The United States of America is a massive country with a hugely diverse landscape. In this vast landscape, Americans have a unique choice compared to many other countries around the world. We have bustling cities, thickly forested areas, huge swaths of prairie land, jagged mountain peaks, rolling hills, lowlands, and tons of coastal strips. This incredibly diverse choice of “where to live” is uniquely American, and it’s one of the most interesting things about our great melting pot.
Despite the urban centers being host to massive populations, many Americans choose the small-town life. According to the 2019 US Census, more than half of the total population lives in incorporated places, and more than 75% of those places had populations of less than 5,000 people. That’s a lot of people enjoying small-town life. So what makes it so appealing?
Related: The Coolest Small Cities in Every State
Cost of Living
One of the biggest reasons that Americans love small-town living is the lower cost of living. More populated cities tend to have much higher prices for property, goods, and services. We’ve all heard about the tiny cramped apartments in New York City and Los Angeles costing two or three times more than the same space in a smaller city.
Less Crime
Less population tends to mean less crime. Simply put, there are fewer people and therefore less opportunity for criminal activity. Large cities have huge clusters of population and lots of people passing through. This hustle and bustle creates an opportunity for criminals to take advantage of people and drive up crime. Furthermore, the cost of living being so much higher in urban centers can create a level of desperation that isn’t seen as much in smaller areas.
That said, small towns DO have crime and they DO have their own problems, especially drug- and alcohol-related crimes. But the chances of being a victim in a small town are certainly less than living in a highly populated city.
Closer Knit Communities
In large cities, you can be invisible. Some people prefer that kind of living… Animosity thanks to the mass of other people around you. You can walk the streets of New York City for weeks straight and never recognize other passers-by.
But in a small town, you do recognize people. From your daily commute to work to who you see at the grocery store, small towns tend to have closer-knit communities. As the theme song from Cheers goes, “Where everybody knows your name.”
You can certainly find communities in larger cities, and most people do exactly that. But when you step out the door, do you want to see hundreds of unrecognizable faces or do you want to see some of the same people you’re used to seeing?
Less Pollution
We don’t mean just trash on the sidewalks, we mean light pollution, noise pollution, air pollution, and just about any other byproduct of tightly packed humans. If you want to (literally) breathe easier, then small-town life may be for you. Similarly, if you want to star gaze at night, small towns are much better places to live than large cities.
Nature
The urban landscape is concrete and asphalt. Small-town landscapes tend to be more nestled into nature’s beauty, allowing its residents to easily escape into outdoor activities that make the most of what the landscape provides us. From hiking trails to quiet beaches, small towns offer access to nature, unlike many major cities. It’s true that some big cities, like Denver, Colorado, offer spectacular views and access to nature, but can you afford to live there compared to a small town an hour or two out?
No matter where you choose to live in this great country, America offers an enormous amount of population and geographical diversity. Are you a small-town person or a city slicker?