This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
Debunking Rural America Stereotypes ¶
When discussing postgraduate plans with undergraduate students, a common theme emerges: the desire to move to a large city. However, this assumption may be limiting their opportunities.
Recent analysis of a nationwide survey on community and society conducted by the American Enterprise Institute reveals that rural areas are not as isolated or conservative as commonly perceived. In fact, the data show that rural areas are not ideologically monolithic, and college-educated Americans living in these areas feel connected to their communities, are satisfied with their lives, and are not looking to move away.
According to the survey, 39% of large city residents identify as liberal, while 23% identify as conservative. In contrast, 20% of rural residents identify as liberal, while 42% identify as conservative. However, neither urban nor rural areas are ideological monoliths, and ideological diversity exists in rural areas.
Moreover, the survey found that 87% of both urban and rural Americans feel in tune with those around them regularly. In fact, 65% of educated rural residents know their neighbors well, compared to 55% of those in urban areas. Highly educated rural residents also reported high levels of satisfaction with their communities, with 86% rating their neighborhoods as excellent or good places to live.
When it comes to professional success, while big cities may offer more opportunities, rural areas still have a need for skilled college graduates. The data show that educated rural Americans are content with their job opportunities and optimistic about the future. In fact, 24% of rural residents reported that there were plenty of good jobs available in their communities, compared to 21% of urban residents.
Given these findings, it's no surprise that educated rural residents are not interested in leaving their local communities. Only 30% of college-educated residents in rural areas said they wanted to leave, compared to 40% of those in urban centers.
Professor Samuel J. Abrams, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, suggests that students broaden their thinking geographically and look beyond a select group of urban areas. Rural America is not 'flyover' country; it's a dynamic part of our nation, even for the highly educated.
By understanding this reality, we can improve the lives of many college-educated people and help rid them of common anti-rural prejudices.
