From Michigan Suburbs to Kentucky Countryside: One Couple's Journey to a Quieter Life

When Jenifer and her husband James decided it was time for a change of pace, they knew exactly where to look - the rolling hills of Eastern Kentucky. The decision to move was driven by a desire for a simpler, less congested lifestyle. "We were living in Clinton Township, Michigan just 30 miles west of Detroit," explains Jenifer. "It was so busy and stressful, with traffic and construction everywhere you looked. The cost of living was skyrocketing too."

With their children grown and James retired, the couple saw an opportunity to seek out a new, more peaceful chapter. "We wanted a midway point between our families – James’s son lives in North Carolina and my grandparents are in Louisa, Kentucky," she says. "The Prestonsburg area just seemed perfect."

Their search led them to the MakeMyMove program, which incentivizes remote workers to relocate to communities like Prestonsburg. “I just found it on the internet,” James says. “We were looking for information about coming to Kentucky and the MakeMyMove website just popped up.”

While they were intrigued, they thought a relocation program offering a financial incentive of $5,000 might be too good to be true. "At first, I wasn't sure if it was legit," Jenifer admits. "But once we connected with Latasha, our contact for the program, everything fell into place."

Embracing a New Lifestyle

Even though the couple has only been residing in the Prestonsburg area for a few weeks, they are quickly acclimating to their new lifestyle. One of the biggest draws of their new home is the abundance of wildlife. "I've probably seen more deer in the past week than I have in my entire life," Jenifer marvels. "The amount of wildlife we've encountered is just amazing."

Jenifer says that the transition has also been made easier with the support of the local community. “Latasha has answered all our questions. We've asked her about local amenities such as doctors, places to shop and parks. We have a fishing boat and she's given us information about places we can take it out. Our realtor has also been really sweet. She helped us with the utilities and getting all that stuff taken care of. We also have a really nice neighbor who has been welcoming.”

The couple has also embraced the great outdoors, with plans to take up hunting and gardening - hobbies that weren't practical in their former suburban home. "We’re looking forward to growing more of our own food in a garden."

The mild Kentucky winters are also a welcome change from the lake-effect snow they endured in Michigan. "I was over the harsh winters," Jenifer declares. "I don't want to deal with snow and cold anymore. Here, it's going to be drastically different."

Adapting to Small-Town Life

As a remote worker, Jenifer says that one of her biggest concerns was how the move was going to impact her job but she has been pleasantly surprised by how seamless the process has been. “We were concerned about the internet. Our home is in a holler, between two mountains so it’s far from towers and when we first got down here, we lost service on our cell phones - but then we were able to get set up with internet within 24 hours. I called our internet service provider and they shipped the equipment overnight, by the next afternoon it was up and running and the service has been great. I've had no issues with work. We got down here on a Saturday and then by Monday - I was right back to work.”

The logistics of travel from a small town have also been an adjustment. "We were driving on a highway yesterday and we came across two lights that were probably 15 miles apart," Jenifer says. "So, it was like, no traffic, no stress."

The couple has also discovered that the local dining options cater more to fast food than homestyle cooking. "We're finding that there's not a whole lot of restaurants, except for fast food," Jenifer says. “But I cook a lot, so we're not concerned with going out to eat much."

A Newfound Sense of Peace

Despite the occasional challenge, the couple have embraced their new surroundings and found a sense of peace that was elusive in their former life. "Just looking up and being able to see stars at night, that's huge," Jenifer says. "We didn't have that in Michigan. There's so much light and buildings where we're from. It’s just quiet and serene around here and with all the wildlife, I mean, that's really what drew us to move South and into a smaller community where it's just easy."

James echoes this sentiment, noting the drastic difference in stress levels. "Where we used to live everything, you do and everywhere you go, you have to rush to get there. If you don't, you're going to get run over," he says. "And here, it's just so much more relaxed."

A Future in Kentucky

As they continue to acclimate to their new home, Jenifer says that continuing to get settled in is a high priority. “We're looking forward to visiting tons of flea markets in the area and finding those little treasures that will help give our home a warm cozy feel. We also have the garage outside and we're probably going to add on to it to make James a man cave.”

This move has really allowed Jenifer and James to not worry about the future so much and just live in the present. “We just plan on enjoying the outdoors from the back deck or building a front deck so we can catch all of the action going on from the local wildlife.” Thanks to the MakeMyMove program, this Michigan couple has been able to trade in their fast-paced suburban life for the serene living of Eastern Kentucky.