Rural Economy on the Edge: Why Farm Towns Are Bracing for Impact
October’s Mainstreet Index Marks a Five‑Year Low The heartbeat of rural America slowed this month. The latest Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) came in at 34.6 for October 2025—the weakest reading since May 2020, and the eighth straight month below the growth neutral mark. For those who watch the contours of the rural economy,…