The most accurate assessment of how migration to cities affected rural areas, based on the provided options, is:
Industrialization increased urbanization and decreased rural migration.
This option reflects the trend during the industrialization period, where many people moved to urban areas for work in factories and other industries, leading to a decline in rural populations as opportunities in cities drew individuals away from rural settings. The effects on rural areas included a reduction in their populations and sometimes economic challenges due to the outmigration of labor.