Regional centers in Iowa will survive, perhaps thrive, rural experts predict. The outlook for Iowa's smallest communities looks grim. The exodus has dramatic effects on the people who remain. Schools and churches consolidate. Youth groups and 4-H clubs shrink or disappear.
Neighborhoods become temporary stopping points for residents looking for cheap housing.
In the past, we may not like our neighbors, but at least we knew them. We're creating a culture where people no longer trust each other. In small-town Iowa, trust has been defined by handshake deals and unlocked doors. Manning has defied the odds. The town of about 1,500 is still a place where no one is a stranger.