As populations shrink, some communities learn to thrive

Benjamin Herrold
Sep 12, 2026
4 hrs ago

downtown Brookfield, MO — Rural communities face challenging long-term trends of population loss, driven by a number of factors, but some towns have gotten creative and found ways to thrive while attracting and retaining young families.
IFT photo by Benjamin Herrold

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Population decline remains an issue for rural communities, though some have seen growth in recent years.

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