McKinsey’s latest piece, “Who Is Rural America?”, finally says what some of us have been shouting for years. Rural communities are complex, diverse, and economically vital. But they’re constantly overlooked, oversimplified, and underserved by the very systems designed to support them.

Let’s get one thing clear. Rural doesn’t mean irrelevant.

It doesn’t mean white and aging.
It doesn’t mean undereducated.
It doesn’t mean waiting for handouts.

Rural communities in 2024 are full of entrepreneurs, immigrants, skilled tradespeople, first-generation college students, and working-class professionals. These are people building businesses, fixing infrastructure, raising families, and grinding every day to make things better.

What’s holding them back isn’t a lack of initiative. It’s a lack of insight and a lack of respect in how policy, funding, and planning frameworks treat them.

Where We Come In

At Street Economics, we’ve seen firsthand how rural cities get skipped over because they don’t fit the metrics built for big metros. But our economic development AI doesn’t care about population thresholds or buzzwords. It looks at what really matters.

Are there housing gaps and capital barriers?
Where are the real economic drivers?
What are your local assets?
What can be done now that makes an actual difference?

Most small towns don’t have big budgets for consultants. That’s why we built Street Economics. To bring real tools to the places that need them the most.

The Real Opportunity

McKinsey’s report is useful. But let’s go further. This isn’t just about recognizing rural America. It’s about equipping it.

Rural cities need:
Access to capital for small business growth
Data-informed strategies that reflect real people
Flexible zoning and modern infrastructure
Entrepreneur ecosystems that work in small markets

We’ve been lucky to work with rural and semi-rural communities across Florida and beyond. What we’ve found are leaders ready to act. If someone finally gives them tools built for their reality.

Final Thought

Rural America doesn’t need pity. It needs partners.
Street Economics is ready.