Rural Economy

Most folks in the Kansas City region know Baldwin City for its famous fall festival. But the quaint city is also a college town with connections to Margaret Thatcher, a stop along the Santa Fe Trail, claim to the first armed conflicts of the Civil War and now, home to a charming and vibrant downtown.

Rural communities across Kansas and Missouri are trying their hand at revitalization. In the face of population decline, many towns are putting effort into beautification — updating bike trails, investing in local business and Main Streets, and renewing interests in local history — in the hopes of attracting visitors and new residents.

Located about 10 miles north of I-70, Lexington's population is roughly the same as it was in the 1860s. The town's biggest tourist attraction is the Battle of Lexington state historic site, but community members want to draw visitors to the rest of town.

Hundreds of thousands of people died in the pandemic because they didn’t trust the government or their neighbors to do the right thing. And it’s not getting better. Today distrust is making people sicker, especially where health care is fragile across giant swaths of rural America.

Atchison is still in the early years of its revitalization, adding more public art, renovating historic buildings, and rethinking its downtown area. But leaders are optimistic about changing how both locals and tourists think about their community.

State Rep. Crystal Quade is the first major Democratic candidate to enter the field to replace Gov. Mike Parson next year. In an video announcing her campaign, she discussed being raised by a single mom and relying on food stamps before touting her record in the legislature.

The Missouri tourist town once faced the same stress as many rural areas, with a declining population and abandoned buildings. But a conscious effort to fix the downtown's infrastructure and beautify public spaces has turned the economy around.

In January, a Parkville family learned their 8-year-old daughter had a rare illness. Though there is no cure, there is a drug that could help slow the disease. The problem? It costs more than $200,000 a year. Plus: Kansas politicians make bold claims about how to stop population declines in rural communities. Their efforts may not be enough to reverse the trend.

Forces pushing rural decline are much bigger than state incentives and small-town organizing.

FOX’s “Farmer Wants a Wife” recently wrapped up its first season, and it got Harvest Public Media wondering what dating is like for farmers and ranchers. Turns out, dating in a small town isn’t always easy.

Auctions — a marketplace for knick knacks, farm land and everything in between — are often also gathering events for rural communities. That’s changing as more auctions go online.

The trucking industry is estimated to have a shortage of nearly 80,000 drivers. While the problem is expected to get worse before it gets better, industry groups are trying to pave the way for more people to get a commercial driver’s license.