Having moved rural recently, I and many of the recent transplants are looking for a simpler life. I do not want to be near a large city with it’s four star restaurants, massive 24 hr movie theater, etc. I am ok with occasionally driving a couple hours to a bigger city if needed for a rare treat, medical treatment, etc. When I lived near the big city, it would often take me more than an hour one way to get to my destination in the city.
I am also not “homesteading” (living completely off the grid, growing and eating all I need) either. In my rural area, I don’t know of one single true homesteader. Most of us in my rural area grow some of our own veggies, participate in a farm coop, buy our meat etc from local farmers, have a local live theater, help each other in times of emergencies (health, weather, etc). Like me, some also are a bit more self sufficient with solar, wood stove, hunting, etc. The theme is more a community of self-sufficiency.
As the big cities are getting worse with crime and social issues, I think we will see more and more folks moving rural, not true homesteading but to a simpler more self sufficient life style.