Barren County Named Best Place to Live in Rural America

 

Barren County, Ky. took top honors in the third-annual edition of the “Best Places to Live in Rural America” rankings by The Progressive Farmer magazine. (www.progressivefarmer.com)

A strong and growing economy, great education, superior access to health care and historical flavor were all important reasons why Barren County was selected. The county of nearly 40,000 residents, located in south-central Kentucky midway between Louisville and Nashville, Tenn., also is known for its rolling farmland and friendly residents. Each year, the rankings name the top 10 rural counties in the nation according to several quality-of-life indicators and statistics. The rankings underscore the growing interest in “new ruralism,” or the trend of migration toward rural areas. Most rural areas in the nation are growing at the fastest rate in more than 20 years, and 71 percent of rural counties in America gained population from 1990 to 2000, according to two recent studies by Kenneth Johnson of Loyola University in Chicago.

In order, the other counties selected among the top 10 are: Warren County, Pa.; Randolph County, Ill.; Gillespie County, Texas; Union County, S.D.; St. Lawrence County, N.Y.; Sac County, Iowa; Garfield County, Okla.; Amador C County, Calif.; and Polk County, N.C.