Rural and Indigenous stories rarely get the mainstream spotlight they deserve, and when they do, incomplete data and stereotypes often crowd out the real picture. Amplifying accurate narratives from rural people, places, cultures, and economies helps close that gap.
This work is grounded in the Thrive Rural Framework, which centers Accurate Rural Narratives and Rural Voice in Design and Action as essential to communities and Native nations where people belong, live with dignity, and have room to thrive.
Podcasts made in and for rural places open up space for that kind of deeper storytelling. Many of the shows below come from publications and practitioners who cover the rural economy and the issues that matter most to rural and Indigenous communities.
This list is not exhaustive. We welcome suggestions for additional podcasts to include, and several reader recommendations have already been added, bringing the total to more than ten.
Funding Rural
Erin Borla, Executive Director of the Roundhouse Foundation, explores the intersection of philanthropy, community building, and economic development in rural areas. Interviews with community leaders, artists, and policymakers spotlight the projects revitalizing rural and Indigenous communities, and the challenges facing the funders behind them.
Health on the Plains
Health on the Plains is a Kansas Health Institute podcast, hosted by Wyatt Beckman, KHI senior analyst. The podcast was launched in 2023 with a focus on health and well-being in rural Kansas. Although the podcast is focused on Kansas, topics are relevant to anyone living in rural America.
NDN Collective Podcasts
NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Its four podcasts, LANDBACK For The People, In Our Power, Sko Vote Den, and While Indigenous, span land reclamation, organizing, and regenerative economies.
Reframing Rural
Megan Torgerson, raised in Montana and founder of Reframing Rural, challenges mainstream stereotypes about rural places by introducing listeners to the people, history, and culture that don’t always get the spotlight. Each season centers on a theme: Coming Home, Sowing Possibility, Groundwork, and Succession Stories. The next season will focus on Rural Motherhood.
Reimagine Rural
Tony Pipa, senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, travels to rural towns throughout America, engaging with local residents who share their experiences driving positive change within their communities. He explores how public investment in rural areas can foster greater and more equitable prosperity by directly talking to those at the forefront of these efforts.
Rural Health Leadership Radio
Hosted by Dr. Bill Auxier, this podcast spent eight years covering healthcare delivery models, workforce development, community health initiatives, and policy affecting rural areas. It wrapped in 2024, but the full back catalog of interviews with rural health leaders and policymakers is still archived and free to stream.
Rural Matters
The Rural Matters Podcast features discussions on education, healthcare, rural economic development, and other critical issues affecting rural communities, moderated by host Michael Levin-Epstein. Bringing together experts and practitioners, this podcast aims to increase awareness and expand the dialogue on the most critical issues facing rural stakeholders by exploring strategies and solutions for enhancing the quality of life in rural areas.
Side By Side
University of Minnesota Extension host Ellen Wolter explores why rural and urban communities depend on each other. Guests have included Heidi Heitkamp, Tuleah Palmer, RT Rybak, Tony Pipa, and Brian Dabson, each unpacking a different piece of that shared, complex relationship.
Small Talk with Communities Unlimited
The Communities Unlimited Podcast highlights success stories and strategies for rural economic development, health, and technology integration in rural areas. Through practical advice and inspiring stories from rural America, the podcast showcases how communities are overcoming challenges and thriving.
The Rural Impact Podcast
The Rural Impact Podcast is hosted by the president and CEO of Impact! Communications Inc., Michelle Rathman. It features engaging conversations about policies and their direct (and indirect) effects on rural communities with rural leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts. This podcast illuminates complex issues facing rural communities and innovative solutions for economic development, healthcare, education, community resilience, and more.
Pathways to Rural Prosperity Podcast
Hosted by e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems’ Don Macke, episodes feature rural development thought leaders, community practitioners, and entrepreneurs across business, nonprofit, and government work, alongside e2’s own learnings from the field.
The Yonder Report
A short, fast-paced roundup of rural news, this podcast features a diverse array of voices from across rural America, highlighting the vibrant and resilient spirit of rural living and working. Produced by the Center for Rural Strategies, episodes spotlight local community efforts, discuss rural economic development, and address agriculture and healthcare in rural communities.
Exploring Rural Health Podcast
A monthly podcast focused on current issues in rural healthcare and population health. Hosted by the Rural Health Information Hub, hear from the leaders and experts at the local, state, and national levels who are coming up with solutions to help meet rural communities’ needs.
Rural Remix
Produced by the Daily Yonder and the Rural Assembly, both projects of the Center for Rural Strategies, Rural Remix goes deeper than headlines to spotlight unexpected rural stories and push back on stereotypes. Episodes have covered everything from rural queer identity to the history of community radio and country music, offering a fuller, more textured picture of rural life than the news cycle usually allows.
Econ Dev Show
Hosted by Dane Carlson, this podcast covers economic development strategy through interviews with practitioners and success stories from communities nationwide. It’s built for economic development professionals, and a handful of episodes zero in on rural-specific approaches:
- Episode 132 features Lorie Vincent, the founder of the Stand Up Rural America Summit, who emphasizes the critical roles of community collaboration and diverse voices in development efforts.
- Episode 128 features Juliana Dodson, Deputy Executive Director of the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship and Director of Radically Rural. Dodson discusses the center’s unique approach to community development programming, including hosting conferences and events in unique locations to foster collaboration and innovation.
Looking for a quick listen on the myths and realities of America’s rural economy? This episode of NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money podcast, Myths and Realities of America’s Rural Economy, explores common misconceptions and uncovers the truths about economic life in rural areas. The episode features insights from Aspen CSG friend Gbenga Ajilore, Senior Advisor at USDA, who examines the diverse rural economic activities beyond agriculture, the impact of technological advancements, and the demographic shifts reshaping rural communities.
Originally published on June 24, 2024.
