Relocation Rural

When examining the challenges of historic disinvestment and lack of access to capital that rural communities experience, it’s easy to believe that rural is dying and not worthy of investment. Indeed, the statistics show that rural communities are instead developing.

For example, 5 of 7 states that Communities Unlimited serves in have experienced net positive population growth over the past decade. They are developing plans for infrastructure that will allow them to support continued growth both economically and physically.

Mulberry is a community, that while working alongside our Community Sustainability team, developed a true “can-do” attitude about their community. Developing downtown revitalization plans and refreshing civic pride. They are currently taking advantage of their proximity to a major highway by developing infrastructure to support a large truck stop that will create between 40-50 new jobs in their community and increase exposure to what their community has to offer. In a town of approximately 1,500 that is development, not death.

The statistics also show that 66% of Americans would consider relocating to a rural area if telecommuting was an option. This sentiment is an opportunity for rural communities to develop based on their cultural and natural assets like they are doing in Searcy County, AR.

Searcy County is home to 48 miles of America’s 1st National River, the Buffalo River, with more than 1.5 million visits in 2023. While there are many areas isolated from internet access along the scenic river, the communities in Searcy County are well-connected to Broadband through a locally-owned ISP and decided to develop a focused effort to bring positivity to their social media presence by highlighting local artists, entrepreneurs, community festivals, and natural attractions creating a sense of civic pride in their communities and showing potential visitors that it could be a great place to reside permanently. What they developed has had such a positive influence that Searcy County is the only rural country in Arkansas that had net positive population growth for both 2010-2019 AND 2020-2021. That is development, not death.

Diving deeper into the statistics also shows that many rural counties are also considered persistent poverty counties. But, that hasn’t stopped the relocation rural trend.

100% of the persistent poverty counties in Oklahoma and Tennessee and 50% of the persistent poverty counties in Texas experienced net positive migration from 2020-2021. Nationally, rural areas are experiencing more net positive population growth than urban areas for the first time in 20 years. These are just a few examples that indicate that it is time for investment.

It has never been a more important time for investment in rural areas.  While true that many are struggling from years of disinvestment and lack of access to capital, there is a brighter future ahead as broadband access increases and people are seeing the potential benefits of living in rural areas. Many rural counties are experiencing upwards trends in migration and preparing for large industry advancements despite challenges.  A large lithium mining industry is looming for the community of Lewisville, AR.  They are currently preparing infrastructure and like Ethan Dunbar, the mayor of Lewisville said in a recent discussion about his town with our staff, “invest in Lewisville…now. Where we are now, we won’t be in 5 years.”

Rural America is not dying, it’s developing.