The news may dismay those dreaming of one day escaping the city to embrace the rural idyll: it turns out lots of people are already doing it.
So many, in fact, that the Scottish rural population is increasing faster than anywhere else in Scotland.
They have longer life expectancies, fewer emergency hospital admissions and fewer people who smoke. They also enjoy what many in the city don't have: a sense of belonging to their community, according to the newly published Rural Scotland Key Facts 2015.
On the other hand, it's more expensive to buy a house and to heat it; local services aren't always better, which means people are driving everywhere and fewer of their children walk or cycle to school. Some households spend over £100 on fuel for their cars.
But how 'rural' is defined is pretty complex. Put it this way, you're 'very remote rural' if you live in an area of less than 3000 people, with a drive time of over 60 minutes to a settlement of 10,000 of more. So you could choose to be 'accessible rural' by living in a settlements of less than 3000 people and within 30 minutes drive of a settlement of 10,000 or more.
On second thoughts, perhaps it would be better to stay in the city and enjoy the peace and quiet after the exodus.
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