Jobs on the Rise in Rural America

Based on unemployment figures, rural areas in the U.S. have seen growth in jobs, though most of the growth has been east of the Mississippi River.

"Generally, the rural communities that were hit the hardest by the recession initially show the greatest decline in unemployment rates over the last year. The Carolinas, Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan all have experienced relatively large drops in their unemployment rates over the last year.

The trend reverses as you head west of the Mississippi, where rates are often higher than a year ago. Colorado, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, California, western Montana and parts of Oregon all report higher unemployment rates this October."