#322: Boom Town

Planet Money vor 14 Jahren

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Nevada's an economic disaster zone, with the nation's highest rate of both unemployment and foreclosures. But a few towns strung along I-80 in the middle of nowhere are doing great.The reason: They're in the middle of Nevada's gold mining country, which has boomed as the price of gold has risen.On today's show, we visit one of those towns. Elko, Nevada is indeed a happy place. But there's an undercurrent of anxiety.When you get to the edge of town, you can see why: There are all these ghost towns nearby that boomed when the mines were running, then faded to nothing when the gold ran out.