Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
Finding great rural places to live is easy, but finding great rural places to live and work is hard. That is why more and more people live near big cities -- for jobs. But, if you like rural living, there's no need to compromise.NeighborhoodScout.com targeted only those small-city areas of the nation with the strongest predicted job growth, and then aimed their patented search algorithms within 20 miles of each to find the best rural areas near these small cities for great living. Their Great Rural Living Score is based on the quality of the local public schools, high home ownership rates, high adult educational attainment (a powerful indicator of location quality), and safety from crime, all combined with a bucolic rural environment (based on population density).
Click through our gallery to see the list of 20 stellar rural areas that combine great living and excellent predicted job growth. See the Full Study Methodology
Plus: Find the Best Local Realtors