10 Things I Love About Living in a Small Town

Living in a small town definitely has it's advantages and disadvantages. I moved to the small town of Sulphur, Oklahoma recently- after living in Oklahoma City for the last four years. The difference is literally like night and day.

It's taken a lot of adjusting our routines, shopping and just getting used to the dynamics of a small town. While this isn't likely to be a permanent move for us, it's perfect for us right now. I'm finding there are many things to love about living in a small town, here are ten of them:

10. I don't have to try to hard to find friends, most people in smaller towns are a lot more friendly than a large city. And it helps that everyone knows everyone else, so you can get introduced through the social circles fairly quickly.

9. It takes just two minutes or less to go to the local grocery store or Wal-Mart. This has been a major life-saver for me, since moving here- it takes just a few minutes to get to my local stores. This means that quick trips for something needed right then, aren't as inconvenient. If I find that none of my local stores carry what I need, I simply write it on my list and purchase it from a larger store when I'm in Oklahoma City the next time.

8. Small-town schools tend to be a lot better as a general rule, in regards to the safety of students. While I homeschool my children, it's comforting to know that, should something change- I could send them to our local public school and they would get a high-quality education, get more attention from the teachers, and also be safer than they would in a city school.

7. You can find really interesting things to do with your kids in small towns, that are usually wholesome and you don't have to worry about being in a "bad area" or driving through a "bad area" to get there. I've discovered that there are hiking trails, spring waters, nature parks and even a few historical buildings and other things in my town, and plan on taking my children to these local attractions for good, wholesome fun and learning days.

6. Cost of living can be cheaper in smaller towns, you can usually rent a house or even buy a house for less than a large city. For me, choosing a smaller town made the difference on me being able to pay all the bills and stay caught up while my husband is deployed and we're trying to maintain a household and budget on only one income.

5. Lower crime rates. While this needn't be elaborated on much more, I definitely like the fact that if I were to accidentally leave my door unlocked when I went out of town, it's not likely that someone will mess with anything. And, my neighbors watch my house and keep an eye on things when I'm out of town, that's rare in a large city.

4. It's really hard to get lost in a small town. This is especially great for someone like me, when I could get lost even while reading a road map! It's extremely difficult to get lost when the town you're living in doesn't cover a whole six-mile square, and there aren't that many roads going in and out of town. And of course, if you need to stop and ask someone for directions, it's safe to do so. Always a bonus in my book!

3. Everyone remembers and knows everyone else. It's nice to go into a convenience store, and someone ask "How's your husband?" or "Is your baby feeling better?" Because they remember that your husband is deployed or that the last time they saw you that you had a sick baby at home.

2. It's quiet. Almost to the point of being boring. While some can't handle the lack of "night-life" or "over-activity" in a small town, I love the fact that I'm not stuck trying to contain loud parties, negotiate bad traffic on Friday nights or avoid drunk people at the grocery store at night.

1. And last but not least, I just like being here. It's a slower pace, the economic benefits are not absolutely wonderful, but it's a help for our situation. I have a nice little house to live in, in a safe area, and I'm comfortable taking my kids anywhere in town. And I have met some really nice people here. I don't feel obligated to go "do" something on a Friday or Saturday night "just because."

Yup, living in a small-town, just could be "The Life." Some people want that life, others don't. But it sure works for me.