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Updated: This report describes the benefits of a frontage path–a proposed paved, multi-use pathway connecting Belgrade and Bozeman along an approximately ten-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 10 in Gallatin County. Read more
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The economic challenges and opportunities in Taos County stem from being both a bustling mountain resort town, and a rural community facing long-term socioeconomic challenges. Read more
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Identify neighborhoods in six Great Lakes cities that meet socioeconomic vulnerability criteria. Read more
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Western counties once dependent on timber today perform similarly to like-sized counties. Three case studies outline economic lessons from counties that weathered the timber transition. Read more
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Western counties are experiencing a wide disparity in youth migration. While some are attracting and keeping young adults and families, others are struggling. Read more
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While national poverty rates dropped in the last year, the county-level picture is mixed. Read more
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Understanding your local economy and how it compares to peers is a crucial part of community and economic development. Read more
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Slide show: A theory of economic development in the rural West. Read more
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Hispanics account for roughly one in four westerners and one in six rural westerners. Read more
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Seven case studies illustrate best practices and lessons learned to develop programs for outdoor state recreation funding. Read more
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National interactive map and charts show Medicaid-dependent counties and populations at risk. Read more
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This report summarizes Montana’s economy analyzing recent growth and what is driving its performance, including a description of how federal lands help attract people, investment, and businesses. Read more
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Minority populations are growing in nearly all rural western counties, helping booming communities expand and slowing the decline in counties that otherwise would have lost people. Read more
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Non-labor income sources such as investments, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid often are the largest and fastest growing sources of personal income for many counties. Rural counties especially are surprisingly dependent on non-labor income. Read more
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A guide to planning for the long-term social, economic and environmental well-being of the community of Colstrip, Montana. Read more
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Many rural western towns face economic uncertainty. This report—informed by interviews and public meetings with residents—compares Lincoln to peer communities and outlines rural economic development options building on the town’s strengths. Read more
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The rural West matters for at least three important reasons: the vitality of the region’s landscape; its impact on local, state, and national politics; and the future of the area’s people and communities. Read more
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Explore socioeconomic trends in Gunnison County and neighboring Colorado counties. Read more
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While most western rural counties are aging and losing young families, the loss of school kids in rural western counties with protected lands such as National Monuments was, on average, less than half the rate of loss for similar counties without protected lands. Read more
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This post compares economic and demographic characteristics of communities where coal-fired power plants have recently retired or are scheduled to retire. Read more
