The same article goes on to say, "if the current trend continues, one in three rural workers will be self-employed by 2015."
The New York Times piece didn't specify which country the study applied to, but I'm assuming that it's talking about the U.S. since The New York Times is a U.S. newspaper. It would be interesting to see what the statistic is for other countries.
It makes a lot of sense that rural workers would choose self-employment. I know that jobs are often hard to find in country areas and accepting a job might mean a lengthy commute. Working from home is both convenient and practical.
Sadly, the same study goes on to say that rural workers who self-employed earn much less than their traditionally employed counterparts - often taking home as little as half of the standard wage.
That second fact saddens me. I do know that some living expenses (housing, for example) are lower in the country. However, I seriously doubt that the cost of living in rural areas is half of what it is in more populated areas.
Personally, I live in a densely populated area (One of the top ten cities by population and rank). As far as I can tell, living expenses here are fairly high.
What about you? Do you think the study is accurate? Do you live in a rural or urban area?
Leave a comment and let us know.
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I am self-employed and rural. I was employed by a large conglomerate for many years in a major Canadian city and wanted country living so did a long commute. This situation works much better. I earn less but: I stress less and have a higher quality of life.
Posted by: Dana | May 7, 2008 10:30 PM | Permalink to Comment