OMAHA, Nebraska (January 15, 2026) – The overall Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) climbed above growth neutral 50.0 for January, according to the latest monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.
Overall: The region’s overall reading for January climbed to 52.0, its highest reading since July 2023, and up from December’s 50.1. The index ranges between 0 and 100, with a reading of 50.0 representing growth neutral.
“More than one of three bankers, or 34.7%, indicated that their local economy was currently in a recession. Another 26.9% expect their local economy to experience recession conditions in the first half of 2026,” said Ernie Goss, PhD, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business…