A Comparative Analysis of Rural living vs Urban LivingEdward LipscombColumbia Southern University Rural Living or Urban living, what makes one a better option than the other. While urban living may offer more choices many people, still like the slow pace and quiet of a rural area. Urban areas are high energy, fast paced, and active around the clock. Rural areas are slow paced, quiet, and offer more free time.

There are many factors to consider when making a decision on whether to live in an Urban or Rural area. Job Opportunities, Education, Living expenses, Environmental differences, and Crime and death rates are just a few things that one would have to consider. One way to help make the decision process a little easier would be to make a list of positives and negatives of each area. You should also evaluate your current situation. What are the short and long-term goals, and which area will fulfill the goal? The choice of urban vs rural will also depend on area. Geographical location will affect the comparison of statistics and for this analysis and comparison; we will look at a few geographical locations to show the comparison numbers.

Urban areas offer vast opportunities for employment. Many businesses are located around highly populated areas and range from coffee shops to large corporations. Since 2008 urban job growth rate has increased where the rural, job market has declined (usnews.com). The difference in job rates and job markets in urban and rural areas also affects the poverty level of the areas.

Although over time, the gap in poverty level between urban and rural areas has decreased. “In 2015, 16.7 percent of the rural population was poor, compared with 13.0 percent of the urban population overall” (usnews.com). “According to the 2015 American Community Survey, median household income for rural households was $52,386, and the median for urban households, $54,296” (us census bureau). The cost of living in an urban area would be more expensive due to higher rent, taxes, and fees for services such as water and sewer service. Rural living offers more choices of houses and usually has lower property tax rates and service fees.

Rural living allows residents to have gardens, hang laundry on clotheslines, and have better options to solar power, which would reduce the cost of living. With fewer jobs in a rural area, these savings would have a positive impact in making a decision. The absence of malls, shopping centers, and entertainment would limit how much can be spent unnecessarily. With the absence of these places comes the potential for more cost on transportation when those places are in need. Education in a rural area usually means smaller classrooms and more one on one instruction but in turn means smaller or limited extra-curricular activities. Although the activities at school may be limited there are benefits of rural living such as Fishing, Horseback riding, Hiking and much more that can have a positive effect on your health. While crime rates are usually higher in cities due to increased populations, “A study called “Safety in Numbers: Are Major Cities the Safest Places in the United States? Researchers looked at data on 1,295,919 deaths from injuries in 3,141 U.

S. counties from 1999 to 2006. Injury mortality increased with increasing rurality. Urban counties demonstrated the lowest death rates, signi?cantly less than rural counties. The researchers found that the risk of death from injury was 1.22 times higher in the most rural counties, compared with the most urban ones” (Bryan Howard).

Urban Living offers lots of stuff in a small area. Jobs are close by and transportation is readily available, which reduces the need for owning a car and the extra expense associated with it. Although you cannot fish in the city or ride horseback there are many things to do in your free time and with everything being closer in an urban environment, tasks and errands can be completed quicker leaving lots of free time. Urban areas offer more amenities and conveniences for people that require fast and easy.

Although the cost of living in the urban area may have more financial impact, there are higher paying jobs and conveniences that can make living there easier and beneficial for the right person and situation. Rural Living vs Urban Living, The choice depends on what you requirements are or what makes you feel comfortable and meets your needs. Both urban and rural offer some of the same things and some different things. The decision is based on weighing the positives and negatives. All of the information on the positives and negatives of each place have a bearing on a decision. When it comes down to making a decision on urban or rural you have to ask the question, which place would benefit me the best.

Both places are attractive in their own way; the decision comes down to what would be more beneficial and practical to your situation and goals.Reference(usnews.com) https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-03-20/6-charts-that-illustrate-the-divide-between-rural-and-urban-america (Census Bureau) https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2016/12/a_comparison_of_rura.html (Bryan Howard) https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/07/130724-surprising-facts-cities-safer-rural-areas-injury-deaths/