[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

If they are far enough away from large cities, even better.

After a nationwide EMP burst "far enough" becomes something completely different.

An average person can walk about 20 miles a day without wearing themselves out. This also assumes they carry the food and water they need.

This means that if someone was in, let's say St. Louis, when the EMP hit. They decided to walk to Scott AFB in Illinois to find safety and a place to live on the rural farm towns around the area, it would take them 3 days of walking to make it there. Then they heard at Scott that New Baden was taking in people. It would be another days walk to get to.

That is a 4 day trip for what would normally be an hour and a half trip by car on the Interstate.

Villages and hamlets more than 5 days by foot from a major city would never see a huge influx of people all at one time because of the lack of ability to carry enough food and water to make it in one trip.

[DuncanWaring]

This means that if someone was in, let's say St. Louis, when the EMP hit. They decided to walk to Scott AFB ...

Assuming they don't get murdered passing through East St. Louis (many The Won voters there, for those not familiar with the area).

[Ellendra]

An average person can walk about 20 miles a day without wearing themselves out.

The average person perhaps, but the average urbanite? I know too many people who can't walk 3 blocks without stopping to rest.