Based on the decennial censuses of 1950, 1960, and 1970, patterns of population change between 1950-60 and 1960-70 are analyzed for U.S. nonmetropolitan incorporated cities and towns via tabular and narrative data. The cities and towns which are analyzed range in size from less than 100 to 50,000 population and, as of 1970, include over 30 million people or about one-half of the total population living outside metropolitan places. For this study, a constant geographic boundary is maintained, and the research relates to places outside metropolitan areas as defined in 1963. Variations in population growth are examined by size groupings and other variables such as regional location, presence of an interstate highway, distance from a metropolitan central city, and annexation. Results from both the 1950's and 1960's indicate that any general view of small towns as dying is grossly inaccurate, for nonmetropolitan areas grew in population 14% in 1950-60 and 10% in 1960-70 (a rate of growth which was less rapid than that of urban areas, but more rapid than that of the nonmetropolitan population outside incorporated places) and while there were growing and declining towns in all size classes, only the very smallest of village classes experienced population loss more commonly than growth between 1960-70. (Author/JC)