December 27, 2017
Survey of Rural Challenges 2017
By Becky McCray
When you ask small town people what challenges they want help with, the responses provide an interesting insight into rural areas today.
SaveYour.Town and SmallBizSurvival.com conducted a survey among subscribers and visitors to their sites during 2017, receiving 250 individual responses. Participants included 215 from the USA, 25 from Canada, and 10 from other international locations. The results were compared with a similar survey in 2015 that received 227 responses.
When you ask small town people what challenges they want help with, the responses provide an interesting insight into rural areas today.
SaveYour.Town and SmallBizSurvival.com conducted a survey among subscribers and visitors to their sites during 2017, receiving 250 individual responses. Participants included 215 from the USA, 25 from Canada, and 10 from other international locations. The results were compared with a similar survey in 2015 that received 227 responses.
Rural Community
Challenges
Top five concerns at the community-wide level were mostly the same in 2017 as 2015.
1. Downtown is dead
2. Losing young people
3. No one shops in town
4. Missing out on tourism opportunities
5. Need new residents
The top four choices are the same as in the 2015 results, but with the first two switched in position. The fifth most-chosen answer, “Need new residents,” rose two slots from seventh position in the 2015 results. The number five choice in 2015 was “No businesses in town,” which dropped one position to sixth in 2017.
Challenges
Top five concerns at the community-wide level were mostly the same in 2017 as 2015.
1. Downtown is dead
2. Losing young people
3. No one shops in town
4. Missing out on tourism opportunities
5. Need new residents
The top four choices are the same as in the 2015 results, but with the first two switched in position. The fifth most-chosen answer, “Need new residents,” rose two slots from seventh position in the 2015 results. The number five choice in 2015 was “No businesses in town,” which dropped one position to sixth in 2017.
