[wglb]

The number might be smaller.

If you take the Empire Builder from Chicago towards the northwest, one of the trains goes through North Dakota at night.

Every farm in the area has one of those mercury vapor lights in the yard, which are visible for tens of miles. If you sit in the scenic car then, you will see one of those farmstead perhaps every hour. It is very not populated.

[tptacek]

If you're worried about how many neighbors you have, it sounds idyllic.

[wglb]

Well, if you fall ill, then you might decide that you have too few neighbors.

[tptacek]

I agree! I think density is good, which is why I live in an urban area. What I don't get are the other people who live in urban areas who want them to be more like North Dakota.

[kelnos]

I agree too. Far too many people want to live in an area with the services and vibrancy of an urban area, but with the number of people you'd find out in a rural area. It's just not practical or sustainable to build a community that way.

(Also, I get the need for peace and quiet sometimes, but it makes me sad how so many people in the US just... don't like to be around other people.)