Man visits quiet US town that doesn't let anyone use technology like cell phones or cameras and was left amazed
Published on Jan 19, 2026 at 5:10 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jan 19, 2026 at 5:10 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Claire Reid
A YouTuber visited Green Bank, West Virginia, dubbed ‘America’s quietest town’, due to its strict rules around cell phones and even microwaves.
Green Bank is a town quite unlike any other you’ll find in the US.
It’s situated inside a National Radio Quiet Zone, which means there are firm restrictions on things like cell phone signals and radio services.
YouTuber RocaNews decided to visit the town to find out exactly what it’s like to live in the US’s quietest town.
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Green Bank has strict laws on cell phones and other technology
From the outside, West Virginia’s Green Bank looks like any other picturesque small town.
Heading into the town, you’re greeted by beautiful scenery, but before long, that’s not the only thing that stands out, as your cell signal will vanish completely.
YouTuber Roca News knew he’d arrived at the town when the audiobook he was playing in his car abruptly stopped playing, and a quick glance at his phone confirmed that the signal had gone.
Green Bank is slap bang in the National Radio Quiet Zone, where radio and cell signals are outlawed for a couple of reasons: firstly, to facilitate scientific research, and secondly, to help gather military intelligence.
The area is naturally radio-quiet due to its surrounding mountains, but this was boosted and eventually grown into a large-scale communication facility.
The town is now home to the Green Bank Observatory, which has a huge telescope and is covered with signs banning electronics and digital cameras.
The restrictions in the town apply to a host of services and electronics, including things like phones and smart watches, as well as radio services and WiFi.
One local told the YouTuber that even microwave ovens are restricted, and if you have an older, less-than-perfect model, then it will be replaced.
Who would live in ‘America’s quietest town’?
Now, you might be reading this and wondering who wants to live in America’s quietest town, but it turns out that some folks are more than happy to live entirely off-grid.
“ I mean, I love it around here myself,” said a resident who lived just outside of Green Bank.
“I hope I never have to move away.”
He explained that he does have internet access, but he had to request permission and a special code to get online.
And as for cell phones? There’s no chance. He has to make do with a landline when he wants to speak to people on the phone.
At a local diner, the YouTuber got talking to a woman who had grown up in the area, who said it had always felt ‘normal’ to her.
“You have to go about 20 miles that way or 40 miles in any other direction to get cell phone service,” she added.
At the diner, he met a couple who invited him out to their Green Bank home that they had built back in the 1960s.
The couple explained that they preferred to live without modern technology, and said that some people moved to the area ‘to escape’.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
