My home town of Wisbech, population circa 20,000, of which 8000 are Eastern European, that's not even bullshit. BBC1 made a documentary about the place called "the day the foreigners left". No opportunities, no money, nothing.
I'm not far away from you (near Whittlesey). Yes, it's an area where there is not much in the way of career opportunities, there are no decent shops, it's populated by inbred freaks and the ****ing wind... But, have you ever been to the North? Scotland? Wales? Bad bits of London and Essex? There are a lot of positives: the pubs all serve decent ales and you can get a cheap property.