Approximately 2 million people, or 0.7% of the U.S. population, left big cities and surrounding urban counties between 2020 and 2023, according to the Economic Innovation Group. Many of them moved to smaller communities far from major population centers.
These transplants moved to small towns and rural areas for a variety of reasons, and some have moved back to the city in the years since. However, most have made new lives for themselves in cozier surroundings.
Are you thinking of doing the same? Whether you’re heading back home after a brief interlude elsewhere, returning to your roots after many years, or picking a random place on the map for no particular reason, here’s why you might want to make your home in a smaller community.
- You Can Make a Meaningful Impact on the Community
In a small town, you are more likely to be a “big fish in a small pond.” Not because your neighbors aren’t exceptional people, but because there are fewer of you. Each individual contributes more to the whole.
So, whether you choose to join the ranks of rural small business owners — who account for more than 84% of all rural businesses and employ more than 54% of rural residents — or give back in some other ways, you can have a greater impact than you would in a bigger city.
- You May Encounter More Like-Minded People…
It’s a myth that people who live in small towns are all alike. However, smaller communities tend to be closer-knit than larger cities, where it’s easier to be anonymous.
As philosopher Immanuel Kant famously said: “The nice thing about living in a small town is that when you don’t know what you’re doing, someone else does.”
- …And Maybe Old Friends
Many people move from the city to the country to get back to their roots. Often, they’re literally moving back home, or at least pretty close to where they grew up. If you find yourself in this boat, you may encounter more than just like-minded neighbors: You might actually run into (and reconnect with) people you went to high school with.
- You’re Closer to the Great Outdoors
Plenty of cities have amazing urban park systems, but there’s no substitute for the great outdoors: wide-open views, untouched ecosystems, dark skies, and no one around for miles.
When you live out in the country, you’re closer to nature. And if you enjoy outdoor activities like camping, hunting and fishing, as many rural residents do, you don’t have to travel as far (or sit in as much traffic) to participate.
- Your Housing Costs May Be Lower (But Not Always)
In many sparsely populated parts of the United States, housing costs are lower than in metropolitan areas. This doesn’t always hold true, as shown by surging home prices in popular vacation destinations like Bozeman, Montana — but if affordability is a top concern, you’re generally better off living in the country than the city or suburbs.
It’s Different Out Here
Living in a big city or sprawling suburban region has pros and cons. So does living in a small town or rural area.
For those who choose to move from larger population centers to smaller communities, the downsides of city living outweigh the benefits. However, plenty of people who stick around bigger towns, along with others who move to the city from smaller communities, feel differently.
This is because rural life is just different from city living. Whether you think it’s better or worse depends on your personal preference and perspective, and maybe some factors (like economic opportunity) outside your control. So it’s important to think carefully about your choice before making a decision that could change your life in a big way.