6 myths about rural America: How conventional wisdom gets it wrong

By: Tim Slack, Louisiana State University and Shannon M. Monnat, Syracuse University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: December 9, 2025

Words: 1,202

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Tim Slack, Louisiana State University and Shannon M. Monnat, Syracuse University

Roughly 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas – places the federal government defines based on small populations and low housing density.

Yet many people understand rural America through stereotypes. Media and political conversations often use words or terms such as “fading,” “white,” “farming,” “traditional” and “politically uniform” to describe rural communities.

In reality, rural communities are far more varied. …

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