Thaisa WayFeb 11, 2023
The Conversation U.S.

The US government’s main indicator of inflation, the consumer price index, is compiled by looking at the changes in price that urban Americans pay for a set basket of goods.

Those living in rural America are not surveyed and they are harder hit by increases in prices for gas, used cars, groceries and health care.

#Inflation #UrbanRuralDivide #Inequality #Economics

https://theconversation.com/rural-americans-arent-included-in-inflation-figures-and-for-them-the-cost-of-living-may-be-rising-faster-197781

Rural Americans aren't included in inflation figures – and for them, the cost of living may be rising faster

The rising cost of living doesn’t hit all Americans equally. Yet the benchmark figure for charting the rising cost of living excludes people in rural areas.

The Conversation
Feb 11, 2023 at 9:18pmWeb
Show threadSarah GreenFeb 11, 2023

@TheConversationUS
True, but also here in rural #michigan I just finished an excellent lunch at a nice, non-chain restaurant for $18, including a generous tip.
(Of course, the eating out options are rather limited.)

#keweenaw #upperPeninsula

Show threadMark SaltveitFeb 11, 2023
@TheConversationUS
Rural Americans also pay vastly less for housing, which is the biggest expense mosr Americans have. And politically-driven identity markers (F-150s, ATVs, snowmobiles, and boats for example) drive a lot of their fuel costs.
Show threadEd DolanFeb 12, 2023
@TheConversationUS Let's not look just at the negatives. Rural residents (who constitute 8% of the US population) spend less on food away from home, housing, insurance, and clothing. There are pros and cons to small-town and rural life, but I myself have chosen to live in a town of 500 because I think the pros outweigh the cons, especially in this age of remote work and entertainment. Here are some numbers: https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-2/expenditures-of-urban-and-rural-households-in-2011.htm
Expenditures of urban and rural households in 2011 : Beyond the Numbers: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The United States is a nation of great diversity. Large houses and big red barns are found on the open farmlands of the Midwest while apartments and coffee shops occupy the corners of busy city streets. The varying landscapes shape the lives, customs, and spending habits of Americans.