Leaving the city: Moving to a house in the country

Has anyone you know—or maybe even one of you guys—actually ditched the city life for the countryside?

It doesn't have to be about the money or the job market. I'm more curious if there are people who just got completely burnt out by urban living and decided to run off to nature to live with some animals instead.
I'm talking about those folks who don't want to play the social games, deal with the constant grind, or spend their whole lives chasing a paycheck.

What does that kind of life actually look like? Any real stories or advice for someone thinking about making the jump?

Charles Ramirez5 said:Do you know anyone—or perhaps any of you—who has actually left the city to live out in the country?

The motivation doesn't necessarily have to be financial; I am genuinely curious if there are people who simply find urban life overwhelming and have decided to retreat into nature with animals.
I am talking about individuals who have no desire to conform to social circles or spend their lives chasing jobs and money.

What would that kind of existence look like? Does anyone have actual experiences or recommendations to share?

I don't personally know anyone who has done it, but I have been dreaming about this since my early thirties. One day, it will happen. I am certain it will be fulfilling. I won't need the internet, a phone, or even a television; just myself and the company of animals.

Charles Ramirez5 said:People who just don't care about fitting into any social circles—Just chasing the paycheck—always running after the work and the money. itd.

And how am I supposed to pay the bills—with solar yoga?🙂

You see it all over rural America—these totally empty houses just sitting there, available for basically nothing if you're willing to deal with the upkeep and cover the utility bills.
And they don't just come with four walls, either; you've got the whole yard to manage, too—orchards, acreage, maybe even an old barn... but honestly, nobody seems to give a damn about them.

Andrew Murphy5 said:And how exactly are we supposed to survive on that? Solar yoga?🙂

What about ranching or farming?

You make beef, milk, homemade cheese—you sell it, and people go crazy for it. Americans want real food, not that imported chemical garbage.

Charles Ramirez5 said:farming, livestock?

If you're making beef jerky, milk, or homemade cheese, people will buy it like crazy. Folks want real stuff, not that imported chemical garbage...

Come down to my neck of the woods and I'll show you how things "sell like crazy." The local government basically killed our only town market by moving it from downtown right next to the main square to some residential area about a hundred yards away behind some houses. No signs, no directions, zero visibility. Tourists have no clue it even exists, and locals are slowly giving up because they don't feel like trekking out of the center just to shop.
Then there's the fact that they banned selling livestock and poultry at the weekly livestock fair. Now it’s just stalls with clothes, shoes, tools... some guys hauling corn, wheat, or oats, fruit and veg vendors, and flower shops in the spring. You can count the actual local farmers on one hand. To top it all off, they announced they're closing that spot too to build a school.
The saddest part is nobody's complaining. The old folks are just waiting for the end, and the kids are all heading to Washington, D.C. or Philadelphia to find work because there's nothing left here in Jackson...
What good is a farmer's market when we've got Walmart, Placendille, Lidl... everything's "local," 👍 doesn't matter if the meat smells a bit funky, the eggs are watery, or the produce looks slightly wilted... at least it's cheap. 😵

Yeah... honestly, I don't think it's even worth the effort anymore.

If rural life were actually that "perfect," people wouldn't be fleeing the countryside in droves.

For some city dweller looking to escape the grind—maybe you think you need a quiet retreat?—get yourself a weekend house, but don't go too far out. Honestly, who has the patience to pack a suitcase just to head out for a quick getaway?

Living out in the sticks is perfect—but only if you're wired a certain way.
If your biggest life goal is hitting up a trendy cafe in downtown Chicago, having a 7-Eleven right around the corner, and being within a five-minute drive of every major mall, then yeah, stay in the city.

But if you actually value peace, quiet, and some actual breathing room... well, the countryside is where it's at. 👍
Honestly, more and more people are ditching the concrete jungle for rural life—especially parents looking for a better setup for their kids.

Michelle Thompson said:Look, if your whole vibe is just chasing peace, total relaxation, soaking up nature, and finding some actual silence... then you honestly need to get the hell out of the city and move to the countryside. 👍It’s actually becoming pretty obvious that everyone is ditching the cities and heading for the suburbs or even out into the sticks. You see it all the time, especially with families who have kids and just want some breathing room away from the chaos.

I’m living out in the middle of nowhere.☕
Even the kids—you know, those ones who basically grew up in the city just because it was closer to their school—they’d find ways to sneak off. They’d head out somewhere deep into the woods or wander down by a creek, pushing far past the edge of the fields before anything had even been planted. We’d end up trekking back home totally soaked, covered in mud, starving, thirsty, and scratched to hell from the brush.

I know this one couple out there with two kids—they actually decided to ditch the city life for some remote rural spot, basically a tiny town where you barely see a soul.
When the kids were still little, just running around preschool age, they stayed out in the sticks full-time. But now that the kids are hitting elementary school, they’ve started playing it smart—they rent an apartment in the city during the school year so one parent can stay close to them for classes.
They also manage to squeeze in a few trips across Europe whenever they get the chance.
It’s definitely a bit of a makeshift lifestyle, honestly—lots of improvising—but hey, they’re doing well for themselves.

I don't know, man—I feel like I’d just get totally isolated living out in the middle of nowhere full-time. Honestly? I don't think I could handle it.

I’m a country girl through and through, originally from some small town on the other side of the country, though we’ve been living in Washington, D.C. for the last few years... but I’ll be heading back home soon, either with her or someone else entirely.
I’ll still be working in D.C., since it isn't that far... which leaves me plenty of time after work for my garden, the orchard, cycling, or hitting the mountain bike trails...
PS, this isn't an official ad, but I'm open to offers

As a freelancer, I find living in a quiet rural area near the Ski border and Canada quite ideal.
On the other hand, I can be in Belgrade, Washington, D.C., or at the coast within just a few hours...
☕

Charles Ramirez5 said:Livestock and agriculture? Really? We’re actually going to sit here and have a serious discussion about the state of farming and ranching? Fine. Let's go there.

You make your own jerky, milk, and cheese—and you sell it? Man, that stuff flies off the shelves. People are absolutely starving for real, homemade goods instead of that imported, chemical-laden garbage they try to pass off as food in the grocery stores. Everyone wants the real deal.

Henry Nguyen26 said:You really ought to come down to my neck of the woods so I can show you how business is actually done around here. The only local market in town was completely ruined by City Hall...

Look, if he’s spent his whole life living in a major city, he’s already halfway there—he likely knows a dozen people who are desperate for high-quality, locally sourced goods because they have absolutely nowhere else to turn. He could easily start by selling directly to them, and from there, those same customers become his best advocates, recommending his stuff to everyone else in town. It's a built-in network.