Rising costs force youngsters out of the countryside

Nearly a quarter of rural dwellers believe that young people will not be able to afford to live in the countryside, according to a survey commissioned by rural insurer NFU Mutual.

Not only do many people think that economic factors will prevent them from doing so, but 19% of rural residents think that the perceived bright lights of the city will prove a stronger draw for young people than their rural roots.

Laura Wood from NFU Mutual says, "The high number of respondents who believe that living in the countryside is becoming an impossible dream for young families is very worrying for the future of Rural Britain. A lack of affordable homes, lower wages and higher costs of living could all be to blame."

But despite the survey's gloomy finding, there could be a ray of hope for young people who want to remain in the countryside: one in ten people surveyed believe that the countryside is undergoing a revival.

This is also backed by the study showing that average annual income per household in rural areas is £28,608 compared to £26,674 in urban areas.

Not only this, 17% of the rural population still believe that youngsters will want to move to the countryside to bring up their children anyway.

For young people already living in rural areas, a sense of connection to their family and the community is seen as being very important. For the under 35s the most popular reason behind living in the countryside is that they have family there. Being born in the countryside and the perception that it provides a better lifestyle for the children also rank highly amongst this age group.