Money Crashers: Urban vs Suburban vs Rural Living

In the heat of the COVID pandemic, many city dwellers are considering leaving the dense urban environment for what they see as the relative safety of the country or the suburbs. However, this may not be the smartest decision — not just for their health, but for their wealth and happiness too. For one thing, infection rates aren't necessarily higher in urban areas; in fact, studies from the World Bank and ProPublica Illinois show just the opposite. And for those who do get sick, rural and suburban areas don't necessarily offer the same health care resources as big cities.

But more importantly, this pandemic won't last forever. Changing where you live brings big changes in your lifestyle that will persist long after it's over, such as:

• Income and access to jobs
• Expenses for housing, utilities, food, transportation, and health care
• Choice of schools for your kids
• Access to government resources
• Options for entertainment and shopping
• A wide range of other lifestyle factors, from diversity to gun ownership to time spent outdoors

All in all, this isn't a decision to make hastily. It's a choice that affects your whole life, and it's worth considering it carefully from all the angles first. And luckily, my new article for Money Crashers does just that. I explore all the ways living in the city, suburbs, or country can affect your life, and then sum up which kind of person is most likely to be happy in each setting. (My personal favorite is a small town, but sadly, I couldn't cover this as a separate category in the article.)

Urban vs Suburban vs Rural Living – Differences to Consider Where to Live