Mitigating the Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Rural Low-Income Families

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted rural communities and is exacerbating the economic, health, and social inequality for poor Americans in rural areas. Mounting job losses and illness in these communities are also pushing low-income families further into poverty. Based on previous research on rural poverty, this paper highlights the difficulties that marginalized rural families could experience due to the current pandemic. We focus on five major areas that affect the lives of the rural poor: economic security, family well-being, food insecurity, health security, and the challenges of rural living with a special focus on racial and ethnic minority families. We provide tangible recommendations on what can be done in the short term to enable rural families to cope with the consequences of the pandemic. We also discuss long-term policy recommendations that would be necessary for rural communities to thrive after the pandemic and survive future outbreaks.