CPAR's Nebraska Youth Survey Results Indicate Promising Future for Rural Areas

The Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), in partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) and local school districts, surveyed 1,047 middle and high school students between January and May of 2021. Participating communities included Albion, Bassett, Bruning, Burwell, Byron, Cedar Rapids, Chester, Davenport, Deshler, Grant, Hebron, O’Neill, Sidney, St. Edward, Stuart, Taylor and surrounding areas.

Students’ dream communities look a lot like where they live now. Sixty-four percent said their ideal community is small, like their hometown – a significant increase from 47% in 2020. When asked whether a stigma accompanied staying in or returning to their community, 76% said no – up from 70% last year.

“When we began this survey, one of our central interests was uncovering the extent to which there was a stigma associated with living in small towns in Nebraska and why,” said CPAR’s Josie Gatti Schafer, Ph.D. “After two years of conducting the survey, the results are clear – most student respondents do not feel a stigma exists about living in the place they live now. The trend is also positive.”

Like last year, students placed considerable importance on safety, ranking it at the top of a list of important factors when imagining their ideal community. Fortunately, more than 90% of respondents said they feel safe in their hometowns, and other answers indicate they value others’ safety as well. Almost 80% said they were likely to act to stop unfair treatment of others, and 61% said they were likely to be an advocate for embracing diversity and inclusion in their communities. As one respondent wrote, they seek to “make sure everyone is treated like a human should be treated.”

Greater Nebraska youth are also community-oriented – and busy. They balance sports, jobs, volunteering and club activities all while attending school – 87% have jobs in their community, and 84% are involved in school activities like sports or choir. Young Nebraskans are also active in bettering their places, with 71% saying they join others in their town to do something positive for their community at least once a year. Despite these high levels of engagement, only 25% of respondents said they feel they play a role in their community – down from 49% in 2020. These students are involved and want to play a part in shaping their community – adults must continue inviting them to share their voices.

“Our youth seek a place to call their own, and the conditions are ripe for them to stake their claim in Greater Nebraska,” said NCF President and CEO Jeff Yost. “Nebraskans have long known our local quality-of-life offerings can rival those of just about any other state. Last year proved thousands of jobs can now be done from anywhere in the world, why not right here in Nebraska?”

The results of the Nebraska Youth Survey reveal the priorities, values and desires of youth in our state as well as factors that may influence their decision to return to or remain in Greater Nebraska in the future. The traits they seek in a community – safety, good schools and proximity to family – are abundant in Greater Nebraska, and the work put in today can make communities even more appealing in the future.

For the full 2021 Nebraska Youth Survey Report, email cmalek-madani@nebcommfound.org.

About The Center for Public Affairs Research

The Center for Public Affairs Research collaboratively produces and disseminates high-quality public scholarship about topics that impact the lives of Nebraskans. Ongoing projects from CPAR, include policy analyses for the Planning Committee of the Nebraska State Legislature, the Nebraska Rural Transit Project, governing.unomaha.edu, and designation by the U.S. Census Bureau as a statewide liaison for disseminating a range of data products. To learn more about CPAR and access many of our data resources go to www.cpar.unomaha.edu.

About Nebraska Community Foundation

Nebraska Community Foundation unleashes abundant local assets, inspires charitable giving and connects ambitious people to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska. Headquartered in Lincoln, the Foundation serves communities, donors and organizations by providing financial management, strategic development, education and training to a statewide network of 1,500 volunteers serving 270 communities.

In the last five years, 46,507 contributions have been made to Nebraska Community Foundation and its affiliated funds. Since 1994, Nebraska Community Foundation has reinvested $423 million in Nebraska’s people and places. For information, visit www.NebraskaHometown.org.