What is the importance of Endora, Iowa in the novel, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

Endora, Iowa is the main setting of the novel. It is the city and state where the characters live and the novel unfolds. It's a small town. It's also a slow dying town as more businesses move out and new businesses are built on the outskirts of the town, or in the neighboring town of Motly. For example, the high school closed the year Gilbert graduated and now all of the kids are bused to the school in Motley.