I live in kind of a hybrid suburban area. Not the city (for damn sure) and not really rural.
I can be in Pittsburgh in 20 minutes, I can be deep in the sticks in 20 minutes.
One thing I would suggest to get a feel for the heartbeat of any area is to read the local paper's letters to the editor. I have written several. You may find a strong liberal presence there in the minority.
Trump didn't win those areas 100% to 0.
It would take hours to totally explain what makes people think the way they do in rural areas. My area supported JFK in '60, LBJ in '64, Nixon in '68-'72, Carter in '76, Reagan in '80-'84, Clinton in the '90's, Even split in 2000, Obama in '08-'12, and Trump last year. In other words, they flip flop all over the fucking place chasing 'change'.
The antiquated electoral college (based on 18th century slave representation) eliminates the liberal minority's views in rural areas. One person, one vote doesn't apply in this country.
These areas, once rich in manufacturing jobs, are now fucked and think voting for Trump will bring them back to the post war '50's and '60's. The post war boom was because the rest of the industrialized world was bombed the fuck out, no other reason. And companies that were smart modernized. Every new piece of equipment eliminates jobs, not to mention companies that left the country for cheap labor and no pollution regulations.
People would be better served to not vote for change, but try to change themselves. Those dinosaur jobs are gone forever.
There's lots of skilled service industry jobs out there. Electricians, electrical techs., pipefitters and plumbers are always in demand. Not to mention 'green' jobs. My local paper is full of jobs. Why aren't they filled?