The challenge of both finding and affording workers faces small governments scattered around the U.S., and often leaves those still there to pick up the slack. Jessica Jimmo, 32, who grew up in Ashland, is the town's deputy clerk, assistant librarian and a volunteer firefighter for the Ashland Fire Department, where she serves with family including her mother and sisters. Several other multitasking workers are at least a generation older, including Tarr and David Milligan, 56, who is both a police officer and Ashland's town code enforcer.
In Texas, roughly two-thirds of cities with 3,000 to 5,000 residents are missing a finance director, according to the Texas Municipal League. And nearly all of the hundreds of Texas cities with fewer than 3,000 people are missing one, too.
Maine is particularly affected. They have the oldest demographics. One town, Lime, disbanded its police force.
Would you move to rural America?
Personally, I'm just more of a city person. I can visit rural America, but not live there.