(Omaha, NE) — The rural economy in the Midwest is cooling.
Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss, conducts the Rural Mainstreet Index. He blames lower commodity prices for the overall decline.
Goss says there are also some signs consumers are pulling back.
The region’s overall reading for July sank to 41.3, its lowest reading since November 2023, and down from 41.7 in June. The index ranges between 0 and 100, with a reading of 50.0 representing growth neutral.
