City vs. country living after retirement is a personal preference. Getting away from the noisy city to the country seems like a sensible choice when you are fed up with schedules and all that goes with working; or, reversibly, you are moving to the city now that your farming days are over. Not every one will applaud the brilliant decision of moving to the country after retirement, or into a noisy and crowded city.
First, much thought must be given to this enormous move. Are you sure this is what you want, friends often ask. What if the one moving is not in the best health? Is it safe for them to be alone out in the country away from friends who can help when help is needed? Maybe a visit to someone living in a country would help them decide. They will see how far away the nearest grocery store is, how less fresh the food is from that sold at large city supermarkets, and how troublesome it is to get to much needed doctor appointments.
What then is so alluring about the country? Could it be the same kind of tranquility could be found closer in to conveniences. The story may be different if the retiree is moving to the country to be with family. Then getting help, and getting to and from stores and doctor’s appointments may not be such a big deal. This is especially true if driving is no problem and the person is in good health.
No sensible person at retiring age would consider such a move without at first making arrangements with their health care providers. So if the person is a self starter and they know their own minds, why not retire to the country and devote the rest of their life to their own way of life. Maybe gardening is a lure, or the peace and tranquility that only living in rural areas bring.
Each must decide for themselves but make no mistake about it, for some older people living in the country is not easy. It has all to do with what kind of housing, heating and if wood stoves are used for heat, are they able to chop their own wood. If their finances are healthy enough, of course they can get others to do these chores for them. Whatever, country living is not for the tender footed. A certain amount of toughness must go along with such decisions.
Turning the situation around, what about those moving to city from the country? They probably will have a bigger adjustment to make. No longer able to farm and for health reasons, they must park their farm machinery and move closer in. Unless they find friends and neighbors who will take up a great deal of their time, they will miss the wide open spaces of the rural areas.
Rather than moving and selling out completely, those contemplating giving up their country way of life and moving to the city should first take an extended vacation in a fast paced environment. This will acclimate them to the differing life style. Retirement is a big adjustment even when one still lives in the same house, the same environment, it is doubly hard when one has to contend with a different environment at the same time. A waiting period is desirable. Then the retiree can adjust gradually to retiring, then if still wanting to make the move to the country or to the city, then the second adjustment will not be so problematic.
Ideally, one can retire with the best of both worlds with enough money to see them through. They need not completely select one over the others; they go where the fish bite the best and where the sun shines the most.
That’s an ideal but is often far from fact. One simply does with one’s retirement years as best as one can given the dilapidated conditions of most of us. But we don’t complain and we never dampen the dreams of the youngsters following in our footsteps. They in their own time will be making their tracks into the city or away from it. We wish them luck.