The COVID-19 pandemic forced many large corporations to adopt a remote workflow, which, in turn, caused a mass exodus from major metropolitan areas in the U.S. According to a Redfin study, more than 50% of people from New York, Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston would move if work-from-home became permanent.
People flock to big cities for big companies, but if they are no longer bound by work, moving to a place with little to no traffic, tons of outdoor space, and a more sustainable lifestyle sounds all the more appealing. As someone who’s made the move myself, from the Denver area to the Western Slope of Colorado, I am a huge proponent of what the country has to offer. Take a look:
No Traffic
In the city, you might be sitting in an hour of traffic on your 10-mile drive home from work. After a year, you’ll have spent over 10 days driving home from work.
Imagine being able to drive without planning it around rush hour traffic. In the country, that’s a reality. Not only is it much faster to commute to and from work, but it’s also easier to go to the mountains on the weekend without ski traffic or visit a national forest without worrying about parking.
Live Where You Play
Traffic aside, your commute to outdoor and weekend activities is much shorter in the country versus the city. The lakes you fish, mountains you hike, and snowy hills you ski are basically your backyard, sometimes even on your property.
I can load a side-by-side on my trailer and be on the Grand Mesa in 20 minutes, traversing all the back trails, eating lunch by one of the 300 lakes, and admiring the beauty of nature and wildlife.
Career Opportunities
There will be plenty of time to enjoy that outdoor exploration too. Droves of people flock to metropolitan hubs for career opportunities, but they may be overlooking a different kind of career opportunity present in rural areas: starting your own business. The competition to be the best is slim when you live in a town of 2,000 people so if you find a niche and offer something special to the residents, there’s no reason you won’t succeed.
Additionally, compared to most big cities, small towns generally have a lower cost of living, which helps you save money on your mortgage, lease, or office space while you’re growing.
Sustainable Living
You don’t have to stop at starting your own business either. When you’re looking at properties for sale in a small town, keep in mind the sustainability aspect of having a bigger backyard or even some acreage of your own. From small spaces to large, you can plant an herb garden; grow fruits and vegetables; own backyard chickens, ducks, and turkeys; keep small animals like goats and pigs; or even raise your own cattle.
Creating sustainable practices on your property means you produce something that you can either sell to make money or that you would have normally spent money on. It reduces your dependence on outside resources that most become tethered to in a city, even though they’re completely out of your control.
Final Thoughts
If you’re thinking about trading your city lifestyle for a small town in Colorado, the Western Slope is the perfect place. You’ll be immersed in a thriving agricultural community, surrounded by kind neighbors, close to Colorado national forests, monuments, and parks, and given more opportunities to pursue what truly makes you happy.
Whether you’re looking for a luxury home, log cabin, or land, there’s undoubtedly something for you to love in Western Colorado. Take a look at some of my listings here, and email or call if there’s a property you’re interested in viewing.