Quality of life in small towns: a mid-American case study

The chapter considers the historical development of small rural towns and the pros and cons of living in them versus cities. The US has experienced a counter-migration fuelled by improved communications, transportation, jobs, services and the amenities of small towns. The discussion highlights immigration and its impact on small towns, and residents’ quality of life (QOL). Recently, many small towns throughout the Midwest US have received a relatively large (mainly culturally different) immigrant population, attracted by meat-processing jobs. Using a case study, the chapter explores how QOL factors vary depending on whether you are a new arrival or long-term resident. The study is based on face-to-face interviews with 180 adults in Crete, Nebraska (population = 5200 in 2015). In summary, the most influential factors in the quality of life experience for the newly arrived residents was their satisfaction with the neighbourhood, community and their income. For the long-term (male) residents, the availability of jobs and having a less stressful community environment contributed to their QOL.