Rural Americans aren't included in inflation figures – and for them, the cost of living may be rising faster
- Written by Stephan Weiler, Professor of Economics, Colorado State University
Calculating the cost of living in the country.Ariel Skelley/Getty ImagesWhen the Federal Reserve convenes at the end of January 2023 to set interest rates, it will be guided by one key bit of data: the U.S. inflation rate. The problem is, that stat ignores a sizable chunk of the country – rural America.
Currently sitting at 6.5%, the rate of...