Charleston, Paris, Ozark, Dardanelle, Mansfield, Booneville and others are trying to revitalize their downtowns.

Bringing it back home, 69 of Iowa’s 99 counties have contracted since 2010, along with 10 of its 15 micropolitan counties. This ongoing struggle of midsized counties has negative economic and social consequences. Residents in surrounding rural areas depend on them for jobs, essential services, public goods and other commercial and recreational amen... See more