Good life, greater Nebraska

A record number of babies born!

Twenty- and 30-somethings move home at rates not seen in decades!

Small town citizens raise millions to reinvest in their community’s future!

These are all headlines from Greater Nebraska in 2016. The O’Neill hospital, for example, reported 174 births last year. Communities like Albion, Stuart and Pender all have many more young families living there than they did 10 years ago. Dozens of Nebraska hometowns — big and small — are coming together to raise millions through their unrestricted endowments, providing support to worthwhile causes today, and paving the way to a brighter future.

This isn’t the rural narrative we’ve grown accustomed to hearing, but that may be changing.

According to U.S. Census data, populations in many areas of rural Nebraska are stabilizing. The Nebraska Community Foundation recently surveyed 6,000 Nebraska middle and high school students about their perceptions of their hometowns. Only 12 percent said their town is too small, and the majority can picture themselves living there in the future if career opportunities are available.

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