Sigh.

Man. Leave it to the Green Bay Press Gazette to really bring you down. Not only do they post an article about young people fleeing Wisconsin’s rural counties like someone in the Twin Cities just announced free pizza and Dilly Bars, but they post it alongside a photo of a totally depressed-looking bartender staring at nothing. They say ...

... Aside from the whir from the ceiling fan, and the sound of a slow-passing car down Silver Street, the Liberty Bell Chalet is quiet. “Nothing ever happens here, nothing ever changes,” Youngs said.

Jeez, GBPG, lighten up.

Too bad the’ve got data to back up their story. They say, “from 2000 to 2010, while the state’s population grew by 6 percent, 19 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties lost population, with the declines concentrated in rural areas.” And the trend looks to be continuing. And lookie here this sweet map they’ve included:

Looks like Eau Claire County’s population went up 6% from 2000-2010, while counties like Florence and Iron way up yonder northwards dropped almost 14% in the same time period. Dunn went up about 10% and Chippewa went up over 13%. Meanwhile, population superstar St. Croix County leapt by a whoppin‘ 33.55%, what with its economic dependance based in manufacturing and all. Iron and Florence don’t have a decreeable economic dependance to point at, but before you start teasing, please note that Eau Claire’s economic dependence is listed as “services.” Not real attractive to our fine youngsters.