Living in the Rural Country: Advantages and Disadvantages

Posted by blazinghog on March 24th, 2021

Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of moving to the country, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Rural living may not be what you expect if you haven’t tried it before. The lifestyle can appear peaceful and easy, but it’s not ideal for everyone. If you’re thinking of making a move to live out in the country, you'll want to make yourself aware of the pros and cons before taking on more than you can handle. Consider the following:

Advantages

#1 Your home will be more private. There’s a good chance your next door neighbor won’t be directly next door at all! With your nearest neighbor pretty far away, you won't have to worry about anyone seeing in your windows or snooping around your property.

#2 You can have a much bigger yard. Some people just love the wide open spaces! If you’ve always wanted to grow your own food, have animals, or have more space for your children to run around, this is a huge benefit.

#3 You'll have less stress. Say goodbye to traffic, honking horns, crowded sidewalks, and rushing all around. City-dwellers usually suffer higher levels of stress than those who live and work in the country. By decreasing the number of people surrounding you, you could become more relaxed. You'll be surrounded by your family, your animals, and nature- and nothing else!

Disadvantages

#1 Longer communities. Everything from taking the kids to school in the morning to getting to work to getting to the grocery store is going to take a lot longer if you're living out in the middle of nowhere. If you hate a long car ride, this is certainly something to consider.

#2 Shopping can become an inconvenience. Essential food items that are purchased a couple times a week, such as milk and bread, may be further than just a two minute trip down the road. You'll probably find you need at least two refrigerators and a deep freezer so you can bulk shop and save your items for a longer time. This way, you can go a few weeks in between trips to town.

#3 Cable and internet connectivity could be weaker. Not too long ago, high speed broadband internet was not offered at all far out into the country. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. It is possible to get high speed internet no matter where you live. You'll just need to do a bit of shopping around to find a high speed broadband internet provider you're happy with.

#4 You're further away from safety services. The fire department, ambulance, and even an electrician will take longer to get to you. In an emergency situation, just a few extra minutes can make a big difference.

Think about what’s most important to you before considering a move out to the country. Has this list helped you make up your mind? There's no wrong answer. Some people love the city and some people love the country!