Small towns and rural areas lag in economic and employment growth

A recent Brookings report highlights the divide between large metropolitan areas and small cities and rural areas. Smaller metropolitan areas with less than 250,000 people—representing 9 percent of the nation’s population—have lost ground in terms of economic and population growth. Rural areas had even greater declines in output and employment since 2010. There is some variability among states. For example, in New York, 95 percent of the state’s 2010 to 2016 employment growth emanated from large metro counties, in Ohio it was 62%, and in South Carolina it was just 9%. See here for 50-state data on the shares of states’ growth generated by large, medium, and small metropolitan areas as well as rural areas.

Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) has assisted the J. Marion Sims Foundation since 2016 in a variety of ways, including helping to design an ongoing community engagement effort and being a thought partner as the Foundation shifts their strategic direction. As a champion for the Lancaster, South Carolina region, the Foundation works collaboratively with other organizations to strategically address declines in economic growth and employment in their region. The Foundation is specifically focused on building a healthy community where all people have the opportunity to reach their full potential.