The Economic Survival of America's Isolated Small Towns

The economic history of the recent decade has been volatile at best, and devastating at its worst. The effects have tended to be most severe in the small, isolated towns of America. This book presents a detailed discussion of the economic challenges facing these small towns, looking at why some have survived, while others have not. Through 51 case studies, this book gives a voice to the real, living realities and administrative strategies of small-town America.

The economic history of the recent decade has been volatile at best, and devastating at its worst. The effects have tended to be most severe in the small, isolated towns of America. The Economic Survival of America''s Isolated Small Towns presents a detailed discussion of the economic challenges facing these small towns, looking at why some have survived, while others have not. Through 51 case studies, this book gives a voice to the real, living realities and administrative strategies of small-town America.

The Economic Survival of America''s Isolated Small Towns focuses on towns that have fewer than 10,000 residents and are further than 50 miles from another larger city. Based on interviews with the leaders of 51 small towns, the author shows how to plan and implement economic growth strategies, equally applicable to those communities that are trying to retain their strength as to those that are trying to rebuild following a downturn. The case studies convey, from one town leader to the other, which actions fail and which succeed.

Following the case studies, the author presents concluding thoughts, looking at topics such as:

• Relevance of lessons learned in micropolitan cities (population 10,000–50,000) to small, isolated towns
• Impact of enabling technologies on small-town survival
• Advantages to employers in small, isolated towns
• Feasibility for small towns to build the required facilities and infrastructure that might attract potential employers
• Whether it is beneficial for the US to prop up struggling small towns artificially

The Economic Survival of America''s Isolated Small Towns presents basic lessons learned by these small-town leaders that can benefit leaders in other towns as they confront similar issues and situations. Those charged with establishing public policy—either at the federal or state levels—should find the conclusions valuable as they plan for the next generation of public economic policies.