#small-towns

#small-towns

If you belong to the latter group, AARP recently shared its ranking of the best small towns to live for older adults. The non-profit organization considered communities with populations of 5,000 to 24,999 residents and evaluated them on over 60 factors across categories such as housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, and health. Additionally, AARP noted that "residents of small communities typically experience lower income inequality, more jobs per worker, and greater age diversity compared to the national average."

Flannel shirts, Christmas tree farms, and town squares filled with twinkling lights are par for the course in Hallmark holiday films. While there's certainly a good dose of movie magic that goes into creating these heartwarming (and, yes, a bit cheesy) scenes, many of the productions are shot in destinations-from Vancouver to Vail-that have their own brand of holiday enchantment in the winter months.

Arizona is often defined by its icons-including the Grand Canyon and the Phoenix sprawl - but the essence of the state is just as alive in its smaller towns. Tucked into Arizona's canyons, deserts, and high plateaus are small communities that carry the stories of the miners, artists, ranchers, and Indigenous groups who shaped the region. These small towns, which range from just a few hundred people to almost 10,000, each offer something different.

I've lived in Florida for over 25 years and love exploring the state's charming small towns. Places like Alys Beach and Tarpon Springs make me feel like I'm visiting Europe. For a quiet beach vacation, I recommend checking out Cedar Key and Seaside. Florida is famous for its beaches, theme parks, and major cities, but in my opinion, the small towns are some of the state's best-kept secrets. These charming

Remote work has allowed people to live wherever they choose, no longer tied to urban and suburban areas to be close to their jobs. High urban and suburban home prices and the availability of remote work had Americans looking for more affordable cities that offer a good quality of life. The numbers tell a remarkable story of transformation. Between 2020 and spring 2024, two-thirds of population growth for those aged 25 to 44 occurred in areas with fewer than 1 million residents or rural counties.

Home to around 1,000 residents, Cave Spring, Georgia, sits a few miles from the Alabama state line and is only a 1.5-hour drive from Atlanta-and during the fall, it's the perfect destination for a day trip. Cave Spring is located at the western end of Vann's Valley and is named after the prolific limestone spring situated in the center of town that produces 2 million gallons of water per day.

Recently, one of my buddies was distraught. I've known him for almost 20 years; I could tell something was weighing heavily on his mind. I asked what was going on, and he said one of his children got into a bit of hot water due to their cellphone usage at school. We talked it through, and he realized the issue wasn't that detrimental in the grand scheme. Sometimes we all need a bit of objectivity.

Phelps, New York, known as the 'Sauerkraut Capital of the World,' was once the largest sauerkraut producer globally, thanks to its fermentation factories established in the early 1900s.

The heart of Floyd beats with creativity; it's a key stopping point on Virginia's heritage music trail, making it a must-visit for bluegrass lovers.

Small mining towns that thrived in the early 1900s have largely declined into disrepair, with some now transformed into tourist destinations that highlight their historical significance.