No Broadway, no skyscrapers, only 121 residents: Despite financial losses, Madi Lee (24) decides to live in the small town of Medora in the US state of North Dakota.
24-year-old college graduate Madi Lee has chosen a life far away from big cities – despite all the supposed amenities that come with it. Instead, she now lives near Theodore Roosevelt National Park and doesn’t regret the decision. On the contrary.
After going to the small town of Medora, North Dakota, a few times as a child on family trips, Madi decided to return to live and work there after graduating in spring 2022.
In the city of 121 souls, the young woman works in the tourism industry for the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation. There she earns around 50,000 dollars (around 46,000 euros) a year as a ticket and reservations manager. Although the average income in Medora is $65,000, she tells CNBC, “I’m really happy with how everything turned out.”
One of the hardest things to plan for is grocery shopping. There are no supermarkets in Medora, just corner shops and gas stations. That’s why Madi Lee drives 30 minutes to nearby Dickinson about every two weeks to stock up on groceries. She spends about $300 to $400 a month on groceries and has to be especially careful about her biweekly shopping in the winter, when snowstorms can shut down major roads.
Another disadvantage is that she has to travel far for cultural events. She estimates she spends about $250 on gas each month.
The population of Medora is between 100 and 150 people all year round. But in summer the city explodes. Thousands and thousands of people come through Medora to get to the national park. She saves a lot of money by working during peak season. From May to October, Madi and other full-time employees (and their family members) receive free breakfast, lunch and dinner in the on-site cafeteria.
Madi tells CBNC: “We have the best combination of natural beauty, history and great people. These three things make Medora a very special place.”
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