Urban and rural areas are splitting apart in ways that threaten the state’s ability to pool resources in pursuit of shared goals and a brighter future. Illustration by Justin Metz, for the Star Tribune
Why are residents of the Twin Cities and rural areas increasingly growing apart, and what can be done to bring them together?
Hear a preview from Editorial Board members Patricia Lopez, John Rash, Lori Sturdevant and D.J. Tice on the the urban/rural divide.
Editorial: The urban/rural divide is growing wider in Minnesota in key measures of age, income educational attainment, race and culture. Those gaps threaten the state’s ability to reach its full potential and to provide all Minnesotans with an opportunity for a high quality of life. In the three-art series "Better Together," the Star Tribune Editorial Board explores the divide and offers solutions for strengthening the state's internal union.
Commentary
Commentary: History shows that Minnesota functions better as one state, with urban and rural residents pulling together in the pursuit of shared goals. Columnist Lori Sturdevant and expert voices from throughout the state offer their perspectives on the health of a partnership that in decades past has made Minnesota better than the sum of its parts — from evolving cities such as Willmar to struggling regions like the Iron Range and mostly thriving metro areas.
