Can You Hack It in Small-Town USA?
Transcript
Here’s a slap for all those boomers out there who have worked and lived in the big cities and dream of retiring to a “Mayberry.”
There’s a new sign in our small beach town in Florida that says it’s all about moving to a smaller, presumably quieter town for the last part of our lives. It reads “We don’t care what you did or how you did it up there.”
Yes, just a little bit of attitude for the transplants. But it brings up a very real situation… Small towns may not be the right fit for those who have slugged it out for the past 40 years in the big cities.
To begin with, small towns have limited medical services. Most of us are accustomed to a choice of specialists and facilities – not so in small-town USA.
In our town, most people go up north or to Miami for care.
Transportation options are limited. We have only two flights a week out of our small local airport. You have to drive two hours to Orlando for reasonable fares and a choice of flights.
And nice small towns don’t stay small forever. They are in the crosshairs of an exploding retired population and are growing like crazy. Everyone wants to be there.
Small-town living comes with fewer restaurants, little or no public transportation, and lots of limiting factors you may not be used to.
But one of the biggest factors is personality type.
The folks who didn’t move to the big cities are more laid-back, less competitive and just different people than those who moved out of their hometowns.
You may find that your city edge, pace and temperament don’t fit the more laid-back style of the Mayberry of your dreams.
During the first week we lived here, I came back from a trip to the grocery store, where everyone was so darn nice that I told my Eileen, “If we’re going to stay here, we have to get a lot nicer.”
It’s different in Tiny Town USA, and we really don’t care what you did or how you did it up there.
Take your time and consider more than just housing prices, taxes or your idea of small-town America.
Good investing,
Steve