Andy Medici
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Is small-town American poised for a comeback?

Experts seem to think so. Or at least, the opportunity is there. Why? Because of a number of factors all happening at once.

It's time for small towns to shoot their shot.

Here's why
08:49 PM - Feb 15, 2023
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Andy Medici
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In response to Andy Medici.
The Covid-19 pandemic pushed many people away from coastal major metropolitan areas and toward cheaper suburbs or smaller cities. A mixture of a desire for space, affordability and rearranging of peoples lives all happened at once, and without precedent.
08:50 PM - Feb 15, 2023
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Andy Medici
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In response to Andy Medici.
Remote work has also given people unprecedented ability to work from anywhere. For the previous decade, rural america had lost population as older residents died and younger workers moved to where the jobs were.

But now the jobs can come with them.
08:50 PM - Feb 15, 2023
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Andy Medici
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Manufacturing, once a similar story of factories in small towns closing up and moving away, has been given a shot in the arm. The pandemic has pushed many companies to "nearshore" to escape future bottlenecks.
In response to Andy Medici.
08:50 PM - Feb 15, 2023
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Andy Medici
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In response to Andy Medici.
But Congress also passed hundreds of billions of dollars in various programs to retool existing manufacturing and generate new jobs in new industries - and a portion of which will directly benefit small towns. That includes the Infrastructure Act, the CHIPS act, the Inflation Reduction Act and more
08:51 PM - Feb 15, 2023
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Andy Medici
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In response to Andy Medici.
Take Mattoon, Illinois. Smack dab in the center of the state, Mattoon has seen its population slowly drop from about 19,700 in 1970 to about 17,000 today.

It has seen big employers close up shop and move, including a GE lighting plant in 2017 and LSC Communication's printing operation in 2020.
08:52 PM - Feb 15, 2023
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