Out in the country, life moves a little bit
slower. If you have ever lived in big cities, next to the ocean, and in
city-adjacent suburbs, but it isn’t until you move to the country that you finally
feel like you could really breathe. The benefits of country living have been
pretty well researched. Science shows that living in the country is beneficial
for both your physical and your mental health. And while city and suburb living
certainly have plenty of their own benefits, there’s something about country
life that just does the body good.
Rural areas account for 97% of U.S. land but
house just 19.3% of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s
American Community Survey. That’s a lot of room to spread out for those who
appreciate the quiet, privacy, and open sky of the country. Whether you’re
trying to decide between city life vs. country life or just need some reminders
about why living in the country is a great choice, read on for six of the biggest
benefits inherent in rural living.
1.
Cleaner
air
The further out into the country you get, the more your air
quality improves. Researchers have a few
ideas for why this might be, including less pollution, the greater abundance of
trees and grass, and perhaps even exposure to cell-improving phytochemicals
that get released from plants, fungi, and microbes.
Pollution in more heavily populated areas comes not only from a
lack of greenery, but also tiny yet harmful particles released into the air
from trucks, buses, cars, factories, and other mainstays of urban environments.
These particles travel into the lungs, where they impair breathing and increase
the risk of serious illness. Escaping this polluted air for the country
means better breathing and better protection against chronic conditions like
asthma and heart disease.
2.
Less
crime
Residents in rural areas are less likely to be the victims
of a wide range of crimes versus those who are living in the city or suburbs.
These include simple and aggravated assault, robbery, and theft. Part of the
reason for this is just a sheer numbers game—there are fewer people in the
country, thus less opportunity for crime to occur. There’s also a higher
percentage of police officers per capita—2.8 officers per 100,000 people in
non-metropolitan counties compared to 2.6 officers per 100,000 people in
metropolitan counties.
Crime can happen anywhere, and the country certainly isn’t guaranteed
to be completely free of it. Still, if you’re looking to live somewhere where
you can feel more comfortable letting your kids ride their bikes alone to
school or leaving your windows open for a cool breeze while you sleep,
statistically, the country is going to be your best bet.
3.
Better
psychological health
Your brain actually functions differently in the country. Living
in an urban environment over-stimulates two-key, and potentially harmful,
regions of the brain: the areas that regulate emotion and anxiety.
Scientists believe this is the reason they see higher rates of mental
health problems in cities than in non-urban areas. In the country, the brain is
less likely to experience this kind of overstimulation. The benefits? Lower
risk of anxiety disorders and mood disorders. There is also research
showing that city living increases schizophrenia risk, likely due to
unknown environmental factors that impact developing brains.
You’re not going to be able to completely prevent a mood
disorder or mental illness just because you live in the country, nor are you
guaranteed to have less stress in your life simply because you’re out of the
city. But you are going to avoid some of the increased risk factors for these
psychological ailments that are deeply connected with city life, and it’s the benefit of country living worth considering.
4.
It’s
cheaper
Cities are expensive to live in. It’s already well-established
that living in the suburbs is cheaper than living in the city, and the
cost of living drops even further for rural areas. A study looking at
the cost of living for urban and rural areas in Pennsylvania found that those
in the country paid less for everything from groceries to health care to
transportation, with the greatest price differentiation having to do with
housing costs (12.7% less in rural areas than urban areas).
Of course, what you pay to live somewhere—and what you get for
that money—is going to differ depending on your exact locality. But if you’re
looking for somewhere to spend less and get more, the first place you should
start your search is in the country.
5.
Exposure
to nature
Being outside in the open air is connected with many of the
benefits of country living. And while you don’t have to go out to the country
to find some sunshine and trees, head out to rural land and you’ll definitely
find more of it than you will in the cities and the ‘burbs. As for specific
benefits, immersing yourself in a natural environment is good for everything
from improving your short-term memory to lowering your blood pressure.
It might even make you more creative.
Spending more time in nature is a great way to improve your
health, and when you’re living the country life, you don’t have to go very far
to reap the benefits. Natural paradise can be found right outside of your door,
instead of a car or bus ride away.
6.
Easy
access to organic food
Out in my own country paradise, I don’t have a Whole Foods
within 30 miles of me but I do have multiple farms, all within a ten-minute
drive, where I can buy fresh eggs, fruits, and veggies right from the source.
The type of food that our bodies really need is in abundance out in the
country, as is available land if you want to start growing your own.
In the city, access to unprocessed, healthy foods is not quite
so extensive. Urban food deserts are especially problematic in low-income
areas, where small markets and gas station snack bars often stand in for fancy
organic grocery stores. In the country, even those with less to spend can
easily purchase high-quality foods for cleaner diets. There are many pros
to eating organic foods, chief among them less exposure to the harmful
pesticides used to produce food on a mass level.
The takeaway
There are benefits to country living that you
won’t find anywhere else, and the diversity of country land means that if you
want something specific in addition to your rural environment—say, nearby water
or mountain views—you can get that too. There are always going to be some
trade-offs (for me, it’s having to drive an hour just to meet friends who still
live downtown for dinner a couple of times a month), but if you can’t get
enough of green meadows and big blue skies, the benefits of country living may
just outweigh the negatives.
If you’re thinking about moving out
to the country, consider the pros and cons, and make an informed decision based
on the way that you like to live your life. Even the most adamant city dwellers
may find that they feel a certain sense of joy and freedom when they trade the
crowded streets for the cornfields.
As always, if you are thinking of moving to
the country, give the Rural KC Team a call.
We can help you with almost every aspect of moving to the country. Give the Rural KC Team-Keller Williams Partners a call at 913-837-0760 or 913-837-0411, or go to our website at ruralkc.com. Have a great day.
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