The Rural Problem
Exploring rural decline, periphery economies, and the value of rural places.
Why would anyone choose to live out there?
This is a question I occasionally hear; usually from folks whose only conception of the countryside is what they see when they drive along an interstate highway or when they go on a quaint farm tour for entertainment purposes. When they find out that I — a former resident of Pasadena, California — live in Metamora, Ohio (population 645), the question is often accompanied by a slightly negative intonation. It is as if I have chosen to live in some sort of third-world community.
As it goes, rural places usually are perceived in some combination of the following descriptors:
- A quaint retreat
- Outdoor recreation
- Libertarian hubs
- Provincial backwardness
Someone wants to escape the noise of the city? Retire to the country (usually with a nice, suburban-looking home). You want to shoot guns and ride small motor vehicles around? That’s what we’re for, I guess. Want to shoot guns in defiance of political angst? There’s a lot of that, too.
For most, however, the perception of rural landscape captivates the final option: Rural…
