Country Life: What Are the Pros and Cons of Living in the Country?

Would you rather live in the country or a big city?  Obviously, there are positives and drawbacks to both.  Someone asked Reddit, “Hey guys, did any of you move from a busy city to the country side . . . what are the benefits and the downsides?”  And there were some helpful answers, on both sides.

Here are the Pros for living in the country:

1.  Peace of mind.  Almost everyone agreed how nice and quiet the country is.  Without the hustle and bustle of the big city, you can finally take a deep breath.

2.  It feels safe.  You have privacy.  Fewer people equals fewer neighbors . . . which could possibly mean less conflict.  “People leave you alone” was a popular answer.

3.  All that land.  Big cities can be fun, but good luck trying to find a back yard or any land for your house to sit on.  The abundance of land for your animals and your family to roam on is a huge plus.

And here are the Cons for living in the country:

1.  Less fun.  Sure, it’s quiet and peaceful.  But where do you go to have fun?  Being far away from good restaurants, bars, and cool social spots seemed to have the biggest negative effect on those who lived in the country.

2.  Work is limited.  Unless you work remote, or are in some sort of agriculture, there won’t be a lot of opportunities to work nearby.  And long commutes are the worst.

3.  Being cut off from society.  High-speed internet is usually not available out in the sticks and everything is too far to walk, so you need a car to get anywhere.

A fun note, “the people” were listed as both a pro AND a con of living out in the country.  A pro is that everyone will know you.  And the con is that everyone will know you.  (So, the real question is . . . do you want people to know you?)