There are a lot of good things about living in rural America. From the slower pace of life to more access to nature, rural life has a lot of positives. But it also has its negatives. For example, rural internet access is not the best.
Anyone trying to choose between rural life and life in suburbia obviously needs to evaluate the pros and cons of both. That says nothing of living in a major city. In the end though, it is all good. It boils down to different strokes for different folks.
The Quiet Rural Life
So what is it about rural America that draws people? It’s not just one thing. However, a quieter life does stand out as one of the things some people love about rural living. For example, there is a lot less traffic in small-town America.
Not having to sit in traffic to commute to and from work is a positive for some people. Not having to fight tons of other people in the grocery store is also a big plus. And of course, some people would rather spend the evening enjoying the view from the back porch than listening to traffic race by on the freeway.
A Less Convenient Life
To some extent, that quiet rural life is somewhat inconvenient. Internet access was mentioned in the introduction to this post, so let us talk about that. Rural America doesn’t necessarily have access to wired broadband.
Blazing Hog is a Houston company that provides 4G LTE rural internet access using the same cellular networks that power 4G cell phones. But as you know from your own experience, everything from bad weather to minor obstructions can interrupt cell signals. A reliable internet connection is not always possible in rural locations.
Things like seeing the doctor and doing your weekly grocery shopping are also less convenient in rural settings. When you live in rural America, you do a lot more driving. But the good news is that you’re not stuck in traffic jams while doing it.
You Can’t Beat the View
Living in rural America generally means access to some incredible views. Take a look at the stars, for example. You can see them a lot more clearly in rural locations where light pollution isn’t a problem. Stargazing is a lot easier out in the middle of nowhere.
Interestingly enough, people from cities and suburbs often go out to rural America just for the views. They climb mountains and camp out in the woods to see things they cannot see in the city.
This is not to say that city life is unappealing. For many people, it’s not. There are those who would rather sit and look at the Manhattan skyline than Utah’s Wasatch Front. It is just a matter of preference.
Getting to Know Your Neighbors
There is one other thing that people in rural America tend to talk about a lot: getting to know their neighbors. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but city and suburban dwellers tend to not know their neighbors as well. Meanwhile, rural dwellers tend to know their neighbors more – and even spend time with them.
Rural life isn’t necessarily better or worse than city life. It is a preference thing. Some people thrive living in the country while others do better in cities and suburbs. To each their own.
As for anyone thinking of leaving the city in favor of rural life, be sure to think it through first. Rural living has its pros and cons. Do not get so focused on the positives that you don’t consider the negatives.
