Do you like the hustle and bustle of the city life more than the peace and quietness of the country? Do you favor gentle moonlight and the open sky more than bright lights and skyscrapers? If all your answer is towards the countryside, then it’s high time you start moving from the city to a country. Living a simple and slow life may be dreadful to many, but it is also a beautiful experience for many others.
There is a famous quote from the writer William Penn about the countryside that,” The country life is to be preferred, for there we the work of God; but in cities little else but the works of men.” This quote almost sums up the advantages of living in the countryside. In the country, life is a little slower than the city. The benefits of living in the countryside are well established. Research shows that countryside living is beneficial to both mental as well as physical health. If you have already decided to move, then get in touch with reliable moving companies and start planning your move today.
Also Read: Differences between village life and city life
According to a survey by the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, there is almost 97% of the land in the USA that is in the countryside but only 13% is occupied by the people. This shows there is a lot of room for those who want to settle in a private, quiet and open sky of the country. The city might offer a large number of opportunities, but a large number of popular and hustle might be a bit suffocating for many. 31% of rural people consider themselves happy compared to 25% of the city inhabitants. Almost 18% of people living in the city have admitted about the constant stress that they are always under.
When it comes to the decision of selecting which lifestyle to choose between the city or the countryside, many people cannot make a firm choice. So if you are still confused about deciding the life between the countryside and the city or if you need a strong reminder about why settling for the country life is a better choice, then this article is for you!
Also Read: Benefits and advantages of Living in Cities
Advantages of Living in the Countryside
Now let us see what exactly makes the living in a village or countryside so appealing to the people.
Privacy: Most of the houses in the countryside are located at some distance from one another. Thus if you like privacy and do not want to have neighbors for miles, then living in a country will definitely provide solitude to you.
Lesser Pollution: The more you enter into the countryside, the more quality of the air improves. Researchers have found out that the abundance of green trees, less amount of pollution, and exposure to phytochemicals released from the fungi, plants, and microbes improve the cells of human beings. Pollution in the city mainly comes from the harmful air emitted by cars, buses, and factories. These toxic particles enter the lungs causing breathing to impair, COPD, asthma and heart diseases.
The countryside is full of fresh and clean air and is very peaceful and quiet. The countryside is devoid of any toxic pollutants, traffic or smog that is extremely beneficial for the health of the people. In the city, due to an innumerable number of cars, one takes hours to get from point A to B. In the country, with less number of cars on the rods, one can enjoy the ride from one place to another that too within no time at all!
Lots of space: There is a lot of space in a country. If you are planning to construct an art studio or a barn, you have plenty of room to plan them. Space is a concept of luxury in the city areas which is not the case in the countryside. You also can have direct views of the snow-capped mountains, lakes, or picturesque sceneries depending on where you live in the country.
Better mental Health: Living in the city can stimulate two harmful and key regions of the brain that regulates anxiety and emotion. According to scientists, that is the reason that there are high rates of psychological problems in the city people tan the countryside. In rural areas, the brain is less likely to get any such trouble resulting in a lesser number of mood and anxiety disorders. Research also shows that people living in the city are showing increasing chances of schizophrenia risk due to the increasing amount of pollution. The people in the country suffer from less stress due to less competition in the working field.
More Closer to Nature: In the countryside, you can find direct sunlight and abundance of green trees. Thus emerging yourself in the lap of nature is more beneficial starting from enhancing the power of the memory to decrease the blood pressure. Spending more time close to nature not only improves physical health but also energize mental health.
Less Amount of Crime: It is found out that the people living in the rural sides are exposed to fewer crimes than those who live in big cities or towns. Due to less number of people, there are lesser chances of committing any crime like aggravated assault, theft or robbery. According to statistics, there are 2.8 officers per capita for 100000 people in the countryside compared to 2.6 officers per capita for 100,000 people in the city.
Thus if you are looking for someplace where you can leave the window open while sleeping or can be tension free for your kids who will be riding home alone from school, then the countryside is the perfect place for you!
Cheaper and more Economic: Cities are more expensive than the countryside to live in. According to a study in Pennsylvania, it is seen that the people in the country have to pay much less for everything starting from groceries, healthcare to transportation. Also in rural areas, people have to pay 12.7% less for housing than people in urban areas. You can get a premium bungalow in the rural areas at a similar price for a studio in the metropolitan areas. The taxes for any kind of properties are much less when compared to the taxes in the city.
Access to Organic Food: In the countryside, you can find lots of fresh fruits, eggs, vegetables directly from the source. Due to the huge availability of space, you can even grow food of your choice organically. In the city, unprocessed and healthy foods are not so difficult to find, but they are more expensive. Gas station snack bars and small markets are more prominent that organic stores for groceries.
In the country, people with less income can also eat cleaner diets due to the production of organic food on a mass level.
Stronger Communities: One of the most undeniable benefits of living in the countryside is the communities. Since it is a small place, everyone knows everything about one another. When someone new enters the neighborhood, all the people from the surroundings introduce themselves with a heart-warming welcome gift like a pie or cookies. This kind of belonging is missing in the big urban areas.
Ideal for Small Businesses: The small town has less competition when you are setting up your business. It is easier to become more famous and build a good reputation for your trade within a short time.
Healthier New-borns and Pregnancies: It is seen in research that a pregnant woman who lives near highways or main roads tends to go into labor earlier due to the air pollution from the truck and cars. In 2011, according to a study by Adrian G. Batnett, it is seen that the pregnancy of the city women was shortened by 4.4% due to increased exposure to traffic resulting in negative outcomes in the new-borns. This risk is almost nil in the case of countryside women as they enjoy their pregnancy with fresh air, a cleaner environment, and soundless sleep.
Ready Access to Extracurricular Activities: Those who love adventures like hiking, biking, fishing, camping and hunting, they do not have to go anywhere else if they are living in the countryside. You can step outside your home and you can enter a natural trail for all of these. You can also admire the breathtaking meadows, hills or peaceful forests.
More care for the Children in Schools: In small communities, the children get the maximum one to one care due to less number of children. The teachers give equal attention to the students and know their weaknesses and strengths by heart.
Disadvantages of the countryside Life
Along with the positive aspects, the countryside living has some negative sides too. Let us go through the disadvantages of the country living as follows.
- Due to fewer options for business or industry, the rate of unemployment is much higher in the countryside. The only alternative for earning a living is through farming.
- Transportation can be a reason for trouble if you do not have a car for traveling from one place to another.
- Access to the high-class medical facilities, higher education, shopping malls, and colleges is also a matter of concern for the people living in rural areas.
- Shopping for goods that are more than staple foods or hardware items can also be a problem or you may take a trip to the city to buy them.
- Internet and television services can be patchy or weaker in the village areas.
- Mechanics, services for car wash or cabs are difficult to find in the countryside
- Entertainment like watching a movie or an amusement park may be miles away from where you stay.
There are numerous benefits of living in a country that no one can find anywhere else. You can get everything that you can get in the city in addition to green meadows and fresh air, water, and food. There will always be some trade-offs, but if you can get enough of the above-mentioned benefits in the countryside, then it is worth living for and will definitely outweigh the minor negatives of the rural areas. Thus consider the above pros and cons of setting in the country before making your decision to move out of the city.
Also Read: Reasons why Urban Planning is important for cities
