Are You Considering The Country Life?

June 24, 2020

A Harris Poll, conducted in May, of 2,030 U.S. adults found some interesting choices regarding where Americans would like to live at the moment, particularly seniors. The research firm discovered that the appeal of rural areas, or at least, exurban or suburban areas, may be growing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris asked adults if the pandemic made them want to live in an urban, suburban, or rural community. Forty-four percent of baby boomers (by Harris’ definition, those aged 50 to 64) said that they would currently prefer to live in a rural area more than 20 miles from a major city. Seniors (defined as respondents aged 65 or older) preferred inner-ring and outer-ring suburbs, perhaps influenced by the need to readily access health care services. Thirty-nine percent of seniors preferred living in a community within 10 miles of a major city, and 21% preferred living in within 10 to 20 miles of a major city. Just 15% of baby boomers and 7% of seniors told Harris that they would like to live in a major metropolitan city at this time.²