Final answer:
The statement is false. The 1950s saw a general trend of population growth in suburban and urban areas with a decline in rural areas, not limited to areas near fracking fields.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that nonmetropolitan areas in the US have lost population in the 1950s with the exception of areas near fracking fields is false. During the 1950s, the United States experienced significant urbanization, where a rural-to-urban population shift was clearly evident. This was due to various factors including industrial changes, with more Americans taking up white-collar jobs, improved farm equipment and technology reducing the need for farm labor, and the growth of suburbs. The population density in suburban areas increased as the nation shifted from an industrial-based to a service-based economy, prompting many to leave rural settings for urban opportunities.
In contrast to the question's premise, not only the areas near fracking fields, which are more contemporary developments, but also the suburbs and cities saw population growth while many rural and small-town areas experienced population decline during the 1950s.