An extremely rosy view of rural America and a so-called "brain gain"

Sarah Smarsh, author of Heartland and host of the podcast "Homecomers," writes in today's New York Times under the headline, "Something Special is Happening in Rural America."  Here's an excerpt:

The nation’s most populous cities, the bicoastal pillars of aspiration — New York City and Los Angeles — are experiencing population declines, most likely driven by unaffordability. Other metros are experiencing growth, to be sure, especially in the South and West. But there is an exodus afoot that suggests a national homecoming, across generations, to less bustling spaces. Last year, Gallup found that while roughly 80 percent of us live in urban areas, rural life was the most wished for. 

Read for the full piece for more details on various surveys about rural life, including some surveys I've written about on this blog.