Rural Areas Create More Businesses With Greater Staying Power

From the way of life to political views, the differences between rural and urban America are well-documented. But an economic development specialist from Madison who studies business trends said the entrepreneurial spirit is higher in rural Wisconsin than it is in the state's urban areas.  "I think that's not something that people always think about when they think of rural America or rural Wisconsin," said Tessa Conroy of the University of Wisconsin-Extension who has studied the issue. "These are very entrepreneurial places. They actually have more proprietors per 1,000 residents than our metro areas. It's also the case that businesses survive longer on average in rural areas."