These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for rural communities. Are you rural? This survey is for you. SmallBizSurvival.com and SaveYour.Town are conducting the 10th-anniversary edition of the Survey of Rural Challenges! Take the Survey of Rural Challenges. Spread the word Could you help us spread the word on […]

These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for rural communities. Are you rural? This survey is for you.

SmallBizSurvival.com and SaveYour.Town are conducting the 10th-anniversary edition of the Survey of Rural Challenges! Take the Survey of Rural Challenges.

Spread the word

Could you help us spread the word on the Survey of Rural Challenges to as many people as possible? You could repost, add to your newsletter, print it in the local newspaper or share in meetings and presentations now through the end of May 2024. 

Share this link to share the survey:

Why you want to take the Survey

Your answers to the Survey of Rural Challenges will:

Prepare better services for rural communities.

“It gives us great insight as we continue to refine our services geared toward small rural communities.” Marci Goodwin from Peoria IL said on LinkedIn

Help others to know what the real issues are in rural communities.

“As we work to listen and then tackle these important issues, data like this is extremely helpful. “Jason Duff

Assist those working in rural to make changes that will matter.

“I am experimenting with an organizational pivot towards expert entrepreneur coaching for rural co-operatives’ rural businesses and away from supporting written business plans. Your survey results and our conversations helped me clarify how we describe that.” Heather Hallgrimson, Saskatchewan, Canada

Have results that will help other organizations address the needs of rural people.

“Save Your.Town and Small Biz Survival’s Survey of Rural Challenges noted Rural business people needed help with marketing, starting a business, or receiving economic development incentives.” American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association

“Lack of housing, inactive downtowns, population losses, losing young people, and childcare ranked the highest as rural community challenges. What are the next steps we need to take in Casselton (besides the grocery store because I know that’s what you’re going to say and the need for a grocery store is a given)?” Char Gust, Casselton City Council Member

Direct the conversation in important ways.

“If you care about rural people and places, this is a good opportunity to share your thoughts and help inform the conversation.”Tyson Ochsner, Professor at Oklahoma State University

“We use the results to create practical steps that help you shape a better future for your town. Because you tell us what topics rural people most want help with, your responses also get shared out to others who work with rural communities and in articles and media stories,” said Becky McCray, cofounder of SaveYour.Town

Take the Survey of Rural Challenges today!

How the survey works:

The survey will collect voluntary responses online in the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2024. The survey is open to rural people globally: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or any other country. Anyone who lives or works in a small town can answer. More than 1700 people answered the survey in previous years. Results from 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 and links to media coverage are available at 

Helping us get more survey responses gives you more to do with the survey later.

Amy Peterson, Estherville News (Iowa) said,“Our newspaper used the Survey of Rural Challenges as a starting point to do some interviews with local people about their challenges. Our series earned second place as Best Series in the Iowa Newspaper Association awards. I love the Survey of Rural Challenges as a journalist, and we’ll have to find a new way to use the numbers to take the pulse of our community.”

Amy started the series Spilling the Commun-tea in the local paper.

Take the Survey of Rural Challenges today!