(Everly)– The Department of Sociology at Iowa State University has released the findings of its Rural Development Initiative Project.
It consisted of a survey conducted in 2004 to look at changes in the social conditions in Iowa’s rural towns. The survey was mailed to nearly 15-thousand households in 99 towns, one of which was Everly. 10 years ago, residents of the same 99 communities were asked to complete a similar survey. The households for both surveys were selected randomly from local telephone directories. In 1994, 113 Everly residents responded to the survey; 109 responded in 2004.
A key finding in the study shows that the percentage of Everly residents who shop for their daily needs in town decreased significantly from 1994 to 2004, along with the percentage of those who receive their primary healthcare in town. The percentage of residents who attend church or their place of worship in Everly also dropped significantly over the 10-year period, from 81 percent in 1994 to 62 percent in 2004.
Residents’ evaluation of housing improved, but their evaluations of youth programs and medical services declined. When it comes to government services, residents rated the condition of parks and streets and police protection services lower in 2004 than in 1994, but rated water more favorably.
Everly residents also rated their town as less well-kept in 2004 than in 1994.
