The Cost To Live in 6 Off-the-Grid Towns With as Little as One Resident
It’s not uncommon to see the cost of living in relatively small cities become higher than in neighboring major metros (take Atherton, California as an example, which is drastically more expensive than San Francisco, which is only 30 miles away. However, you’ll almost never come across a tiny town that is pricier than the nearest big city.
And when we say tiny, we're talking really, really tiny — the tiniest in the nation, in fact. In fact, these places have populations of, at most, two people. You read that right: two people. They are so remote that data on the cost of living isn’t even available. However, we were at least able to track down the median value of a house in these towns (or the small cities closest to them).
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So, how much does it cost to buy a house in these ultra-rural and incredibly small towns? Additionally, what's their “vibe” in terms of climate and overall feel? And furthermore, what is their livability ranking, respectively?
Let’s have a close look — you may want to pull out your magnifying glass.
1. Little Grass Valley, California
Population: 2
Median home value: $389K (per Redfin)
Livability score: 21/100 (AreaVibes)
The vibe: Mountainous and surrounded by lakes with snow-heavy winters
2. Hobart Bay, Alaska
Population: 1
Median home value: $0 — because evidently there are no houses here (according to AreaVibes)
Livability score: 26/100 (AreaVibes)
The vibe: Mountainous and coastal and all sorts of wildlife
3. Willow Canyon, Arizona
Population: 1
Median home value: $300K (per Realtor.com)
Livability: 27/100 (AreaVibes)
The vibe: Woodsy and rustic with frequent heavy storms
4. Monowi, Nebraska
Population: 1
Average home price: $145K (per CommunityScale’s “Housing Forecast”)
Livability: 45/100 (AreaVibes)
The vibe: Desertic with notably marvelous sunsets and expansive farmland
5. Bonanza, Utah
Population: 1
Median home value: $694K (per Redfin)
Livability: 25/100 (AreaVibes)
The vibe: Desertic, highly elevated and near a massive coal-fired power plant
6. Laurier, Washington
Population: 1
Median home value: $195K (per Movers.com)
Livability: 26/100 (AreaVibes)
The vibe: Mountainous with lush forests and a large presence of wildlife
The Bottom Line
These microscopic towns are so incredibly remote and so untethered to society that they feel more like places to disappear into the wilderness than call home. It’s no wonder most have such low livability scores, as they’re so off the grid and secluded.
You might experience gorgeous scenery in these places, but you’d probably have to hunt your way to a meal and may never come into contact with any human again. That may not sound too bad given the not so civil aspects of our civilization, but Mother Nature would be, to put it lightly, a pretty hostile problem.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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