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The Norman County Economic Development Authority (NCEDA) is partnering with the University of Minnesota Extension in a “Discover Norman County” program to highlight our county using your ideas! Leaders are working to highlight the strengths of the county and reverse the trend of decreasing population and business opportunities by investing in the program. The program will bring county residents together to talk about the reasons why they live here and find ways to deal with the challenges. Groups will work to identify ways to make the county a place where others want to live, work and enjoy the outdoors too.

Some counties deliver a greater return on residents’ property taxes than others. A study by financial technology company Smart Asset compares counties across the U.S., measuring local crime rates and school quality relative to effective property tax rates. Norman County ranked number one in Minnesota for value compared to taxes paid. Lincoln County ranked number two in the state. The property tax in Norman County is 1.18% compared to Lincoln at 1.23%; the school rating is six, putting the county in the top 40% in the state, Lincoln rated 10 (top); there are 30 crimes/100K people, Lincoln had 482 crimes/100K; the overall value index was 99.81, Lincoln was 94.08.

Brain Gain Series: Rewriting the Rural Narrative, By Marijo Vik www.normancountynewsonline.com Key research findings of Ben Winchester, U of M 1. The population of residents ages 30 - 49 years old has increased in rural Minnesota counties. 2. These newcomers have significant education, skills, connections, spending power and children. 3. People migrate to rural communities for 1) a simpler life, 2) safety and security, 3) affordable housing, 4) outdoor recreation and 5) quality schools. 4. Communities can work together to attract newcomers and create a quality of life that all residents enjoy.

“Even in 75 percent of the rural counties that lose people overall, there’s still this brain gain,” Winchester said. “So we’re losing our high school kids with a high school education but the people who move into these communities have careers, life experience and families and we’re gaining. So whether you call it ‘brain drain’ or ‘brain gain,’ it’s basically ‘brain circulation.’ From a social capital perspective, it’s vital that you encourage migration to and not from.”

Brain Gain research by Ben Winchester, U of M, Article by Marijo Vik www.normancountynewsonline.com Key research findings The population of residents ages 30 - 49 years old has increased in rural Minnesota counties. These newcomers have significant education, skills, connections, spending power and children. People migrate to rural communities for 1) a simpler life, 2) safety and security, 3) affordable housing, 4) outdoor recreation and 5) quality schools. Communities can work together to attract newcomers and create a quality of life that all residents enjoy.

Brain Gain, Rewriting the Rural Narrative by Ben Winchester, U of M Article by Marijo Vik, www.normancountynewsonline.com Key research findings The population of residents ages 30 - 49 years old has increased in rural Minnesota counties. These newcomers have significant education, skills, connections, spending power and children. People migrate to rural communities for 1) a simpler life, 2) safety and security, 3) affordable housing, 4) outdoor recreation and 5) quality schools. Communities can work together to attract newcomers and create a quality of life that all residents enjoy.

Brain Gain Series: Rewriting the Rural Narrative, By Marijo Vik www.normancountynewsonline.com Key research findings of Ben Winchester, U of M 1. The population of residents ages 30 - 49 years old has increased in rural Minnesota counties. 2. These newcomers have significant education, skills, connections, spending power and children. 3. People migrate to rural communities for 1) a simpler life, 2) safety and security, 3) affordable housing, 4) outdoor recreation and 5) quality schools. 4. Communities can work together to attract newcomers and create a quality of life that all residents enjoy.

Brain Gain Series: Rewriting the Rural Narrative, By Marijo Vik www.normancountynewsonline.com Key research findings of Ben Winchester, U of M 1. The population of residents ages 30 - 49 years old has increased in rural Minnesota counties. 2. These newcomers have significant education, skills, connections, spending power and children. 3. People migrate to rural communities for 1) a simpler life, 2) safety and security, 3) affordable housing, 4) outdoor recreation and 5) quality schools. 4. Communities can work together to attract newcomers and create a quality of life that all residents enjoy.

Brain Gain Series: Rewriting the Rural Narrative, By Marijo Vik www.normancountynewsonline.com Key research findings of Ben Winchester, U of M 1. The population of residents ages 30 - 49 years old has increased in rural Minnesota counties. 2. These newcomers have significant education, skills, connections, spending power and children. 3. People migrate to rural communities for 1) a simpler life, 2) safety and security, 3) affordable housing, 4) outdoor recreation and 5) quality schools. 4. Communities can work together to attract newcomers and create a quality of life that all residents enjoy.