Rural Communities

We need to rethink the role of state government in preserving rural economies – and we need to ask ourselves what we can do with our buying power.

“I think once we dig in we’ll find out that there’s a digital divide along other lines, socioeconomic and cultural lines.”

“The lower median age is the golden barometer for cities,” Sobiek said. “It shows you are going into the future.”

“Instead of so-called place-based policies to revitalize small towns,” Porter writes, “why not help their residents take advantage of opportunities where the opportunities are?” 

Can rural America be saved?

If successful, leaders want to replicate the initiative in other rural towns and states, creating opportunities in regions being emptied of jobs and people.

The more digital your job is, the likelier you are to be paid well.