Standing Up for Rural America

By Stacy Davis, Executive Director, Sumner County Economic Development

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Stand Up Rural America Summit in Lake City, Florida, alongside more than 100 economic developers, chamber directors, CEOs, city and county leaders, business owners and countless champions for rural communities. We represented communities from across the country, each unique in its history, economy and culture, yet it didn’t take long to realize we were all wrestling with many of the same questions.

How do we grow when our populations are changing? How do we prepare for technology that is evolving faster than ever? How do we continue providing quality services when local governments are expected to do more with less? And perhaps the biggest question of all: How do we help people understand what rural really is?

For years, I’ve written that economic development has become community development. After this week, I believe that even more. Today’s rural communities are no longer competing only for jobs. We’re competing for people, talent, housing, childcare, healthcare, entrepreneurs, investment, broadband, quality of life and, increasingly, our ability to adapt to a rapidly changing world.

One of the most powerful conversations throughout the week centered on the definition of rural. Too often, rural is defined simply by population. Those of us who live and work here know better.

Rural is the manufacturer keeping hundreds of families employed. It’s the farmer feeding the world. It’s the small business owner opening their doors before sunrise. It’s the volunteer firefighter answering the call at two in the morning. It’s the teacher who knows every student’s name. It’s the hospital that may be the only emergency room for miles. It’s the local elected officials trying to stretch every tax dollar while balancing roads, utilities, public safety, parks and economic growth.

Rural isn’t less. It’s simply different, and that difference deserves to be understood.

The conversations also reminded me just how quickly the world around us is changing. Technology has become one of the greatest opportunities, and one of the greatest challenges, for rural America.

Artificial intelligence, automation, remote work, precision agriculture, telehealth and digital government services are changing the way communities operate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in five U.S. businesses reported using artificial intelligence during 2026, with adoption increasing rapidly among larger employers. Small businesses, which make up the backbone of rural America, continue working to keep pace.

What struck me most is how this technological revolution has placed many rural city and county governments behind the eight ball.

For decades, new technology usually reached rural communities last. While that wasn’t always ideal, it gave local governments time to observe what worked, learn from larger communities and prepare before making investments of their own. That world no longer exists.

Today, technology changes overnight. Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity threats, online public services, digital permitting, cloud-based systems and communication platforms are advancing simultaneously. Rural governments are expected to keep up while often operating with only a handful of employees, limited technology budgets and aging infrastructure.

They’re being asked to make decisions about technologies that are changing almost daily, provide the same level of digital service as much larger cities, defend against the same cybersecurity threats and modernize systems while maintaining the public services residents depend upon.

Technology isn’t leaving rural America behind; the speed of technology is. That means collaboration, education and regional partnerships have never been more important.

Another conversation echoed throughout the summit — population.

The United States continues experiencing historically low birth rates. The general fertility rate has fallen by roughly 23% since 2007, and while some rural communities are gaining residents through migration, many continue experiencing more deaths than births. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, nearly three out of every four nonmetropolitan counties now experience natural population decline.

Fewer births today eventually means fewer students in classrooms, fewer young adults entering the workforce, fewer volunteers serving community organizations and fewer taxpayers supporting local infrastructure.

Yet the responsibilities of local government don’t shrink with the population. The roads still require maintenance. Water systems still need upgrades. Emergency responders still answer every call. Parks still need mowing. Economic development still requires investment.

Although community members’ expectations remain the same, the resources often don’t.

That creates another difficult reality many communities are facing — property taxes continue to rise.

Across the country, local governments are experiencing higher costs for construction, equipment, insurance, labor and infrastructure. Residents understandably feel the pressure every time tax statements arrive.

At the same time, cities and counties rely heavily on property taxes to fund many of the essential services we all expect. It’s an incredibly difficult balancing act and one that deserves honest conversations instead of assumptions.

One of the greatest takeaways from the week was that education matters. Not classroom education, but community education.

Helping residents understand why decisions are made. Helping them understand budgets, where tax dollars actually go, what grants require and that holding taxes flat doesn’t stop inflation. Every decision has tradeoffs.

As economic developers, city leaders and county officials, we cannot assume people know how local government works. Most don’t, and that’s okay. It’s our responsibility to explain because informed citizens make stronger communities.

I left the conference knowing the future of rural America won’t be determined by what we lack. It will be determined by how well we adapt. How willing we are to embrace innovation without losing our identity. How intentional we are about preparing the next generation. How honest we are about our challenges. How effectively we educate our communities about both the opportunities and the realities that lie ahead.

The future of rural America won’t be built by one grant, one project or one organization. It will be built by informed citizens, courageous local leaders and communities that understand change is inevitable — but decline is not.