Great Plains employment rises, reversing trend

Great Plains states have seen a remarkable turnaround in employment, and are one of the few rural areas in the country experiencing growth, according to a report by the National Agricultural & Rural Development Policy Center, reports the Daily Yonder.

Great Plains employment steadily declined from 2001 to 2007 (above), as most other regions were growing, but from 2007 to 2011 (below), the opposite was true, with the Great Plains showing growth, and most other areas seeing a decline. Researchers said, “Growth in the nation’s heartland likely reflects higher commodity prices and the energy boom," and “its sparse population may have insulated this region from the housing bust.”

In rural areas nationwide, employment rates in mining, retail, waste management and self-employment are up, while there has been a drop in rates for jobs in farming, manufacturing, and construction, the Yonder reports.