For years, ambitious young people have moved away from the small towns and rural areas in which they grew up, in search of a better future in the big city.
Several factors led to this migration: the increasing mechanization of agricultural work, which meant fewer workers were needed, businesses in small towns ending or requiring less labor, and simply fewer people wanting to stay. in a rural area to cultivate or operate a small business. . As more and more young people moved to the big cities, many small towns faded into a few businesses and maybe a church.
But in recent decades, according to Gallup and Pew surveys, about half of Americans say their ideal place to live is a small town or rural area. People between the ages of 30 and 49 (millennials and some Gen Xers) with children have increased the population of rural communities, as noted in an article titled “Rural Rebound” by Rachel Hutton from June 19, 2022, Minneapolis Star -Grandstand.
Promoting relocation in small towns and rural communities has been a Minnesota state project for a long time, even before the pandemic made it more attractive and the rise of remote working made it possible.
Otter Tail County in northwestern Minnesota has taken this mission to a new level by hiring a Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator with the goal of making this part of the state as well-known and engaging as the stunning country on the north coast or southeast of Minnesota.
Using social media and modern communication such as a series of videos, coordinator Erik Osberg first lets people know they can have the lifestyle they prefer, then invites them to visit the area to see it first hand. He cites the data: Woodsy Otter Tail County, between Alexandria and Detroit Lakes, has 1,048 lakes, more than any other county in this country. Its largest town is Fergus Falls with 14,000 people, with a few other towns of a few thousand. It’s basically the laid-back, small-town setting that stressed city dwellers dream of.
Osberg’s approach is based on research by Ben Winchester, a sociologist at the University of Minnesota Extension. Winchester preaches the gospel of not trying to stop recent high school graduates from leaving, but seeking out those who have been there a while and have the education and job skills to move to a rural community for a better mode of life. He’s not worried about the brain drain of high school graduates leaving, but is looking for what he calls “brain gain” in small communities.
Often those who move to a community do not return to their hometown. Some want to be closer to family and old friends and some are moving for a job, but according to a 2019 survey of 600 people moving to rural communities, the most common reason for moving to a small rural community is a better mode. of life. . They had a desire for a simpler, slower life in a safe, affordable community with good access to outdoor recreation.
This was especially true after the final years of the pandemic and the increase in crime and violence in major cities. The pandemic also allowed many people to work remotely, making their job something they could do from home, which could be somewhere other than the big city.
Areas looking for brain gain could cope with their shrinking population like Rural Rebound does, spreading the word that a healthier and more enjoyable life is possible by moving to a less populated area. They might even want to try what Osberg did last fall, a video series called “Rural by Choice” hosted by a Twin Cities broadcaster. In it, Osberg explored why people like to live in small town communities and shows them through images what it’s like to live where they can enjoy nearby fishing or friendly exchanges over time. local community pancakes. He believes selling the lifestyle will attract more residents than the old model of promising jobs to an area that is proving attractive.
In the Otter Tail County area, at least, it seems to be working.
“That’s the opinion of Times Writers Group member Lois Thielen, a dairy farmer who lives near Gray Eagle. His column is published monthly.
