Rewriting the rural narrative was the theme of the Focus on Building Rural Communities event, hosted by the Riley County Extension Office at the Sikes Venue in Leonardville Monday.
University of Minnesota Extension Educator Benjamin Winchester says rural America isn’t dying, but rather going through a slow transformation. He says rural areas remain durable, noting a 2009 Pew Research Study that found 51% of Americans would prefer to live in rural areas.
Winchester says while the population has decreased in many rural communities, the number of households has actually increased, even though the size of those households have gone down.
He adds that communities need to recognize the shifting generational interests.
He also says there is plenty of workforce housing in communities, but it’s being occupied by 75% of Americans who are baby boomers and older, including 30% of homeowners over the age of 70.
He also leaned into diversifying the rural job economy, something Riley County Extension Director Gary Fike says is especially important to Riley County.
Monday’s event was hosted by the Riley County Extension Office and co-sponsored by the Riley County Rural Economic Development Advisory Board, the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Riley County Farm Bureau, Riley State Bank, Dale Carnegie-Kansas Heartland and State Senator Usha Reddi.
