A survey of small towns in Iowa finds some of the sense of community has slipped, while the local convenience store continues to be the most popular place to swap gossip. The survey began in 1994 and is repeated every decade to get a read on small towns in each of the state’s 99 counties. Terry Besser of Iowa State University led the 2014 survey and says they found a gradual erosion of what they call a sense of community among residents.

Besser is a sociology professor, and says part of that loss of a sense of community is fewer people volunteering.

The main reasons people live in a particular small town have not changed since researchers conducted the first survey in 1994. The top two reasons are family ties and they grew up in town. Proximity to work is also important. Besser says those strong family and social ties are a strength and a challenge for many small towns in Iowa. The survey was funded by a grant from the U-S-D-A National Institute for Food and Agriculture.