joyful1, I spent my first 51 years in a city with more than a million population. I now live in an area that has about less than 1 house per square mile. We have lived here for 4 years. The biggest changes are:
Cons:
Lack of choices in grocery buying. We have to drive almost a hour for a full market choices.
"Everyone knows your name" can be bad if you are in a hurry.
Lack of fire protection. (do you know how fast a fire can spread in 30 minutes) Have good insurance (it's higher in the country- especially all wood).
Lack of Ambulances - closest one is 30 minutes away and a small hospital 45 minutes away. Large hospital is over an hour away.
#1 cause of fatalities is automobile crashes. The rate per 1000 is greater here than in the city. Speed limits are faster, deer are plentiful, beer is plentiful, un-atention is ramped, the population is older, lack of ambulances.
Entertainment is something that you are self motivated to do. If you expect to be entertained, forget it...
Flats are plentiful - we have had 9 in the past 4 years with 3 sets of new tires.
Garbage pickup is expensive or like I do use a burn barrel and use the county dumpster (15 miles away) 6 times a year (heavy trash day)
No high speed internet
No phone line
No sewer - build and maintain your own septic system.
(just 5 minutes ago) I vacuumed up my 15th scorpion of the year IN THE HOUSE.
Neighbors die from bee stings, and snakebites only make the paper if you die from them. Iv'e seen 2 in the paper.
Strays are dumped at your house often. Their life is now your decision.
It WAS very quiet until an Oil rig set up a half mile away and now there is noise 24/7
Delivery people always get lost.
The roads are dust or mud always. You vehicle is always dirty.
Poisonous snakes, spider webs, did I mention scorpions, wasp, ants.
Some pets end up as food for the larger wildlife (so far for us only 1 cat)
When pets get snake bit they really swell up (our dog and cat have really had big heads)
A new house will cost more to build in the Country. (but since it sells for less you pay less taxes)
Your fences - miles and miles.....
(not necessarily a con, just different) Every city friend and relative wants to "get out of the city" to visit you for the weekend. Have a place for guest to sleep and plenty of food, remember its an hour to the store.
Pros:
The people are genuine
The air is clean
The taxes are slightly lower (because of location the value is lower)
Neighbors are not in sight
You control maintenance fees
No traffic
Pets can run free - they don't go more than 100 yards from the house without you (still haven't figured that out)
be Loud, no-one cares
The woods is your private Park
The wildlife - deer, birds, small mammals, some insects, snakes (some are fun to watch, the ones that play dead)
Independence
Gardens
Tractors
Volunteering - everyone is looking for volunteers the kind that like to work, and I mean really work, like turning a cow field into a dining room for 1200 people (VFD fundraiser always in August when it is 104 degrees - this maybe should be in the cons list)
Fundraiser dinners - at least two a week, the meals average $7.50 (and they still make money).
Weddings and funerals and showers and graduations and etc... always food and friends
My wife says don't do it, I say go for it, you can always move back.
(Real country folk will say "stay in the city" so the country does not get overpopulated. I guess my wife is more country than I am.)
Photo below Country entertainment Labor Day 2010 - water volley ball
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Originally Posted by joyful1
