KOTA Territory NewsJob openings shrink in smaller cities

Job openings shrink in smaller cities

Meredith Garofalo

It's a weekly tradition for these gentlemen.

"We enjoy visiting and telling stories," said Rod Hoffman of Belle Fourche.

In a town they enjoy calling home.

"I've always like it here," Mick Coyle said, also from Belle Fourche.  "A lot of friendly people. And it's fairly cheap living."

"Our needs are simpler here," said Don Linch.

This coffee crew is among the first to tout the benefits of living in a small town, such as getting to know everybody and not worrying about the "busyness" of a bigger city.  But there's also a downside, like finding a job during a recession.

"It's hard finding jobs here, it really is," said waitress Belva Staley.  "If you find one here, you hang onto it."

A rule of thumb Staley lives by.  But others aren't so lucky.

"To get a decent job, you have to move out. You have to move to bigger cities," Staley said.

Or commute, which can be costly.

"People have to choose," said Linch.  "They can't not buy gas so they have to cut back somewhere else."

A sacrifice many are willing to make to live in a small town.

"It's all a matter of preference and what your life requirements are," said Hoffman.