Retiring to a rural setting or small town

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street I was born in a small town and I will die in a rural area... ...I know many people that are still live in small towns that are in their late 80's and 90's. I grew up around these people and they are still living doing great and have had a great live.

Your best bet might be to move back to that small town where people know you.

I'm still of the opinion that moving to Mayberry as an outsider and becoming a local, no matter how hard you try, can be difficult.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Your best bet might be to move back to that small town where people know you. I'm still of the opinion that moving to Mayberry as an outsider and becoming a local, no matter how hard you try, can be difficult.

I agree. I have friends and relatives that sometimes feel left out even after raising families in a small town. It all depends on whether or not you went to school in that town and if your parents were lifelong residents there.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poorcarver One thing to check out is what health care networks are available. In my experience they ask you for your zip code and offer networks accordingly. Just for grins, I put in a variety of codes from various places near but out side the metro Chicago area and got some really poor choices for health care.

So you go to Chicago for health care as needed. If it's something major, why wouldn't you?

[street]

I have never seen that here in the west. YOU have to make yourself part of them and the community and that is not easy for some to do. These long time residents want new people and welcome them but if you don't know how to do that then you may believe they don't want you there. Just my observation from ones that have done this.

The city slicker maybe the odd one here and they don't fit verses the other way.

I'm not trying to sell anyone that rural life is better but for me life is so simple compared to the populated areas. I would say 99% of the people aren't financially wealthy but live so honest and simple and that is me. I don't have to keep up with the Jones and everything has to be just so, so in the city. I don't have to deal with politics and those problems. I have a hard time being in a city of 100K for very long to many people for me.

Yes there are disadvantages but people live in these towns and still live a great life. The country schools and country Doctors it all works.

[NYEXPAT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CVLVaBECuc

[hesperus]

Grew up and went to university in larger cities (chicago, seattle) but have lived in smaller towns since 1996. Currently live in a town with population of 17K, 6 hours from Denver, 4 hours from Albuquerque (closest major city), but with all amenities you could want. Great restaurants, entertainment, festivals, movie theatres, great healthcare and hospital, a regional airport, and most importantly - fantastic mountain recreation within minutes. One can often hear residents muttering "just another day in paradise", and I have to agree. But as the eagles song goes, "call someplace paradise, you can kiss it goodbye". Not quite there yet, but more retirees are moving in, and traffic 'congestion' is something that we now are starting to deal with. Relatively speaking however, it's still better than anywhere else I've lived. DW and I wouldn't trade it for anything. We realize that when we travel, we return to a place that many would love to visit, let alone live in.

[brewer12345]

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Originally Posted by Choices We are looking for some acreage on the outskirts of a smallish town. Would like to be no more than 20 minutes from healthcare. We want to raise most of our vegetables, have access to or raise free range chickens for eggs and have some cats and more dogs. Our idea of YOLO! Oh yeah, and a miniature donkey and a cinnamon colored alpaca! Denver has too much traffic and too many people!

I am right there with you on all counts, DW not so much. The reality is that we ended up in the burbs, it is getting built up farther and farther out around us, and I am not thrilled about it. We aren't moving though, so I have beehives, quail and a garden on my 1/3 acre and regularly get out to more rural environs. If I could find some acreage just to play with at a reasonable distance without spending a lot of money, I would jump at the chance.

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hesperus Grew up and went to university in larger cities (chicago, seattle) but have lived in smaller towns since 1996. Currently live in a town with population of 17K, 6 hours from Denver, 4 hours from Albuquerque (closest major city), but with all amenities you could want. Great restaurants, entertainment, festivals, movie theatres, great healthcare and hospital, a regional airport, and most importantly - fantastic mountain recreation within minutes. One can often hear residents muttering "just another day in paradise", and I have to agree. But as the eagles song goes, "call someplace paradise, you can kiss it goodbye". Not quite there yet, but more retirees are moving in, and traffic 'congestion' is something that we now are starting to deal with. Relatively speaking however, it's still better than anywhere else I've lived. DW and I wouldn't trade it for anything. We realize that when we travel, we return to a place that many would love to visit, let alone live in.

Sounds like Durango. I've always liked that area but, not a skier & don't like cold weather.

We also live in a small town (7k) just outside SF, that sits on the edge of 80,000 acres of protected natural area, the weather is virtually perfect (for us) and, we can be in the city in <10 minutes. This is our paradise.

Regarding the OP, I don't think I could ever return to live in my hometown of 2k people (or any other similarly isolated location). I've been gone too long, my close friends/family are almost all gone, and there's really nothing there for me except a bit of nostalgia. I do like to visit occasionally to see the few folks I'm close to but, a few days is enough.

[Bamaman]

We're in a medium size housing market with 140K people--but 2 hours from 3 large cities. We have mall and most of the popular fern bars--all of which are busy. We've never experienced a better level of healthcare in our 2 hospitals--after living in large, impersonal cities.

Throw in a major lake/river in the middle of town with incredible residences at fair prices. We're fortunate to have 2 Robert Trent Jones golf courses on our street. In town, our housing prices are ridiculously low, and so are property taxes.

All in all, I prefer small but adequate size cities that are not very far from large cities. We can always visit our relatives and kids living in the big cities if we can find time to go.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street Is it for you or not for you?

I assume that this is more about you. Is it right for you?

And are you sure that crime does not exist? Small towns in rural America can be grim places, and heroin, Fentanyl, etc are commonly enough employed to dull that sense of nothing happening, and nothing gonna be happening.

Ha

[ejman]

We have been living in SW Oregon for almost 2 decades now after living in big metro areas before. We are in a heavily forested area where most properties are in the 5-20 acre range. Many retirees from California that are attracted to a more rural environment create an eclectic environment where many different lifestyles seem to coexist with little friction. One can participate in community life as much or as little as one wants to.

Nearest town (pop 30,000) is 12 miles away with most all facilities we need with a bigger town of about 80,000 45 miles away with an airport and all the shopping we could possibly want. The big city (Portland) is a 4 hour drive.

It's been wonderful for us, over the years we have raised chickens, turkeys, ducks, goats, had a donkey, now mini horses, a large garden, experimented with all kinds of things - it's basically been play time with moments of not so much fun - as when a water pipe breaks somewhere between the well a quarter of a mile downhill and the house and you have to find the break and fix the pipe which is buried 2 ft down - easy to do when you are 50, maybe not so much at 75. All in all, we intend to stay here until no longer able to.

[W2R]

Medical care for me involved one internist appointment and one dentist appointment every six months in my 50's and early to mid 60's. As late as age 66 I was lifting a total of 20-28 *tons* of weight at the gym three times a week, and was unusually healthy for my age.

But in my very late 60's, I am starting to fall apart I suppose. Now, I have regular appointments with several specialists as well as my internist. I had cataract surgery two years ago and might be having knee surgery at some point too. I am glad that I live just a mile or two from the biggest and best hospital in my area, with lots of labs and doctors' offices in there too. If I had to drive from a rural location into town for medical appointments, lab tests, and doctor appointments, it would be SUCH a drag.

One of the reasons why my Dream Home is my dream home, is that it is on a very quiet, tree lined street tucked away and secluded but still near everything anyone could ever need. It is so peaceful that it could just as easily be located in Mayberry RFD.

My suggestion is to look for someplace that is 5-15 minutes away from a big medical center like what I have, instead of an hour or two away, so that you can spend your later days enjoying retirement instead of driving long distances to doctor appointments. YMMV

As for getting to know people, one thing I have learned from all my moving around during my life, is that you just have to accept that most people have full lives and no more room for an additional friend. They are not just sitting there waiting with great anticipation for you to jump into their lives. I sure can't hold that against anybody. So, when I move somewhere (big city or small town alike), I find it is necessary to make a whole lot of effort to make a few friends and that at some point, you are accepted and everything gets a lot easier. I still hear people talk on the internet about how New Orleans is so exceptionally tight knit and clique-y and how it is impossible to become accepted among old time New Orleanians if you move there from out of town, but IMO that is just an excuse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by street There is a lot of advantages for living in small towns. You become part of a small group, crime doesn't exist, can trust everyone and know everyone, you don't have to lock doors and so many outdoor activities to do. You can live so cheap but still so rich with the quality of life.

You can become part of a small group in a city just as easily.
Crime *does* exist, or at least I have always locked my doors in a small town.
Yes, small towns are cheaper to live in generally speaking, I think.

[wdwwildbill]

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Originally Posted by Taxman59 We live in a mid-sized city in NC, and have a small cabin at a resort 30 miles where we have the "small town" we want. The doors are unlocked nearly all weekend, people know about each other's lives, care about each other and living there is cheap (or as cheap as you want). I consider this the best of both worlds.

Sounds like the perfect set up...

[GalaxyBoy]

While not a small town, in Richmond there used to be a joke,

The old joke goes something like this: An elderly gentleman has died in Richmond. Born in Raleigh, N.C., he has spent all but the first few years of his long and productive life here.

He has been raised and educated in Richmond. He has married a local woman and they, too, have raised their children here. He has succeeded in his profession and been active in local civic and charity affairs.

Therefore his Richmond obituary reads: "North Carolina Man Dies Here."

[Souschef]

I grew up ion NYC,left for Los Angeles as soon as I graduated, lived in the San Fernando Valley until I retired.
Moved to Ventura County to a semi-rural town of 30,000. I love the slower pace, and we are 15 minutes away from the city of Ventura, with medical facilities that are excellent.
We have supermarkets, drug stores, and almost everything we need here.

[HFWR]

Aside from the chronic meth/opioid use, blight, unemployment, and the "bubble" that goes with small-town living, how would you like it if Golden Corral was the premiere restaurant in town?

[COcheesehead]

I think the definition of "small" is relative. 30k vs 180k vs 2k produce drastically different "towns".

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by COcheesehead I think the definition of "small" is relative. 30k vs 180k vs 2k produce drastically different "towns".

I was wondering the same thing with this thread. The "small towns" we've lived in have been populations from 30-80K, within an hour of a major metro area with populations from 2-10M. Some people undoubtedly think 30K is not a small town, like we do.

[Katiek]

I would definitely consider a small town, but at this stage in life, not a rural area. I'm planning ahead for a time when I won't be able to drive. In most rural areas, that wouldn't be feasible. A small town that had basic things within walking distance would be nice, but I'd want it to be within reasonable distance to a city with a top medical facility. I think a smaller city is probably the right balance for me.

[ExFlyBoy5]

I think as I age, the relative closeness to health care will be more and more important. The Air Force let me live in a lot of different areas (populations of about 20K to about 6 million) and we have decided that our "forever" home will be within 20-30 minutes of a mid-sized city and *not* in a cliquish small town. Thankfully, in "fly-over country", you can have a very decent spread of land and a home for not a lot of $$$. And, the mid-sized (500K-1M population) cities will be relatively close. We are quite through with "neighborhood" living; it's just not our cup of tea anymore. The only thing that is keeping us in the 'burbs of Atlanta is my elderly Father and when he's gone...so are we.