Creighton’s Rural Mainstreet Index falls slightly, remains healthy

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

OMAHA, Neb. (KLKN) – Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) remained positive for the 17th straight month, according to a Thursday report.

The RMI covers 10 regional states, focusing on the economies of approximately 200 rural communities.

Each month, community bank presidents and CEOs in rural portions of the 10-state area are surveyed regarding current economic conditions in their communities and their projected economic outlooks.

The index ranges between 0 and 100 with a reading of 50.0 representing growth neutral.

The region’s reading for April declined to 62.0 from March’s 65.4.

This indicates a healthy, consistent growth for the region.

For Nebraska specifically, the RMI for April increased to 62.9 from March’s 62.3.