How did this town of 20,000 reach these heights? Through foresight into how the economy was changing — and a concerted effort to adapt to it. Local leaders knew that the local job market was too reliant on tourism and natural resource extraction.
Resources
Looking for a toolkit to inform your rural digital economy ecosystem strategies? Hoping to better visualize the challenges facing rural communities? Explore our evolving library of resources.

Understand the state of local tech economies.
This is an inspiring story about broadband and the ways it can can usher in a new wave of rural prosperity and innovation.
Like many rural communities, its economy had struggled to rebound from the Great Recession, and while the economy was transitioning to more tech-based employment, Cape Girardeau was slow to develop a digital economy.
Learn how rural coworking spaces across the country are navigating COVID-19.
In partnership with the Sorenson Impact Center, we had the privilege to profile rural institutions of higher education across the country doing creative work to promote technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship on campus and in their community.