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Wisconsin concerned about losing young residents

Posted at 3:13 PM, May 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-12 16:13:10-04

MADISON -- Wisconsin residents are concerned that there aren't enough young people in the state's rural areas.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports that 25-year-old Alana Voss of Mauston is concerned that not enough people her age are moving back to their small rural communities after graduating from college in a larger city.

Randy Stoecker is a professor of community and environmental sociology at UW-Madison. He studied more than 1,800 municipalities in the state and found that only 280 are gaining and maintaining young adults.

Research says the loss of young adults can increase the cost of schools, public services and recreation.

Jeff Wright is the assistant superintendent for the Sauk Prairie School District. He says the rural lifestyle needs modernization.

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