Wednesday, Jan 23 2013 4:03PM
Many residents in rural counties bring home less money than the national income average.
The latest industry data on household incomes reveals that rural communities still bring home significantly less than the national median average, according to the Daily Yonder.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau compiled by the news source shows only 376 rural or exurban counties in the U.S. had median family incomes that were equal to or greater than the national median of $50,502 in 2011. Further, only 15 percent of rural and exurban communities earned median household incomes that were higher than the national average.
These trends are troubling for smaller farming towns and counties, as they impede economic rural development and make it challenging for residents to meet their living costs.
In some locations, such as Alaska, rural residents may bring in lower incomes than the national average, yet pay the highest prices in the U.S. for utilities and energy. In other states, such as California, homeownership can be expensive and rental prices have continued to rise.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has made affordable housing assistance available for rural residents in a number of states, but studies show that a large number of Americans are still living below the poverty line in these locations.
For more information, check out this resource: The Daily Yonder