I see two issues with this theory:

1. Small towns no longer exist in the quantity or quality that they used to. The necessary survival skills are not really there. Go to any small town grocery store on the first of the month and see how many whip out a gov't EBT card to pay for their food.

2. Even if the idyllic 'Mayberry' existed, there are simply too many people now for this to work....millions more than in the Great Depression. An outpouring from population centers will overwhelm all small towns, especially in the more temperate zones.

I think what might work is a resurgence of churches as real social centers. They are already spread throughout population centers, and some still have the roots of social programs in place like they did in hard times in the past. A place to meet, trade, get food, socialize, get educated, get married, get buried, have meetings, coordinate charity and relief...that's what used to happen in local churches.