Small Town Vs Big City: A Lifestyle Choice

Recently, a friend came to me with a problem: unsatisfied with her job in Washington, DC, she began sending out her resume. She received offers left and right over the following weeks – some problem, huh? – but the best, in terms of career development, salary, and benefits such as healthcare and a 401(k) plan, was from a firm in a small town located in rural North Carolina. Having grown up in North Carolina's piedmont myself – a largely rural, spacious, humid and markedly Southern region – and also working in DC, I could relate to her problem. How could she overcome her aversion to non-metropolitan living in order to make what might be the best career move of her life? I did what any friend would do: invited her out for coffee the next day, to discuss with her the upsides to a markedly slower-paced lifestyle.

Make a Buck, Save a Buck
We began by talking about that most impersonal, yet highly important subject everyone is familiar with: earning a living. The same salary you'll make in DC, New York, or Los Angeles will go miles further living a couple steps removed from the Big City, literally! Gas prices are without fail lower outside of a city than within. Housing, food, even a social drink down at the bar will cost less, leaving you more money to put into savings, be it for retirement, your kids' education, or a swanky condominium overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Instead of worrying about getting a raise to make ends meet, you'll be wondering what to do with all of your excess income.