The Differences & Similarities Between Farm Life & City Life

Farm life has more differences than similarities to city life.

Some people move from the city to a farm to slow down and get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Likewise, farmers sometimes trade in their machines and tools for the faster paced city life.

History

The Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s brought many factories to U.S. cities. This is the period when America began to change from a more rural farm-based way of life to a more urban city-oriented lifestyle.

Differences

The employment environment differs for city dwellers and farmers. Farming is done outside at home ,while in the city there is often a commute to an office building for work. There is also a lot more space between farm dwellings.

Similarities

Many cities are congested with people, which sometimes causes rodent infestations. Wooded areas are plentiful in the countryside near many farms, which attracts rodents to farmland. Also, school bus stops dot the roads of both farmlands and cities, delivering school children to similar educational experiences.

Misconceptions

One misconception is that farmers may have it easy since country life is a bit slower. To the contrary, many farmers get up very early in the morning and have a full day of work comparable to their city counterparts. Another misconception is that no crime takes place on or near farmland. Though crime rates tend to be higher in cities, rural farm areas are not immune to crime.

References

• The Library of Congress: Rise of Industrial America, 1876-1900