Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings issued for Twin Cities metro area

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

It’s a surprise to many: Rural America is

 more politically diverse, more educated and more economically optimistic

Maybe most encouraging to the Upper Midwest: Many small towns are reversing the so-called brain drain and showing a brain 

. Young people who left their hometowns to go to college are increasingly likely to move back in their 30s and 40s, bringing with them college degrees, new businesses and families.

Today we look at the changing demographics and misunderstood labels of rural America. It’s the next installment in our Flyover 2020 series, which examines the issues that matter to the Upper Midwest and the 50 or so flipped counties in our region.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on: 

Flyover

Polarization anxiety

Shows

Flyover from MPR News

Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

Host

Author

White. Conservative. Failing. These are the stereotypes of rural America. And they aren't the whole story. Today for Flyover 2020: what we get wrong about rural America — and why it matters.

White. Conservative. Failing. These are the stereotypes of rural America. And they aren't the whole story. Today for Flyover 2020: what we get wrong about rural America – and why it matters.

Flyover 2020: Rural America’s brain gain

Go Deeper.

Like this?