Conservatives Attracted to Small Towns, Rural Areas; Liberals Prefer Cities Ifyou could live anywhere in the U.S., would you prefer A.
Conservatives would rather live in small towns or rural areas than anywhere else. Our research found an overwhelming preference among the most conservative Americans for nonurban lifestyles: 41% of consistent conservatives said they would live in a rural area if they could live anywhere in the U.S., and 35% picked a small town; just 4% said they’d prefer a city.
Conservatives Attracted to Small Towns,  | Rural Areas; Liberals Prefer Cities  | Ifyou could live anywhere in the U.S., would you prefer  | A.  | City  | Sub urb Small town Rural area  | Total  | 24  | 21  | 30  | 24  | Consistently  | 20  | 35  | 41  | conservative  | Mostly  | 14  | 19  | 32  | 34  | conservative  | Mixed  | 23  | 20  | 31  | 24  | Mostly  | 32  | 23  | 29  | 15  | liberal  | Consistently  | 46  | 21  | 20  | 11  | liberal  | Source 2014 Political Polarization in the American Public  | Source Notes: Ideologica (see consistency Appendix Polarization based AlDon the on a American sca leof 10 political  | va lues Ideologica questions (see Appendix AlDon t know responses notshown.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 