Our summers are hot,  winters really fucking cold and windy.   But honestly you get used to it and there's something extra comforting when you walk half a block without breathing and finally arrive to the cozy inside of your favorite bar or restaurant.  Smithfield used to be John Morrell then sold to China.  Shitload of Mexicans work there and it's packed.   Spike in Corona chan due to this.  My logic was,  "okay so how many employees died this year of flu like symptoms"  because honestly if one worker was exposed they all were.  There's a baseline study for ya.  The living situation you described is very easy. Our pattern is,  where interstates intersect, if you go north or west,  you are immediately in farm land without many people at all.   15 miles and there are towns of 5k.  From there it's just fields and towns of a few hundred, then every 60 miles or so a slightly bigger town. Same pattern east and south from the outskirts of SF