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ECONOMICS
Remote Work Could Save Rural America
Small towns could see a boost to their local economies
Have you ever taken a cross-country road trip and visited some of the more charming places in America? The big cities may house America’s culture and economic interests, but the small towns are the birthplaces of our soul and charm. Unfortunately, rural America has been on an economic decline for decades.
This decline is due to how our modern digital economy coalesces around big cities and their tech and pharmaceutical companies. Not only have small rural towns missed out on this tech boom, but their residents left to take advantage of the better economic opportunities offered in coastal cities.
Fortunately, this downward trend may even out soon and possibly get better. More and more people are migrating to rural America in a reverse trend that was partially due to the changes in our society brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
How the pandemic changes things for rural America
While the entire world suffered throughout 2020 and early 2021, the big cities took the biggest hit. High population centers provided the greatest fear of viral spread. Thus, they were shut down hard and longer than rural towns.