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Main Street Economics

Rural Voices: Putting Lockhart on the Map

Gabe Schwartzman · Sep 1, 2015

The Central Texas city lies strategically along a new toll road connecting San Antonio and Austin. Leader Frank Estrada hopes Lockhart and surrounding Caldwell County can take advantage of new transportation access to build a stronger local economy.

Speak Your Piece: A Silent Storm

Edyael Casaperalta · Aug 20, 2015

Changes in communications technology make telephone networks more vulnerable to outages during severe weather. Telecommunications companies are pushing for less regulatory accountability at the time consumers need it more than ever.

Arts and Culture

People on the Land: Small-Town Car Craze

Timothy Collins · Aug 9, 2015

Across Illinois, communities are organizing “car gatherings” to pull people into town. The events satisfy Americans' obsession with the automobile and offer hopes of cash-register receipts for local businesses.

Health

Analysis: Why Rural Hospitals Are Closing

Wayne Myers · Jul 16, 2015

Revenue for small hospitals is based on how many patients they admit. A new proposal would help rural hospitals get paid for performing other critical health-care services, not just for how many beds they fill. The change is an effort to…

Kids

Child Poverty Rate Climbs by One-Third

Tim Marema · Jul 14, 2015

One in four rural residents under the age of 18 lives in poverty, according to a new study from the USDA Economic Research Service. The figure is even higher in counties that depend on manufacturing jobs, which eroded during the Great…

Growth and Development

Aid for Coal Country Ignored by Congress

dyadmin · Jun 27, 2015

President Obama's $3 billion plan called 'cold comfort' by Republican leaders, who haven't allocated it to help coal-dependent communities.

Main Street Economics

Growth in Recreation Counties Stumbles

Tim Marema · Jun 24, 2015

For years, the high point in rural population growth was amenity-rich recreation areas, which attracted tourists and their dollars. Since the Great Recession, the growth rate in those counties has dropped by nearly 75 percent.

Main Street Economics

What Makes Bonner County Different?

Megan Lawson · Jun 18, 2015

A rural county in the northern panhandle of Idaho has retained its population in spite of long-term economic changes. Manufacturing, amenities that turn tourists into residents, and small businesses have helped the county grow in good times…

Broadband and Tech

Could Lifeline Expansion Help the Economy?

Brian Whitacre · Jun 17, 2015

A new proposal would allow Lifeline recipients to get help with their broadband connection instead of their phone. An economist looks at the potential impact of getting more low-income Americans online.

Ag and Trade

Speak Your Piece: The Prodigal Factory

Timothy Collins · Jun 16, 2015

With some manufacturing returning from off shore, rural communities may be eager to lure new factories home. But think carefully before you kill the fatted calf.

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