‘Nice lettuce and soft-serve ice cream’: What keeps young adults from rural Kansas?
If Kansas wants to keep and attract young adults to its rural communities, state residents should figure out how to better support access to child care, affordable housing and broadband, or risk continued population loss of those young people, according to a new report.
The report, Power Up and Go, was produced by the state Office of Rural Prosperity and the Kansas Sampler Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for preservation of rural culture.
It aimed to gain a better understanding of the obstacles that keep young adults and their families from staying in rural Kansas, as well as the opportunities that small communities can offer.
“This report will help us address young Kansans’ needs to prevent outmigration and strengthen our growing economy,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement about the study. “My administration will continue prioritizing the key issues identified, such as childcare, broadband expansion, and affordable housing, along with keeping our state welcoming and inclusive for all to support our rural and young Kansans.”
To reach its findings, the Kansas Sampler Foundation examined 460 survey responses and conducted interviews with 175 Kansans. They talked to young adults ages 21 to 39 from all 105 counties in Kansas.
The number of young people aged 25 to 29 will decrease across Kansas from 2020 to 2030, while the population of people aged 20 to 24 could remain stagnant over the next decade across the state, according to the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University.
To address that population decline, the report focused on actionable steps the state and local communities can take. Its ultimate goals are to make rural life attractive to young adults and families, value diversity and support people like entrepreneurs and volunteers who are working to make changes.
Issues that arose frequently in conversations with young Kansans in rural towns included child care, housing, broadband, diversity, health care, workforce and early education.
The foundation also heard that residents want to see improvements to mental health care, the legal system, foster care, agriculture, pharmacies, historic preservation and access to the arts.
“Respondents overwhelmingly identified that, while rural needs may be specifically local, the issues are systemic across the state,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said in a statement. “By focusing on the recurring challenges, like broadband and housing, we can see where our state needs to emphasize funding and additional resources for everyone.”
Common issues and ideas to fix them
Many young Kansans moved away from their their rural hometowns for college or work before they returned, according to the report. Others stayed nearby.
“They want to smooth the edges of their towns, to add services or amenities that make it just a little easier — or more fun — to live in their rural communities,” the report reads. “They welcome diversity, in culture and in perspectives.”
No single action will fix population loss in rural Kansas. But the report’s boosters want to create an ecosystem that supports rural towns.
One way to build that system is by supporting “local champions” in a community: the entrepreneurs, movers and shakers who build child care centers and work to improve access to education, for example. The report suggested a new, paid and trained position for these “local champions.” They would connect the dots among local issues, prioritize steps and take action.
One suggestion the report’s authors made: A mix of public and private funding could offer training opportunities through a statewide fellowship program that would provide a stipend to these local champions.
The report also placed emphasis on the need for better child care in rural communities, citing the lack of child care as a reason young people don’t take jobs or have kids.
“This is not just an issue for parents, but for an entire community,” the report reads. “It undermines economic development efforts that focus on job growth and when combined with housing shortages, it compromises the viability and appeal of rural life.”
So how do you create more quality and quantity of child care in rural Kansas?
The report suggests one option is to improve coordination among state programs, regulations, advocacy efforts and providers. Child care centers should also elevate teachers by valuing their work with a living wage and health insurance, according to the report.
If Kansas is going to support young adults in rural communities, the state also needs to address perception concerns, the report notes.
Some young adults felt like their neighbors looked at them as a failure when they returned to their rural hometown despite having a higher education and lived elsewhere. But how can state advocates address a problem as intangible as perception?
One suggestion was to create fellowship opportunities for “rural influencer.” Those people would offer positive messages for young people and better connect them with the community.
Lastly, the report’s authors offered suggestions to remove barriers for business owners in rural Kansas.
The action points include creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem by making a one-stop shop for common issues within state agencies. It also suggested redirecting tax dollars from large, established businesses to small entrepreneurs.
Another way to support businesses is by supporting employees, according to the report.
Young adult workers want work-life balance, livable wages and modern benefits and health insurance. They are interested in working remotely even for a portion of the week, they said in interviews.
To ensure a strong business ecosystem, communities could set up remote work recruitment programs. Some cities, like Topeka, have a relocation incentive for remote employees who move there.
Investing in young, rural Kansans
The report’s authors believe that when rural Kansas does well, the whole state can thrive. They focused on building “communities of the future” for rural Kansas.
Those towns are welcoming to newcomers and those with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. The report pushed community leaders to ask: How many immigrants have started businesses? How many women? How many people of color? Do key civic and non-profit boards accurately reflect the demographics of the community?
One interviewee suggested that cities create an advisory council of young people to act as a sounding board on decisions, programs and planning for a community.
At the end of the day, some rural Kansans’ hopes can be summed up more simply.
“All I want is a salad with some nice lettuce and soft-serve ice cream for my kids,” one interviewee said.
While that desire doesn’t tackle all the hard issues mentioned in the report, it shows that not every town has the same access to goods and services -- demonstrating a key place for entrepreneurs to step in.
Ultimately, to make progress in rural Kansas and help stem the tide of population loss, the state should listen to and engage with the next generation of residents, the report contends.
“The report reflects the collective brilliance of the 175 young rural Kansans I had the privilege to interview,” Marci Penner, executive director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation, said in a statement. “I encourage people to read the report and then find areas where they can take action. If we do, I believe we can ensure a new way to look at the future of rural communities.”
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 2:56 PM.
