(Photo by Jennifer P. Brown)
File under silver linings: according to a new Harris poll, the COVID-19 pandemic has made many Americans want to leave the cities for (literally) greener pastures.
Three in eight Americans surveyed (37 percent) said the pandemic makes them want to live in a rural area more than 21 miles away from a major city or a suburb within 10 miles of a major city (35%).
Older Americans are more likely than younger ones to have such a wish, with 44% of Baby Boomers saying they want to move to the country, compared to 34% of Millennials and 31% of Gen Xers.
Overall, 28% of urban residents surveyed and 25% of suburban residents said the pandemic makes them want to live in a rural area.
The urge to flee the cities during the pandemic isn’t new; some small towns, fearing the spread of the virus, have asked people with summer homes to stay away.
The Rural Blog is a publication of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues based at the University of Kentucky.
