Everyone has his own reasons when leaving the place he currently lives in and choosing a nice, small town as the next destination to build his life around. Some seek affordable housing, some can’t keep up with the high cost of living metropolitan areas impose, some get sick of the constant hustle, noise and traffic and some just want to experience a slower pace of life and a ‘normal’ routine. But for many, moving from a somewhat big city to a small town is a tough choice that’s often followed by serious doubts and uncertainty.
Some people view this move as a step back, as living in a big city is usually associated with better job opportunities not found in rural areas and smaller towns, more vibrant social life, endless entertainment options, high-quality medical care and cool events to attend (concerts, sport games, movie premieres).
On the other hand, living in a smaller town may mean much higher quality of life available not just for super successful individuals, but for average people working at normal jobs. A quiet, scenic backdrop, cleaner environment and a number of other benefits of living in a small town may certainly make you pack your bags, call a moving company and trade the shine and the hype of a metropolis for the beauty and the stability of a town somewhere in the mid-state.
1. Affordable housing
Lower residential property prices appear as an obvious benefit of moving to a smaller town. But a lot of city dwellers are still shocked with how much they would be able to save on rent if they were living in a town and how sooner they could afford to buy a house there. Moreover, the amount of money that could purchase you a tiny suburb apartment an hour and a half long drive away from the city center would easily be enough for a spacious family home with a big yard located in a peaceful town neighborhood.
2. Lower cost of living
From groceries, gas and restaurant bills to property taxes and insurance rates, everything tends to be less expensive in a smaller town. Therefore, you’ll get more value out of your dollar if you decide to move.
3. Significantly lower crime rates
High crime rates are one of the indisputable downsides of living in a big city. If you’re tired of being scared when walking down the street and night, keeping on top of home security technologies and being unable to let your kids go outside on their own, a smaller town may be the best choice for you. Small towns are up to 80% less violent than big cities, with serious crimes being quite a rare occasion. The police density is also higher in smaller towns. The only thing that might bother someone coming from a city is the fact that the minor offenses urban cops might close their eyes on aren’t that forgivable in towns.
4. The sense of a friendly neighborhood
A small town feels like a big neighborhood where everyone knows each other. Higher community engagement and the sense of friendship between everybody is the thing one has to love living in a small town for. Everyone is always ready to come together and help out when you need extra support, everyone does make a conscious effort to get to know you better and become close neighbors. Kids can play outside on their own instead of being cramped up in a city apartment in front of a computer. School systems tend to be a lot better, with less bullying involved. These sentiments will feel extremely refreshing after living in a constantly rushing metropolis.
5. Safer environment
One of the reasons people decide to escape a big city is its extreme air and water pollution. Small towns have much safer, cleaner environments with more green areas and wild nature around.
6. Better job security
It might seem counter-intuitive, as in our minds big cities usually mean better job opportunities and more vacancies. But, when it comes to building a long-lasting relationship with a company you work for and being confident in your job stability, smaller towns win the competition with metropolitan areas.
Small towns’ job markets are less competitive, especially for highly-qualified professionals. Moreover, as fewer specialist may replace a worker at a certain position, companies and municipal institutions value their employees and encourage them to stick around, as they don’t want to face the risk of failing to find a qualified individual for an empty position for a long time.
7. Less competition for small business owners
Not only job markets are a lot friendlier in smaller towns, but business environment is more favorable as well. New businesses face less competition in their niche when starting out in a less populous town.
They experience not as much struggles when it comes to finding their first customers as new businesses in big cities do, and they enjoy the benefits of the client loyalty. Active entrepreneurs operating in a small town also have a chance to fill in an empty business niche (like housekeeping) and boost their revenue.
8. Shorter commutes and no traffic
With fewer residents, fewer cars and shorter distances, you’ll forget the expressions ‘stuck in traffic’ or ‘long commute’ once you move to a small town. This fact provides not only the time-saving benefits, but also means less money spent on gas and lower chances to get into a car accident.
