential length of service to retain the population, and so on.
"It is necessary to expand the mechanisms of preferential mortgages for young families in small towns, up to zero percent," he stressed. — If urgent measures are not taken, by 2035 we will already begin to lose small towns, which also have historical value.
When making decisions on the development of such territories, it is important to take into account not only the construction of new facilities, but also the issue of their maintenance, said Alexander Yakubovsky.
—Building is one stage," he stressed. — But if the region or municipality does not have the funds for maintenance, the facility will begin to collapse. And to achieve self-sufficiency, especially in a depressed area, such facilities may either take a very long time or never at all. A frank and serious conversation at the federation level is needed here. Or we strategically choose the path of development of such territories, with full support — from an investor to the maintenance of a kindergarten or hospital. Or we honestly admit that such cities will not survive without it.
Therefore, according to him, the issue of the maintenance of social infrastructure should be solved separately — with the creation of special financing mechanisms that go beyond the existing system of inter-budgetary relations. Without this, the entire strategy may be ineffective.
Measures to support small towns
In April 2025, the first meeting of the working group on the development of small towns was held at the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. More than a hundred concrete proposals have already been received for the economic, social, infrastructural, and tourist development of small towns and rural settlements, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov reported.
For example, 106 small towns will develop master plans for the implementation of investment projects with infrastructure development. By 2030, over 2 trillion rubles will be available to the regions as part of the mechanisms for writing off 2/3 of budget loans and new treasury infrastructure loans.
A wide range of support measures is already available to businesses in small towns, the Ministry of Economic Development noted. These are preferential loans, as well as guarantee, property, consulting and other support. In addition, territories of advanced development (TOP), special economic zones (SEZ and SEZ), and park infrastructure facilities are being created there, where businesses can start manufacturing products as soon as possible.
Measures to support small towns are currently being developed at various levels. Thus, within the framework of the national project "Housing and Urban Environment", the federal program "Integrated development of small and medium-sized cities" is being implemented, Vladimir Koshelev recalled.
"To improve the quality of life, it is planned to modernize and build roads, upgrade water supply and sewerage systems, and provide access to modern means of communication, including the Internet," he said. — Enterprises operating in small single-industry towns will receive financial support for the implementation of investment projects.
The order to allocate about 4 billion rubles for this purpose was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in July 2025, Vladimir Koshelev recalled. Loans for investment purposes will be provided at 7% to 200 million rubles for a period of up to five years. SME entities from single-industry towns will be able to receive preferential loans for replenishment of working capital in the amount of up to 50 million rubles at 11% for up to three years.
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