If you're lucky enough to live in Nebraska... you're lucky enough!

I've been sharing listings of beautiful Nebraska homes available for under $100,000, in the hopes of helping people who've found that they can do their jobs from anywhere, or who own their own online businesses escape the confines of urban and suburban living find the perfect Nebraska home.

So just *why* is Nebraska the perfect place to live? Well, for instance, in January of 2020, WalletHub ranked Nebraska #8 in its "Best States to Raise a Family" list. Not too bad... #8 out of 50!

Here are my own personal reasons for touting Nebraska... especially rural Nebraska as a great place to live!

I personally live in Sutherland Nebraska. It is a community of slightly more than 1300 people located right along Interstate 80 in west central Nebraska. In 3.5 hours we can be in Denver, in 3 hours Lincoln and in 4 hours Omaha. The airport in nearby North Platte connects to Denver from where we can travel anywhere in the world. So though we're rural, the entire world, literally, is at our doorstep.

In my community we have a great K-12 school, with small class sizes in which students thrive. There are plenty of extra curricular activities for all to experience the fun and challenge of belonging.

We have three great parks that include amenities such as playgrounds, dog parks, disc golf, ball fields and a swimming pool.

For commercial activity we have a grocery store, several convenience stores, auto parts/hardware store, a coffee shop, tavern, liquor and bait shop and several places to get a meal. There are very few things that we cannot find in our community, even if we have to pay a little more for the convenience.

And now to what is truly spectacular. The recreation!

Nearby is the North Platte river. We miss very few summer weekends, and sometimes weekdays, kayaking on the river. There are trips that take anywhere from 2 hours to 8 hours, and it's the perfect way to spend the day! If kayaking isn't your think, there's always tanking or just plain floating!

Less than five miles away is the beautiful Sutherland reservoir. Built as a WPA project during the depression, the reservoir offers more than 3,000 acres of water for water recreation.

It is enclosed by a circular dam, and the top of the 'wall' makes a perfect walking path.

The view from the top of the wall on an early morning walk

The Oregon Trail Golf Course and campground built on the south shore offers both primitive and electric and water hookups with a dump station and a 9 hole golf course that offers spectacular views.

Does each and every rural Nebraska community offer these types of amenities? Not all. but you are going to find great schools and parks, commercial conveniences and outdoor recreation almost everywhere.

They certainly are a step up from congested city streets, small, expensive housing and miles and miles of concrete.

Nebraska 'may not be for everyone', but who it's for, it's REALLY for! Maybe it's for you!