I’ll bet most Americans think of themselves in terms of small town roots and small town values. I know I do.
We all seem to draw great comfort in harking back to days gone by, when life was much simpler and the pace was far less hectic. In my case, I’m really not sure why, since all of my life has been spent living either overseas and in big cities in the U.S. My guess is that I’m not alone in that dichotomy.
Maybe that explains the suburban phenomena — we can split the difference, enjoying the peace and quiet of “Ken and Barbie Land” while, at the same time, also taking advantage of the many benefits a big city has to offer.
Even though most of our big cities, per se, are losing population, the metro areas themselves remain powerful magnets to people seeking opportunity. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 83 percent of the U.S. population now lives in one of the 370 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), and that number is rising.
| While it’s not likely that any of these towns will offer major league sports or a local philharmonic, they can offer advantages your company might find very attractive. |
The only problem with the suburbs is that, while they are generally less expensive than the urban center, they are becoming increasingly more costly as people and businesses move in and set up shop.
Another 10 percent, roughly speaking, live in what we call Micropolitan Statistical Areas, a relatively new set of urban statistical areas that include at least one city or town with at least 10,000 — but less than 50,000 — in population.
While it’s not likely that any of these towns will offer major league sports or a local philharmonic, they can offer advantages your company might find very attractive. Here are just a few of the more obvious ones.
Lower real estate costs. Almost without exception (unless it’s a tourist area), smaller cities and towns offer lower real estate costs. That’s because the land is less valuable and the development costs are lower as well.
Lower taxes. The demand for government services is considerably less in a small town and, therefore, so are the taxes.
Lower wage costs. Although living costs vary from region to region, they also vary within the region itself. Even if business requirements dictate your presence in a particularly expensive region of the country, you can still lower your wage costs by choosing to locate in a smaller town within the region, rather than in a big city.
Fewer transportation snarls. One of the major advantages of a large metro is that it is often located at a transportation crossroads. Most of the “Micros” are also located on or near at least one major transportation artery, often more. The main difference is a whole lot less congestion.
Lower operating costs. Lower wages, taxes and real estate costs all translate directly into considerably less “stress” on the expense side of the ledger.
Strong work ethic. Let’s face it. Small town values mean a day’s work for a day’s pay, or at least it sure seems to.
Employer of choice. Properly handled, there’s a lot to be said for being a big fish in a small pond. Depending upon the city or town, you could easily find yourself the “employer of choice,” attracting the very best workers from the entire region.
Maybe a small town won’t be a good fit for your next facility, but you’ll be missing a bet if you don’t at least check it out. Who knows? It might open your eyes to a part of the country that’s been right under your nose all the time.
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