If you are building a business in rural America, every decision matters. Is there enough demand here? Can I hire the right people? Will my business grow in this community?
The answers should not be guesswork.

At CORI, we believe great companies can start and scale anywhere, including rural America. Access to clear, actionable data is one way we help founders and communities unlock that potential.

CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool brings trusted federal data together with clear visuals and plain-language explanations so founders can quickly understand the economic landscape around them. You do not need to be a data analyst to use it. You just need to know the right questions to ask.

Here are five powerful questions founders can answer using the tool and how the data can help guide smarter decisions.

 

1. Can my customers pay for what I am selling?

This question helps founders understand customer purchasing power and how sensitive the local market may be to pricing.

Pay attention to these indicators:

  • Average annual pay
  • Per capita income
  • Income distribution
  • Cost-burdened renters and owners

 

graphs showing average annual pay, and per capita income.
Example of ‘average annual pay’ and ‘per capita income’ charts from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Average annual pay and per capita income show the overall earning environment.

example income distribution graph
Example of ‘income distribution’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Income distribution shows whether most households cluster in lower- or middle-income brackets and whether there is a meaningful higher-income segment.

example graphs showing cost-burdened owners and renters
Example of ‘cost-burdened renters’ and ‘cost-burdened owners’ charts from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Housing cost burden indicates whether households may be financially stretched.

When wages are rising and costs are stable, you may have more room to charge a premium. When incomes are tight and housing strain is high, customers may be more price-sensitive.

Bottom line: Use this data to shape your pricing tiers, test entry-level offers, and choose your initial target segment.

 

2. Is capital flowing here?

Access to capital shapes how quickly businesses can grow and whether founders may need to look beyond their local market for funding.

Pay attention to these indicators:

  • Private investment per capita
  • Business growth
  • Business applications
  • Share of self-employment

 

graph showing 'Private investment per capita'
Example of ‘private investment per capita’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Private investment per capita shows whether businesses in the region are attracting outside investment.

business applications and business growth chart examples
Example of ‘business applications’ and ‘business growth’ charts from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Business applications and business growth indicate entrepreneurial momentum and the pace of new company formation.

example chart for share of self-employment
Example of ‘share of self-employment’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Share of self-employment provides context about the structure of entrepreneurship—higher levels can indicate more solopreneurs or very small businesses that may rely more on bootstrapping than outside capital.

If private investment is low but business applications are high, it may signal strong entrepreneurial energy despite limited local capital. In that case, founders may want to build regional or national investor relationships early. If investment levels are moderate or growing, it may be worth mapping the local capital landscape and identifying active investors.

Bottom line: Use this data to shape your fundraising and growth strategy, whether that means tapping local networks, building regional investor relationships, or planning to seek outside capital early.

 

3. Can I hire the people I need?

Hiring is not just about population size. It is about skills, wages, and participation.

Pay attention to these indicators:

  • Educational attainment
  • Employment by occupation
  • Prime-age employment rate
  • Share of employment by sector
  • Average annual pay

 

example chart of 'educational attainment'
Example of ‘educational attainment’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Educational attainment gives you a high-level view of formal degree availability.

example chart showing employment by occupation.
Example of ‘employment by occupation’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Employment by occupation shows what people are actually doing for work. If production and logistics dominate locally, you may have a deep pool of operational talent. If professional services are growing, you may have greater depth in white-collar skills.

example 'prime age employment' chart
Example of ‘prime age employment rate’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

The prime-age employment rate measures how active the core working-age population is in the labor market. A very high rate can mean a tight labor market. A lower rate can signal untapped workforce potential or barriers that may need to be addressed.

example average annual pay graph
Example of ‘average annual pay’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Average annual pay information helps you benchmark realistic compensation considerations.

Bottom line: Use this data to decide whether to hire locally, recruit remotely, redesign roles around available skills, or partner with training institutions.

 

4. Can my tech-enabled business operate here?

Today, nearly every business—even those outside the tech sector—depends on digital infrastructure.

Pay attention to these indicators:

  • Broadband service
  • Broadband adoption
  • Computer access
  • Remote work share

 

example broadband service chart
Example of ‘broadband service’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Broadband service shows what is technically available.

example broadband adoption chart
Example of ‘broadband adoption’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Broadband adoption tells you how many households are actually subscribed.

example computer access chart
Example of ‘computer access’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Computer access shows device readiness.

example remote work chart
Example of ‘remote work’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Remote work share signals whether the local workforce is already participating in digital work.

High service but low adoption can signal affordability challenges or digital literacy gaps that may shape how you reach customers. High adoption and computer access suggest strong readiness for e-commerce, SaaS tools, remote teams, and digital marketing.

Bottom line: Use this data to pressure-test your delivery model. Do you need offline options and more in-person touchpoints? Or should you lean fully into digital distribution?

 

5. Is this local economy resilient enough to grow with me?

No business operates in isolation. The health and diversity of the local economy matter.

Pay attention to these indicators:

  • Industry diversity
  • Employment by industry
  • Real GDP per capita
  • Population trends
  • Median age

 

example industry diversity chart (measured using Herfindahl-Hirschman Index)
Example of ‘industry diversity’ chart (using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index) from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Industry diversity (measured using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI)) shows whether jobs are concentrated in a few sectors or spread across many. Heavy concentration (high HII) in one industry can increase vulnerability to economic shocks.

example employment by industry chart
Example of ‘employment by industry’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Employment by industry reveals which sectors are growing or shrinking.

example GDP per capita chart
Example of ‘Read GDP per capita’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

 

GDP per capita reflects productivity and overall economic strength.

example population chart
Example of ‘population’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Population trends show whether people are moving in or out.

example median age chart
Example of ‘median age’ chart from CORI’s Rural Economic Development Tool

Median age gives clues about workforce pipelines and customer demographics.

Bottom line: Use this data to decide whether you are building on an existing strength, balancing a sector gap, or can stay strong if the dominant industry slows.

 

The Rural Economic Development Tool is not just for economic developers. It is a practical resource for founders who want to understand the communities they are building in.
When founders have access to the right data, they can make smarter decisions about markets, hiring, pricing, and growth. And when founders succeed, stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems begin to take shape.

This tool helps bring that clarity to rural communities across America—so founders can build with confidence and opportunity can grow locally.