Do you dream of buying a home in one of those little towns from the Hallmark movies? Trading the chaos of urban living for something calmer, timeless and, most importantly, less expensive? If you do, you’re not alone.
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, the population of small-town America is growing once again. From 2010 to 2016, rural net migration, the number that shakes out when you combine the number of people leaving with the number of people coming into a place, was negative. But in 2017, something changed – it approached zero, meaning small towns weren’t hemorrhaging citizens anymore. Much to everyone’s surprise, by 2020, rural net migration had gone positive.
Living in a Small Town Brings a Sense of Community
Since the pandemic, housing prices have changed dramatically, and this is driving a lot of people to move from urban centers to rural towns within reasonable commuting distance of their jobs. But these newly minted small-town occupants aren’t just there for the lower real estate prices.
“I think we’re more aware of the importance of community,” says Matt Wagner, chief program officer at Main Street America, an organization focused on strengthening downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. “When we weren’t coming out of our homes in early 2020, and we weren’t connected with our neighbors and our fellow citizens, that was a big eye-opener for folks. In urban areas, when the stores and businesses were closed, it became…
