Rural Communities

White microbus with yellow stripe on rural road with empty road and blue sky in background.

Minnesota, Vermont Experiment With Rural Trip Planning Websites

Pilot programs in the two states aimed to make transit information more accessible for riders in rural areas, where on-demand and microtransit services make trip planning more complex.

March 13, 2024 - The Daily Yonder

Rural road at night.

Bringing Complete Streets to Rural Communities

With nearly half of U.S. road deaths occurring on rural roads, the Complete Streets approach offers a safer way forward, but few towns are taking it on.

January 22, 2024 - Smart Growth America

View of wide street in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Federal Rural Road Safety Funding Falls Short of Requests

Despite high rates of traffic deaths, rural communities lack the resources to address road safety issues.

January 10, 2024 - The Daily Yonder

Aerial view of mobile home community in rural area with homes lined up diagonally next to small road.

Report Highlights Housing Issues in Rural America

Rising costs and an aging housing stock are squeezing rural households, with the impacts felt unevenly across ages and ethnicities.

December 13, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

Green Paris Texas city limit sign with population.

How Paris, Texas Became a ‘Unicorn’ for Rural Transit

A robust coalition of advocates in the town of 25,000 brought together the funding and resources to launch a popular bus service that some residents see as a mobility lifeline—and a social club.

November 30, 2023 - Texas Monthly

Aerial view of wide street in St. George, Utah at dusk with red rock mountains in background.

Growth in Small Utah Towns Prompts Road Safety Concerns

As small towns rapidly gain population, local infrastructure will have to adjust to keep up with more pedestrians and car traffic.

November 14, 2023 - KUER

View of grocery store aisle.

Rural Areas Experience Higher Food Insecurity

As pandemic-era assistance programs expire, the rate of food insecurity for rural households is rising higher than in their urban counterparts.

November 14, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

Aerial view of small town of Hiawatha, Kansas

New Book Analyzes America’s Poorest Communities

The similarities between the nation’s most disadvantaged areas, often rural, reveal the economic patterns that lead to chronic poverty.

October 6, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

Aerial view of Broadway Street of Philipsburg, Montana, Philipsburg is a town in and the county seat of Granite County, Montana, United States.

New Book Sheds Light on Rural Governance

Learn more about a new book that provides some overdue attention to public governance and administration in small towns and rural communities.

October 4, 2023 - Routledge

Worker in orange shirt and white helmet works at top of power line.

Building Resiliency in Rural Power Grids

A National Science Foundation study seeks to understand the impact of climate change and extreme weather on rural electrical grids in diverse geographic areas.

September 28, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

Aerial view of small New Hampshire town with brick buildings and fall foliage.

How Homelessness Differs in Rural America

Although less visible than in major cities, the housing crisis is no less severe in many rural communities, where being unhoused poses unique challenges.

September 26, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

Main Street in Bentonville, Arkansas with three-story brick buildings, people sitting at tables on sidewalk, and sign on building for "The Walmart Museum."

Growing Pains in Northwest Arkansas

Like other small communities suddenly made popular during the Covid-19 pandemic, the region is struggling to maange its explosive growth.

September 20, 2023 - Axios

Aerial view of Whitefish, Montana with storm clouds in background

As Rural Areas Grow, So Do Tensions

The influx of new households to rural communities is driving up housing costs for existing residents and straining local infrastructure, sparking difficult conversations about future growth.

September 17, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

A collection of screengrabs showing the uses of the Met-Go on-demand transit app.

On-Demand Microtransit Proves Itself in Rural Virginia

Two Virginia transit companies launched pilot projects for on-demand microtransit services in 2021, spurring record growth in ridership as a result.

September 5, 2023 - The Virginia Mercury

Red antique stoplight in the middle of wide intersection flanked by brick buildings in downtown rural Toledo, Iowa

Iowa Towns Embrace a ‘Shrink Smart’ Approach

Population loss doesn’t have to be a harbinger of doom. Some rural communities are taking small but impactful steps to improve quality of life for their remaining residents.

August 23, 2023 - The Gazette

Distant view of Lewiston, Idaho nestled in green hills against cloudy blue sky

The Housing Crisis Grows in Rural Idaho

The state’s smaller communities are feeling the pressure of sharply rising housing costs, stagnating wages, and an aging population.

August 15, 2023 - Boise Dev

Close-up of spool of broadband internet wire sitting on the ground

Federal Program Funds Broadband in Underserved Areas

The program supports efforts to improve internet connectivity in remote and rural areas.

June 27, 2023 - The Mercury News

Suwanee river with tall trees along the banks in northern Florida

Florida Boosts Rural Infrastructure Fund

Five rural communities will receive $15 million under a new law designed to assist rural areas in developing their infrastructure.

June 19, 2023 - Fort Myers News-Press

Trailer park and line of bare winter trees in the distance over a golden field on the Colorado prairie.

Study: Housing Assistance Programs Not Enough for Rural Renters

Many housing and human services providers say their programs are underfunded as the housing crisis in rural parts of America grows.

May 4, 2023 - Urban Wire

Dilapidated vacant wood slat house painted white in Louisiana

The Quiet Housing Crisis in Rural America

While housing shortages in major cities are grabbing headlines, rural communities are seeing higher rates of growth in housing prices and a silently spreading homelessness crisis.

March 20, 2023 - The Daily Yonder

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