Flatlander

Flatlander may refer to:

• A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes. The term is widely used in North/North Western Pennsylvania, where over the last couple decades, has seen an influx of people from Southern PA and New Jersey. Residents from downstate and New Jersey use their capital from selling their property in prime urban areas to purchase substantial amounts of acreage in the northern half of the state. This raises the cost of land in the area significantly.

Hunting wild game in this region is considered prime and native residents consider it sacred. People migrating from the lower half of the state and New Jersey areas, sell their townhouses, or other real estate for a substantial amount, and move north to buy acreage where land was once cheap. Once they have acquired land, the new owners will typically shut it down, and this is known as "posting" the land. This creates a sense of friction amongst land owner and the native who once hunted the area freely with little restriction.

Northern inhabitants typically live a simple and slow-pace lifestyle whereas people from downstate are accustomed to a disconnected fast-paced lifestyle. This, coupled with the lack of shopping venues, stores, gas stations, and restaurants, creates a condescending attitude towards local residents. It is also the main derivative for the derogatory term.

• A character in the 1884 Edwin Abbott novella Flatland
• Flatlander (story), a 1967 story by Larry Niven
• Flatlander (short story collection), a 1975 collection of short stories by Larry Niven
• The Flatlanders, a country music band

See also

• Flatland (disambiguation)
• Flat (disambiguation)
• Lander (disambiguation)