Are you a city mouse or country mouse?
Maybe you long for quiet country roads that spit up gravel as you roll on by while dogs chase your car. Or perhaps you’d rather sit hip to hip next to strangers on the bus because you care about the environment and saving a few bucks. Each to his own, right?
There’s a case to be made for both styles of living, of course. It’s just a matter of figuring out what’s best for you at this point in your life. You probably already have a good idea of what you value most and may even be living the dream. If not, let’s take a look at a few advantages of country and city living:
Country Pros
Independentancy & Self Sufficiency: A lot of people pursue rural areas in an effort to live more sustainably and even off the grid. They love the idea of growing their own food and using solar power, both of which reduce one’s carbon footprint. For those who value less reliance on “the man’s” energy and food supplies, country life is a liberating truth.
Cheaper Cost of Living: You won’t be paying $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment in the country. You could buy an old farm house, a few acres and a tractor for a lot less than monthly rent in the big city. If you are a homeowner in the city, you could turn quite the profit by getting frenzied buyers into a bidding war, and then put some of that money into a country property that’s likely less pricey than its city counterpart.
Closer to Nature: Escaping from the hustle and bustle of city life is often a main reason folks flock to the country. Waking up to birds chirping and going to sleep with crickets chirping is considered a peaceful reprieve for some. It beats the hum of constant traffic and light pollution that streams from city skylines.
City Pros
Fun Stuff to Do: You can definitely find some form of entertainment every day and night of the week in a city. For fun-havers, this is a must! Whether it’s going to a new restaurant, bar, museum or movie, there’s always something going on. You likely always have someone who’s up for going with you, too. More people, plus more stuff to do equals more fun.
I Need it Now: There’s something to be said about having everything you could possibly need or want at your fingertips … or within walking or driving distance. Convenience is key. If you’re craving middle eastern food at midnight, it’s just down the block. If you need two things at the grocery store, it’s easy to grab what you need for dinner.
Access to Medical Care: Although there is growing demand for rural healthcare and social services, it’s still hard to compete with the medical care and facilities available in cities. If you live within a city, you can drive a few miles to visit a specialist instead of making an overnight trip that would sometimes be required if you lived far out of town.
Live Somewhere in Between?
If you’re on the fence about where you’d like to live, maybe it’s time to sell your worldly possessions and travel around a bit in an RV, especially in wildly popular western states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The Snake River RV Park in Idaho would definitely give you a taste of country life but still allow you to be close enough to the smallish city of Idaho Falls. You can be both close to nature while having city creature comforts. If you’re not sure if you’d be too isolated by living in the country, traveling is one way to find out.
There’s advantages and disadvantages to each style of living, and both can be highly romanticized. The reality is often quite different. A lot of it depends on your personal preferences and where you’ll be the happiest while still being able to support yourself and pay the bills. At the end of the day, the city mouse craves his plentiful and fine dining experiences and the country mouse wants to eat his simple meal in peace and quiet. Or so the parable goes.
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