We all know about the buzzing metro areas of the United States like New York City, LA, and so on. But if you’re not a “big city” person and noisy, crowded regions don’t seem to impress you, living in these places can be quite challenging. If you wish to be surrounded by the greens and mountains, have an open courtyard ahead of you, and generally enjoy the small city charm, moving to one of the rural towns should be on your list. However, you can’t simply pack and move to a small town without researching the places thoroughly. Otherwise, you may end up in a too isolated, boring, and underpaid region, which may cause you to regret your dream life.Â
To help you through the process of finding the perfect small town in America that offers scenic views, welcoming people, and a fruitful job, read this skillfully curated list of the less populated regions, ideal for settling down. Let’s dive in!Â
Bisbee, Arizona
With a population of only 5,200, this town lies 20 minutes from Mexico, in the Mule Mountains, having a unique world of its own. Every morning, the sun shines brightly between the mountains, giving you all the right feels you’ve been looking for. Apart from that, this old town is packed with several cute little coffee shops and bars with fantastic nightlife, featuring soothing live music.
Bisbee is ideal for artists looking for inspiration as the town is full of art galleries. An average house here costs around $130K, and you will have friendly and warm neighbors, who are mostly writers, miners, painters, and other old-school hippies, who’ve settled there to relax and recover from the ever-changing and unpredictable city life. Bisbee’s fresh air is something that you’d never find in the USA’s urban area, making it the right place to spend the rest of your life.Â
Hood River, Oregon
Located near Portland, this town is a dream destination for adventure lovers. With a population of only 7,700, one can easily enjoy this place’s remarkable natural beauty at peace and ease. Hood River is full of mountains, dense forests, cliffs, rivers, and waterfalls, which is why you can enjoy various adventure sports like mountain biking, hiking, river crossing, and skiing.
Besides, this town offers plenty of different kinds of beer at a reasonable price as it is home to many breweries like Full Sail, Logsdon Farmhouse, and so on, making Hood River one of the most popular beer towns in America. You can either take up a job in the town itself or telecommute every day through a beautiful route, full of green patches. Apart from that, some excellent schools and friendly neighbors in this strategically established town make it ideal for families.Â
Estes Park, Colorado
Most people dream of living in Boulder, Colorado, as it is one of the “cooler” towns in the USA. However, living in this place comes at a high cost, as it is one of the top five most costly zip codes in the state. However, just 45 minutes away from Boulder lies this small town with a population of 7000. Living here is comparatively more reasonable than other parts of Colorado, costing not more than two grand for a three-bedroom house.
However, this is a tourist destination, and during the prime seasons, Estes Park hosts more than 5 million visitors each year, which is quite a large crowd. Since tourism is the primary source of income here, there are several jobs in the same sector which you may consider. Apart from that, there are always plenty of ways to enjoy it. You may go swimming, hike up a rocky mountain, skiing and so on.Â
Bar Harbor, Maine
Housing a population of only 5434 individuals, Bar Harbor is one of the most picturesque places to settle in. For hiking enthusiasts, the Acadia National Park will welcome you with splendid rocky mountains where you’d also encounter hikers from other parts of the country. Apart from that, there are several neighboring islands that you can visit on weekends. The colorful houses stretched across the beautiful coastline is something worth watching.
Therefore, settling in this small town is like living in your own little wonderland. The average household income here is $51,544, which is quite decent. Apart from that, some highly-rated educational institutes in Bar Harbor come under the top 10 in Maine. In the summer season, the local businesses flourish, especially the restaurants and bars. It is safe to say that this town is an excellent blend of tourist attractions and laid-back living.Â