ISU Study Finds Inflation Hitting Rural Areas Harder

(Ames, IA) — An Iowa State University analysis shows rural households are being disproportionately impacted by rising inflation. The study finds disposable income for rural residents is down 38 percent — compared to 17 percent in cities. ISU researcher Dave Peters says that means rural communities have less of a safety net for unexpected costs. He says rural households are using more gasoline to travel and more fuel to heat their homes — which are both surging in price. And Peters says wages in small towns are growing more slowly than in other places.