Americans Choose The Rural Life

As many of us thought about how to better survive a crisis, USPS address changes show many Americans choose the rural life in doing so. I in this article it talks about how the pandemic did or did not change the flow of people choosing the relocate. It made me think about the benefits of living the rural life. Here are some of my thoughts on living the rural life.

Cost of Living

If you watch home buying shows on television, homes in the rural areas are often cheaper than their city counter parts. You often can find more land for a more reasonable price, even a bigger house.

Is it all cost effective? In this article the author talks about cost of living pros and cons. With the rural life comes fewer amenities many Americans enjoy. This might include higher gas prices, longer drives to the grocery store, even hauling water in some areas of the country. If you work remotely, you may have challenges with high speed internet because the lack of infrastructure. Money isn’t everything when you consider where to live.

Living Options

As with everything in life, what is your why in doing what you’re doing? Last month I talked about minimal living. This can be a benefit when considering the rural life. Buy a piece of land that has little to no building regulations and you can slowly build your dream without taking out a mortgage. You can live in an RV or a shed home while you build and improve your land.

Besides the fresh air and the lack of noise, rural land can often have more freedoms for land use. While it might not be the cheapest option, having a garden and livestock just might be what will be the biggest benefit when the store runs out of meat and other food items. Even a small number of animals and a smaller garden will buy time in such a crisis. Learning to can and food preserve would serve you even more during such a crisis. If this is your desire, make sure of your county regulations before making your land purchase.

Plan

In The New York Times article, it talked about the places most people were moving to were already locations people were choosing, the biggest difference was the number of people. When considering a move, check out what other people say about the location you are choosing. Is it a friendly community? Do they want to live in the sticks because they don’t want to deal with their neighbors? Does they community have farmer’s markets or coops? What else are you hoping to gain in living in the rural community? Don’t let a crisis dictate where you move and when you do it. Consider your long term goals and the way the country dynamics are going and how they influence what you’re wanting.

Conclusion

In these uncertain times, it is a good idea to consider where and how you live and the impact crisis can have on that lifestyle. Many jobs have gone remote the last year, but what does that look like for the life your family is seeking? Know your why searching out property, and understand living the rural life is a give and take. Consider the financial but also the nonmonetary benefits of a move or where you currently life.

 

How has the pandemic made you consider your living situation in light of a crisis?