Just moved from major metro area to rural America - observations

POW

Beautifully written...almost brought a tear to my eye.

I love people complaining about "rampant crime" in the cities like it's 1983. You people do know cities are safer than rural areas on a per capita basis right?

To the OP: Don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out!

Statistics Man wrote:

I love people complaining about "rampant crime" in the cities like it's 1983. You people do know cities are safer than rural areas on a per capita basis right?

A couple of high rise residential buildings have been built in my mid-sized town over the past few years. It's amazing how many people think that simply constructing a "big city building" is going to bring crime, traffic, and pollution to town. The irony is that increasing density in the downtown area is actually way better for traffic issues, since traffic is caused by sprawl (which people around here have no problem with).

Its called thinking before you talk. Its the lost art (lost in urban society) of being able to ponder something. The world is complex. People are complicated. Taking the time to let reality sink in before you spew out your reflexive emotional responses, is how honest people communicate.

You should all move to Carmel, Indiana.

I've moved around a lot, most recent 5 years within and to the outskirts of large metro area (top 20 and growing). But I've spent some time in or near very small towns in the upper Midwest (about 5-6 years)/plains and boreal regions; a couple years in the far west (old mining-ranch town), and in the Rockies (rustic but relatively close to resort areas).

Cost of living is lower in the rural areas, but so is quality of life. People are nicer on the surface but more insular/less tolerant of others. Running is passable to intolerable in these smaller places--you're an outlier and a freak if you run. And the next decent running race might be 2-5 hours away.

I've found the better places to be mid-sized university towns, ca. 40,000 to 200,000 but within a couple hours of a larger metro area. But more and more these are getting "discovered" and the cost of living and even traffic can be as bad as a larger city.

Right now, got it pretty good. Traffic is bad some days but not that often. It's relatively progressive but not overly so, and on the other extreme bible thumpers and rednecks, while around here, do not rule the roost as they do in some parts of the country. It's a purple area. Tons of nearby races and a fair number of running stores and clubs. Lots of restaurants and trendy brew pubs.

There's rural and then there's rural. I lived in NYC for 22 years--I grew up just north of the city--and then 15 years ago I moved to Oxford, Mississippi, a college town of 23,000. (Plus 12,000 students.) Some people would assume that the move from the metropolis to the country would be stressful--a loss of so many things.

For me it was just the opposite. A whole lot of stress, the background noise to modern urban life, just fell away. The only significant loss, on a day to day basis, was the loss of a range of ethnic eateries. We do have an Indian restaurant, a couple of Thai places, a fair number of Chinese, and a whole lot of Mexican eateries. We've also got four or five restaurants that can hold their own with any place in NYC, because they're each the brainchild of John Currence, an award-winning chef who dominates the scene here.

People here are certainly nicer, on average, than New Yorkers--although New Yorkers are many kinds of people and I knew a lot of nice people there, too. Mississippians tell stores at greater length. They "visit" when they meet somebody they know in the supermarket, rather than just grinning tightly, saying "Howyoudoin'?," and moving on. Merchants work with you; auto mechanics give good value, because they know that word of mouth is a powerful thing in a small town.

We've got a pretty wide range of outdoor things going on. The university brings in a range of national touring acts, and tickets are always available. If you need bigger names, you drive. I saw Bruno Mars at the FedEx forum (80 miles away; easy 75 minutes on fast uncluttered highways) and will be seeing Gladys Knight in Tunica (the same distance and ease) next month.

Very little crime here. Great health care. A relaxed pace of life. I haven't noticed that people move or talk more slowly.

Here's what I remember about NYC: everybody complained about stuff. But if you suggested that they move somewhere else, they'd instantly bridle and go, "I couldn't live anywhere else." And they'd sneer at "the boonies." They hadn't the faintest idea what life down South was actually like--apart from Miami Beach, I mean. They just couldn't imagine it.

The best move I've ever made was moving here. 1650 sq ft house on 1.1 grassy, tree-shaded acres, $169K, I pay less than $1100/month for mortgage + property taxes + homeowner's insurance. When I hear what people in California pay, I just shake my head.

celery wrote:

Its called thinking before you talk. Its the lost art (lost in urban society) of being able to ponder something. The world is complex. People are complicated. Taking the time to let reality sink in before you spew out your reflexive emotional responses, is how honest people communicate.

I didn't realize that it took long to ponder a response to 'Hello'.

ex-golfer wrote:

I didn't realize that it took long to ponder a response to 'Hello'.

Probably pondering whether they want to say "Hello" at all.

h and/or r block wrote:

Sdfsdfsdfsfgsfv wrote:

80k minus taxes is about 55k.

You should use some of your leftover money to find a better accountant. What person paying rent has an effective tax rate of over 30 percent?

What person making 80K per year and paying rent is using an accountant? Too dam dumb to be anything but a sheep getting sheared.

Getting bored easily is a symptom of a stunted intellect.

you must not live in california. 80k doesn't carry you very far out here between COL, taxes, insurance, health premiums, gas. basically the nation's most expensive in all categories.

I live in rural California. Town of 2,000 people. Nearest Walmart 30 miles. Nearest town over 20,000 people 60 miles. People who get bored here tend to be types who need a lot of entertainment. If you love the outdoors and enjoy cooking (the boring food is mostly true) it's great. 50k/year would be a good income here. Gas and groceries are more here than the valley. I've always lived in rural areas, so I had this prejudice that city people were more savvy and had wider views. Visiting cities (and living in one once) I was surprised by how small their world actually is. They live within a few blocks on the whole. Driving 60 miles somewhere is shocking (Los Angeles and San Diego might be excluded from this observation).

Grapes of Wrath wrote:

If you're a food snob, have a palate with some sophistication or are used variety, rural America is pretty bleak.

Sounds like a typical millennial who never learned how to cook anything other than the most basic things and has relied on Mom when younger, and then once you left home, eating out in order to have anything that goes past putting something in a microwave.

Including State and Social Security taxes, perhaps?

celery wrote:

BIL of a slow mover wrote:

I used to hang up on him routinely because I'd answer the phone and not hear anything from the other end and just assume that I'd been butt dialed or that the call had been dropped. I eventually realized that it just takes him a good five to ten seconds to get around to beginning to talk, and that I need to wait an extra-long time after saying "hello" to give him a chance to say whatever it is he called me to say.

Its called thinking before you talk. Its the lost art (lost in urban society) of being able to ponder something. The world is complex. People are complicated. Taking the time to let reality sink in before you spew out your reflexive emotional responses, is how honest people communicate.

Did you read what he said? If you did, you are saying that his brother in law has to "ponder" saying hello back to him. And if he had to "ponder" or "take time for reality to sink in" after saying hello, wouldn't he do that before calling him? He's the one that called, right? Did he call his brother in law before "pondering" what he wanted to call him about in the first place?

Suicide rates are 215 percent higher in cities with over 300,000 people. Despite all your rage, you are still just a rat in a cage.

B. Corrigan? Wow, that's a little off.