Small Town America Case Study

Words: 874
Pages: 4

Small-town America is seemingly on its last legs as more and more young people seek the adventure that only large cities can provide. Small communities simply can’t compete with the bustle of city life with the comfy, idyllic rural life. Rural population numbers continue to hemorrhage each year and rural jobs are becoming scarcer. Rural America is becoming grayer and its dire situation might be irreparable. However, there is still a glimmer of hope for rural towns from an unexpected source. Ironically, technology might be the key for saving rural America from dying out. The technology industry is one of the industries that attracts young talent to large urban areas, such as Silicon Valley, but technology also makes it easier to tap into large …show more content…
The main reason the cost of living is much lower in rural towns is because of the housing market. According to the United States Department of Labor, in 2011 the average monthly rent in rural America was $354 and the average monthly rent in urban America was $699. Of course, urban households typically have larger incomes due to their bigger job markets, but technology can mitigate this income difference in the form of telecommuting. This lower cost of living is especially intriguing for young entrepreneurs looking to start up a business or people who are comfortable primarily working from …show more content…
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 19 percent of rural adults over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree, and 33 percent of urban adults over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, the smaller job market in rural areas means even very in-demand professionals, such as those with agriculture-based degrees, will be competing for a limited amount of jobs. For example, Hauber’s job prospects with his software engineering degree and experience would be extremely minimal in rural areas when compared to larger cities with huge technology