How to Attract New Residents to Your Rural Community: Lessons from Successful Communities

In the heart of America, a quiet revolution is taking place. Rural communities, long plagued by population decline, are discovering a new lease on life thanks to an unexpected ally: remote work. As digital nomads seek greener (and often more affordable) pastures, small towns are rolling out the welcome mat – and reaping the rewards.

But how exactly are these communities turning the tide? During a panel discussion at the 2024 Stand Up Rural America Summit community leaders from several successful rural relocation programs offered valuable insights on attracting and retaining remote workers to their communities. The panelists were:

Let's dive into why they say remote workers are the answer to combatting population decline and the strategies they are implementing to breathe new life into rural America.

Watch full video of the panel at Stand Up Rural America

The Remote Work Renaissance: A Golden Opportunity

For decades, the narrative in rural America has been one of exodus. As Gourley puts it, "We have been losing people for the last 100 years. If you look at our demographics, Lincoln's population was the highest in the 1940s and we've been losing people since then. However, the rise of remote work presents a unique opportunity to reverse this trend.”

Painter says she also saw the writing on the wall: “We launched our program to help attract remote workers to the area in the summer of 2021 when remote work was becoming very popular. We have a lower cost of living and great quality of life so we thought it was a great time to introduce that to people who were now experiencing the ability to work from home or work remotely from anywhere.”

The shift is so profound that Gourley notes, "Economic development is no longer,’ recruit the business and people will follow, it's recruit the people and the business will follow’." This paradigm shift is reshaping how rural communities approach growth and sustainability.

Why Rural Communities Are Betting on Remote Workers

1. Replenishing the Tax Base

With traditional industries like coal mining on the decline, communities need new sources of revenue. Hall explains, “If we don’t get more people to replace the tax base we lose with the decline of the coal industry which impacted our schools when families moved out of the area which then impacts the state income we receive for our public schools, everything else is going to be a lot harder.”

2. Diverse Perspectives

New residents come from different backgrounds or countries and this diversity can fuel innovation and entrepreneurship. Painter boasts, "We have over 70 movers from 23 states and 5 different countries including Costa Rica, Ecuador and Malibu Beach in California."

3. Economic Catalysts

Remote workers often bring spouses to the local workforce or sometimes end up joining themselves. These new residents bring a fresh perspective and a wider range of skills to the community. Gourley explains “We’ve had some of our remote workers eventually quit their jobs which made some of our stakeholders worried about the loss of income but then they joined the local workforce or brought spouses with them that took jobs in industries like healthcare and education which was a further benefit to our community.”

5 Winning Strategies from Successful Rural Relocation Programs

1. Roll Out the Red Carpet

It's not just about attracting people; it's about making them feel at home. Successful communities are:

Hall notes, “When we get feedback on why people want to move to Eastern Kentucky it’s never about the financial incentive to move there, it’s the cost of living, quality of life, safe schools, it’s all those things that make Eastern Kentucky an attractive option.”

2. Offer More Than Just Money

While financial incentives can attract interest, they're not the whole story:

Kelly Gourley shares, “The financial incentive is the hook, it's what gets people to click. But the connections will make them move and make them stay. We give them a dozen farm fresh free eggs every month for a year because we're an agricultural community and it aligns with who we are."

3. Build a Network of Support

Success takes a village – or in this case, a network of local partners:

Painter explains, “We’ve developed a program that MakeMyMove helps us advertise on the platform where we host events every quarter. It helps us showcase our region and all of the things there are to see and do because we want to keep our movers. Events have included baseball games, kayaking and we even hosted a beach party. It shows people that once they move here they have a friend in us and that we’re going to keep that engagement going with them.”

4. Tackle the Housing Hurdle

One of the biggest challenges? Housing. But innovative communities are finding solutions:

Painter advises, “One of our challenges has been lack of housing and each of our communities has been trying to address this issue. People aren’t going to list things on Zillow so we try to connect with realtors and property managers in our area so we know what types of housing are available. We're not expecting someone who lives in another state to make the connections. We've hosted people on tours and they've signed leases immediately so it’s been a successful strategy."

5. Show Your Work

Measuring and communicating impact is crucial for long-term support:

Hall says that Eastern Kentucky is planning on utilizing both technology and manpower to help with its future remote worker relocation expansion. “Expanding from 4 to 30 counties is going to help our housing stock. These leads come in and they’re hot leads! We have to respond quickly. Having someone full-time helps and the MakeMyMove platform does a great job of preselecting based on criteria.

Gourley also highlights the importance of data: "MakeMyMove just recently rolled out a new tool that provides reports that show the economic impact the program is having... which makes [stakeholders] more open to providing funding."

The Bottom Line: Just Do It

As Hall succinctly puts it, the key to success is to "just do it." While the road may not always be smooth – Gourley admits, "Not every board member voted for this. It was a tough conversation" – the potential rewards are transformative. Painter adds "Don't be afraid to ask MakeMyMove about other workforces you can attract. It's not limited to remote workers."

This is an opportunity for rural communities to evolve and embrace a new future. As Gourley concludes, "What MakeMyMove is to me, It's like Match.com for economic development directors. You are connecting 1:1 with people who have an interest in you and you have an interest in them." By harnessing the power of remote work, rural communities can attract new residents, revitalize their economies and create a vibrant future.

It's time to make that match and breathe new life into rural America. The future is calling – and it's got a great Wi-Fi connection.

At MakeMyMove, we help communities grow by recruiting new residents. To get your community started, contact us here.