Dwindling Small Towns Fight Back

Census data shows that Lacrosse, WA (pop. 315) and other small, rural towns are getting smaller. Some blame the Conservation Reserve Program. But Lacrosse and many others aren't going quietly - they're fighting to hang on.

1 minute read

March 17, 2011, 12:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur

"We're not dead yet," Mayor Larry "Butch" Burgess says of tiny Lacrosse, WA in this article by John Stucke.

Judging by the numbers, that seems to be where Lacrosse and many other small, rural towns are headed. The latest Census figures show Lacrosse's population dropped from 415 to 315, and businesses have been gradually closing. While cities and larger towns around the state are growing in numbers and vibrancy, Washington's small towns seem to be emptying out.

Many place the blame on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which pays farmers not to till their land. Although it has many conservation benefits, the program means that farmers also won't be purchasing supplies from local stores or hiring employees, all of which can further speed small towns' decline.

In Lacrosse, though, Burgess is hopeful that community efforts to attract businesses and services and keep the school open will be enough to stem the demographic tide and keep the town alive.

FULL STORY: Census: Dwindling small towns determined to fight extinction

Sunday, March 6, 2011 in The Spokesman-Review

Community / Economic Development Environment Land Use Social / Demographics Washington Demographics Census Data Agriculture Conservation Small Towns Shifting Demographics Rural 2010 Census View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.