10 Reasons to Love Living in a Small Town

Nothing compares to small town community. A highlight of my week is when the local Merchandiser (newspaper) appears in my mailbox. It highlights some of the “big” things happening in the community, like fundraisers, events, and ways the community is supporting its citizens. Residents are constantly donating their time and money to support our local businesses and organizations. It’s rare to go to the grocery store and not see a familiar face and end up chatting for a few minutes. While some people don’t like the idea of so many people knowing who you are, I think it builds a stronger sense of community. You have more friendly faces to turn to when you or someone else you care about is in need. There is a sense of pride and loyalty those of us who live in a small town carry wherever we go.

Yes, yes, I understand the qualms. I’ve heard them before. “But there’s nowhere to eat!” I’m a foodie and in a town that has fewer than 25 restaurants, of only about 5 of which are decent sit-down restaurants. If you don’t like the options, you have to expand your search. What I love though, is that many of our restaurants are locally owned and feature foods local to our culture and heritage. On any given night, you can find residents of my town at a local favorite, TJ Rockwells. Their mascot is a rhino and the restaurant is known for their “famous” rhino fries (delicious fries smothered in like three kinds of cheese and bacon, and ranch for dipping, of course).

Sure, big cities and metropolitan areas have lots of events, but somehow, they’re just….different. There isn’t the same sense you get from attending an event in a small town. It’s another way to build community and get to know your neighbors a little better. I’ve attended so many throughout my life, including a whoopie pie festival, my town’s fair, 2nd Friday in our downtown area, an apple cider donut festival, harvest/autumn festivals, National Night Out, a Victorian Christmas festival, and so many more! My town is becoming known for a variety of events, including a strawberry social in June, a Star Wars themed festival, Pirate Fest, Christmas in July, Halloween candy crawl, Grinch-mas, scavenger hunts during 2nd Friday, a murder mystery dinner theater, and of course, our Fair. These are honestly just a few and things keep growing! We pride ourselves on bringing our community together however we can.

A common complaint is that our small town is so far away from everything. The closest Target and Walmart are at least a 20-minute drive away. Although I know many of them want the convenience of being closer to big box stores, I like not having everything within a five minute drive. It means I’m farther away from bigger towns and cities. I like having to rely on what’s around me on a daily basis and I like having to plan when I need to go to bigger stores. Not to mention, this has saved me quite a bit of money! If Hobby Lobby were closer than 25 minutes away, I think it could become a serious problem….Just sayin’.

It’s quiet. Really quiet. Beyond the small downtown area, some stores, and surrounding neighborhoods, we are pretty much surrounded by farmland. The next closest town that resembles more than a village is about five miles outside of my town. If I drive three miles in any direction I can see mountain ranges all around me. While we have highways, we really only have one small highway that takes you from town to town in my county. Needless to say, it’s oh, so quiet. Instead of traffic, you hear birds and farming equipment, and it’s rare to hear sirens or really much of any noise at all. It makes for peaceful nights and mornings.

If you enjoy having everything at your fingertips in seconds or minutes, small town life won’t be for you. But if you enjoy going a little slower, you may enjoy life in a small town. While people are involved in life, it often doesn’t feel like they’re over-scheduled or too committed. Many help out the community by volunteering, and social calls from family and friends is just a way of life. It’s not uncommon to see residents who are sitting on their porches and chatting with each other. Living at a slower pace of life helps you to realize that you don’t need to be in such a hurry. You also don’t need a lot to be happy. It’s helped me to enjoy things like walking in nature or just simply being.

If there’s one thing small towns are probably most known for, it’s having local, family-owned businesses. Honestly, it’s one of my absolute favorite parts of life in a small town. And what’s more amazing is seeing new small businesses added each year. In the past two years, my town has opened a French bakery, deli/sandwich shop, a candy store, ice cream shop, multiple boutiques, barber shops and hair salons, and a Fair Trade company among others. We’ve held celebration events when a new business opens and the amount of community support surrounding them is incredible.

For many people, family is a top priority and they want to be close to family members. In my town, there are generations of people who have lived here. I live close to many of them and we make it a point to have monthly get-togethers with each other. Having family close by provides you with a support system and a sense of belonging. I live about five minutes from my mom and many other family members. I always feel like I can reach out. Whether it’s getting together at the last minute or because I need help, I can always count on their support.