First, I am glad you found a place that suits you. I grew up in a suburb adjacent to a major city up until high school, then I moved to the rural midwest. As a minority, I found it near impossible to fit in. All of my beliefs, from ethnicity-based to city-based, were misaligned to the general consensus of the rural mindset.
Sure, there was open space and generally it was green or pale yellow from the corns, but it was a terrible place for a young mind. I didn't like football or wrestling and I didn't love confederate flags on pick up trucks. The general take was that I was an outsider not to be friends with. Eventually, I made friends but I can still hear the "he is okay, he is like a white [insert minority]" from adults and people at school.
This was in the late 90's and early 2000's before Fox and CNN doubled-down on extreme views. People in rural America hated immigrants just as much then as they do know.
Having different "likes" doesn't mean a place isn't peaceful or calm. My OC was that the larger cities are where the insanity has been happening for almost ever.
People can be unhappy anywhere, but also people can learn to get along anywhere too... unless there is a riot side your house, or a shooting next door. These are outside your personal influence.
No it isn't. People in rural America assume that if you're in rural America then you already believe the exact same things that they do, based largely on skin color. Try living there and going against that grain and see how "peaceful and contented" they are.
I've lived all over, including LA, east coast, south, Chicago, near the border of Mexico (I worked with illegals there even in sweat shops).
Rural America is garden of peace and contentment compared to the urban areas.
Your views are admitedly from a visitor... and there is no way you can compare them equally that way.
Ignore Foxnews & CNN and get to know rural America before condemning it.