When the crowded streets of your big city no longer hold the appeal they once did and you don’t enjoy the rush of looking up at skyscrapers anymore, then it might be time to consider moving to a smaller community and trying life in a small town. It is a big decision to make and should not be taken lightly, but could be a great move to make in today’s economy. Every situation has its advantages and disadvantages and your personality determines what environment you are most comfortable in. Here are some factors to consider that could make your future a little brighter.
Cheaper Housing Costs
Unless you have several roommates in a big city, the rent or mortgage that you pay in a smaller community will be less. If you do want to pay the same amount for housing, you will undoubtedly get more for your money in a small town. The choices may be limited because most smaller towns do not have condos or apartments on every other corner as big cities do. If you work from home, then you can take the money you have been living on in a big city and make it go much further for a higher standard of living in a smaller town. Places like Roanoke, Virginia, or Portland, Maine are not huge cities but these most popular cities for remote workers in 2022 are places full of culture and things to do without the price tags of big city housing.
Safer Streets
Crime rates in the popular smaller cities for remote work have not risen as high as in larger cities. Smaller cities don’t have the traffic problems and accidents that big cities deal with. The highway systems are usually not as extensive and don’t bring in people from out of town regularly. Neighborhood block watches are common in smaller towns and although the types of crimes don’t change, the amount of how often they occur can be significantly lower depending on which small town you choose to move to. Socioeconomics has a lot to do with the crime in a small town so it pays to do your research before making the move to a slower-paced town.
Closer Communities
A big city will have three coffee shops on one street but a small town will have three cafes in the whole town and by the time you have lived there for a few months, you will probably know all the servers at all three of the shops and have picked a favorite. There are a couple of great family-owned restaurants in your small town and you know which one has the best fish on Friday. In a big city, it can be hard to get to know your neighbors because there are so many people and so much is competing for your attention, but in a small town there is less noise and fewer people to collide with on the sidewalks. By seeing the same people at the same places more often, you get to know people better and become part of a closer community. You will have each other’s backs and be able to take care of your neighborhoods together.
Larger Impact
If you want to help out in your community, you will have the opportunity to have a larger impact on a smaller population. Just like a rock thrown in a puddle has a larger effect than the same-sized rock thrown in a lake, you will be able to focus on a group of kids of 20 easier and more effectively than a group of 50. From an economic perspective, you may have less competition for starting up your home-based business in a smaller town than in a big city. Timing is key for starting a new venture in a small city because you don’t want to be in a saturated market.
Maybe you have had enough of the noise and dirtiness that comes with living in a larger city and want to be a part of a smaller close-knit community. You may find a city where your paycheck from remote work goes farther, the streets are not so busy and the people invite you to community traditions and make you feel at home.
