Author Archive

Sarah Melotte

Infrastructure

Data shows rural disparities in traffic deaths

An analysis of federal highway data shows that rural counties have higher traffic death rates compared to their urban counterparts.

Workforce

Rural employment edges back to pre-pandemic numbers

The number of jobs grew in November 2023, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Finance

Rural counties dependent on recreation industry show best recovery from pandemic employment loss

Rural recreation counties added to their pre-pandemic employment numbers, but other rural economies struggled to recover.

Infrastructure

Lack of Access to Infrastructure Hurts Voter Participation in Rural America

Voter turnout is lower in rural places, something researchers say is a symptom of unequal amounts of civic infrastructure.

Management

Federal Grant Requirements Make it Hard for Rural Communities to Prepare for Climate Change

A 2023 study from Headwaters Economics shows that qualifications from federal grant programs disproportionately hurt under-resourced rural areas.