Rural moods improve with rain, other factors

We've heard farmers talk about a "million-dollar rain," but you don't have to be a farmer to appreciate moisture in Southwest Nebraska, where we're just now coming out of a drought.

Rural Nebraskans' moods are better than they have been in years, according to the latest University of Nebraska-Lincoln poll, and part of it can be credited to Mother Nature.

"Things have been going well in Nebraska of late," said Randy Cantrell, rural sociologist with the Nebraska Rural Futures Institute. "A long drought has essentially ended and unemployment is really quite low," he said. "Beyond that, and despite the occasional dip, reported optimism has generally been trending upward."

Fifty-three percent of poll respondents said they were better off this year than five years ago, up from 50 percent last year, the highest proportion in all 20 years of the study, matched only in 2008. Only 15 percent said they were worse off.

Nearly half of us think we'll be better off in 10 years, and the proportion of us who think we'll be worse off is down to 17 percent.

Your optimism depends on your situation, of course.

If you have a lower household income, are older or less educated, you're more likely to be pessimistic about the present and future.

Education especially makes a difference; 37 percent with a high school diploma or less feel powerless to control their own lives, while only 19 percent with at least a four-year college degree feel that way.

On the other hand, Rural Nebraskans continue to be most satisfied with their marriage, family, friends, religion / spirituality and the outdoors. They are less satisfied with job opportunities, current income level and financial security during retirement.

We also are satisfied with our ability to afford our residence compared to last year, but a little more worried about clean air and water.

Rural residents tend to be more connected to the natural environment than our city cousins, so it's not surprising that changes in the weather can have such an effect on their mood.

But it's also clear that ongoing economic development efforts designed to increase employment and improve housing will help.

With a lot of hard work and a little luck, perhaps we can have the best of both worlds -- country living with city opportunities.