‘Urban-Adjacent’ Rural Lifestyle Appeals to Urban and Suburban Consumers
A recent study conducted by Aimpoint Research, a global strategic intelligence firm serving the agri-food value chain, revealed 3 in 10 Americans have purchased some form of rural property within the last 5 years or intend to purchase within the next 5 years. For the purposes of this study, rural property could include rural land or a rural home.
As part of Aimpoint’s mission to provide ongoing insights to leaders in the agri-food value chain and the Executive Intelligence Network, Aimpoint Research monitors and assesses the state of consumer perceptions and behaviors. One area Aimpoint monitors closely is the evolution of rural America.
Key Findings on Rural Property Purchases & Purchase Intentions
- 3 in 10 consumers have purchased some form of rural property within the last 5 years or intend to purchase within the next 5 years.
- Of those consumers who intend to purchase rural property:
- 78% currently live in urban or suburban areas.
- 87% intend to purchase property within 50 miles of an urban center.
- 60% have lived in a rural area before.
Aimpoint Research conducted the survey with 980 U.S. consumers in April 2020.
According to global population analysis by the United Nations, 17% of the U.S. population currently lives in rural areas, and that number is expected to decline to 13% by 2040.
“As we track population trends, we continue to see rural populations in decline and Aimpoint’s Industry Wargame confirmed a shift away from rural America. This study confirms very rural areas are following that trend. However, consumers do find a rural setting and lifestyle appealing, as long as it’s closely located to a suburban or urban area. We believe there are opportunities for organizations across the agri-food value chain to engage and serve this subset of the consumer population,” explained Scott Caine, Aimpoint Research Executive Vice President.