From an article printed in the December 3 Beacon-News (underlining emphasis added by us)

For many people “rural” is synonymous with low incomes, limited economic opportunity, and poor schools. However, a recent study at the University of Illinois found that much of rural America is actually prosperous, particularly in the Midwest and Plains. The study analyzed unemployment rates, poverty rates, high school drop-out rates, and housing conditions to identify prospering communities.

“Growth and income are the conventional measures of community success,” said U of I economist and planner Andrew Isserman. “But, in talking with farm groups, elected leaders, and rural development professionals from across the country, I realized how few were happy. Some worried about growing too much, and the others fretted about growing too little.” Isserman decided to focus on outcomes instead of growth. Do communities keep their kids in school? Are their unemployment and poverty rates low? Are housing conditions good and the

folks healthy? Counties in America’s heartland came out on top with half its rural counties prospering, doing better than the nation on all these measures. USDA defines “the Heartland” as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and parts of six adjacent states. Prosperous rural counties have more off-farm jobs, more educated populations, and less income inequality than other rural counties. Geographical factors like climate, topography, distances to cities and airports, and interstate highways are unimportant in distinguishing prosperous counties from others.

“Instead, the results supported what many rural people believe to be true – civically engaged religious groups and a common ancestry can really matter,” Isserman said.

“We want to figure out how and why these places prosper in order to help other rural places do well, too.” Mallory Rahe, a member of the research team, recently completed a master’s thesis on two prosperous rural counties. “Her findings are strikingly consistent with the statistical results. They suggest that local action can make a big difference,” Isserman said. “She returned with impressive stories that link local churches, a shared ethnic identity, small colleges, locally owned manufacturing, innovative farmers, and extraordinary cooperation and civic engagement to job creation, education, and housing”.