small towns

From 2007 to 2019, labor force participation rates decreased 2.6 percentage points for people aged 25 to 64 in the rural United States and 0.7 percentage points for the same age group in urban areas. The labor participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work ...

USDA's rural development community facilities funding, recently highlighted by a $1-billion award to projects nationwide, consist of several grant and loan programs within rural development. And as Washington State Rural Development Director Helen Price Johnson points out, funding vehicles can be combined to bring needed facilities projects together ...

On Wednesday, the USDA announced a $1 billion investment to improve critical community facilities in 48 states, Puerto Rico and Guam. USDA said the infrastructure funding will increase access to health care, education and public safety while spurring community development and building sound infrastructure for people living in rural communities ...

It’s no secret many rural counties across the U.S. are experiencing a decline in population. Now, one-quarter of all Americans age 65 or older live in small towns and rural communities. Sean Voshuhl with AARP said that percentage is growing, since the rural population is aging at a faster rate than the nation’s population as a whole. “Ac ...

The White House is working with rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing substance abuse and addiction. The effort’s been a priority for farm country before the pandemic, including more awareness and increasing access to treatment. Jim ...