Do you prefer city or country life?

[PacificCoaster]

Big city depending which one it is though. They aren't all created equal. Not by a long shot. London would be my preference by a landslide.

 

[tvguy]

Suburban life is the life for me. Quiet, but close to everything I need.

 

[ronandannette]

I'm farm born and raised in the remote Canadian north, by salt-of-the-earth people with a strong sense of community. It was a wonderful upbringing and I couldn't be more grateful. But all I ever wanted was to get to town, and I struck out at 19. I live in one of the country's largest cities; mid-town in a condo. I can't imagine any other place.

 

[leebee]

I am a city mouse, for sure, so city/suburbs for me. I feel pretty isolated where we now live, but don't anticipate every being able to move back to the Boston or San Francisco areas.

 

[georgina]

I've lived in a small town, suburbs, and city. City and small town were better as a kid because I could ride my bike places and have some freedom of movement. When we lived in the suburbs there was no public transportation, few sidewalks, and we had to drive our kids everywhere, in addition to driving to go shopping almost anywhere. Much happier in retirement in a city where I can walk most places I need to go to on a daily basis, and public transportation is available.

 

[fly girl]

Neither city/country.
Suburbs for sure.

This.

How many times to we agree? I think at least 99% of the time.

Maybe we are long lost twins?

 

[luvthatduke]

Neither city/country.
Suburbs for sure.

This for me, too.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Grew up in a rural area, spent 6 years living in a major city, and now live in the suburbs. Living in the city was the best followed by the suburbs. You couldn't pay me enough to live in a rural area again and I'm not alone in that looking at property values.

My experience was that the while the rural area looked out for each other and had a stronger "community" it was also extremely homogeneous and didn't have enough perspectives giving input. When everyone grew up in the area there just isn't the difference in experience necessary to understand the world.

Living in the city I was exposed to people who had come there from around the world and it really opened my eyes to the value of different perspectives. You also constantly had events going on in a city (touring bands, street festivals, sporting events, etc) so it was hard to be bored. I'll also admit that I was in much better health living in the city as my steps per day were significantly higher.

 

[marthachick]

Country life for me. I love cows as neighbors! They have never complained about us!

 

[brockash]

Grew up in a rural area, spent 6 years living in a major city, and now live in the suburbs. Living in the city was the best followed by the suburbs. You couldn't pay me enough to live in a rural area again and I'm not alone in that looking at property values.

My experience was that the while the rural area looked out for each other and had a stronger "community" it was also extremely homogeneous and didn't have enough perspectives giving input. When everyone grew up in the area there just isn't the difference in experience necessary to understand the world.

Living in the city I was exposed to people who had come there from around the world and it really opened my eyes to the value of different perspectives. You also constantly had events going on in a city (touring bands, street festivals, sporting events, etc) so it was hard to be bored. I'll also admit that I was in much better health living in the city as my steps per day were significantly higher.

Totally agree with this. We're military and have lived in a variety of places/sizes. We just left the smallest area I've ever lived in and we spent a good amount of time there and they will always hold a special place in my heart, but I completely agree with everything you said. The sense of community was HUGE, something I had never experienced before to that extent and in some ways so endearing and kinda empowering. Having said that the sheer volume of ignorance is just the highest I've ever seen. For the most part; it's not even that they are necessarily not open to other perspectives/differences (certainly some are), but when they have lived there for generations and generations and know nothing else and for the most part don't really know ppl. out of their circle, it's like living in a world with your eyes half shut. There are definitely some pros, but for me I am so glad to be in a bigger area with access to more things now.

 

[VandVsmama]

Having grown up in a city, I can tell you it's not all cracked up to be. It's nosey, it's crowded, the views can be an eyesore at times. I prefer the country life sometimes, being up in the mountains is incredibly peaceful and quiet.

Suburban

 

[gmi3804]

Grew up in a rural area, spent 6 years living in a major city, and now live in the suburbs. Living in the city was the best followed by the suburbs. You couldn't pay me enough to live in a rural area again and I'm not alone in that looking at property values.

My experience was that the while the rural area looked out for each other and had a stronger "community" it was also extremely homogeneous and didn't have enough perspectives giving input. When everyone grew up in the area there just isn't the difference in experience necessary to understand the world.

Living in the city I was exposed to people who had come there from around the world and it really opened my eyes to the value of different perspectives. You also constantly had events going on in a city (touring bands, street festivals, sporting events, etc) so it was hard to be bored. I'll also admit that I was in much better health living in the city as my steps per day were significantly higher.

Totally agree with this. We're military and have lived in a variety of places/sizes. We just left the smallest area I've ever lived in and we spent a good amount of time there and they will always hold a special place in my heart, but I completely agree with everything you said. The sense of community was HUGE, something I had never experienced before to that extent and in some ways so endearing and kinda empowering. Having said that the sheer volume of ignorance is just the highest I've ever seen. For the most part; it's not even that they are necessarily not open to other perspectives/differences (certainly some are), but when they have lived there for generations and generations and know nothing else and for the most part don't really know ppl. out of their circle, it's like living in a world with your eyes half shut. There are definitely some pros, but for me I am so glad to be in a bigger area with access to more things now.

Careful. People will call you smug. Which actually proves our points, right?

 

[Magical2017]

I prefer the suburbs. We are close enough to the country and a major city.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Careful. People will call you smug. Which actually proves our points, right?

There is no point to prove. It comes across as smug to think people that live in the country don't have different experiences or lack empathy compared to us people that have lived in cities.

I have never lived on a farm, nor could I ever. It's not my thing. But to assume that you would have more empathy because you lived in a city or more experiences that would help you be more evolved? I think that comes across as a bit arrogant. I think growing food, tending to animals, spending time with nature and fresh air, etc. has it's own way of giving you life experiences.

People in the country have character building experiences that are different from people that live in the city. It doesn't make them any less evolved. To be honest, I've see plenty of un-evolved, mannerless, animalistic people in major cities.

 

[firefly_ris]

Country. I enjoy visiting and vacationing in a city and can see many benefits, but ultimately I like my home with acreage, nature, birds chirping, trees rustling, creek babbling. When I'm really stressed, I can go down to the creek and breathe in and quietly decompress. I can go four wheeling for a couple of miles on the creek in solitude. I'm just not personally made to be right in the middle of things 24/7. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[MIGrandma]

I have no desire to live in a large city. I grew up in a small town, married a farmer and have lived in the country almost 49 years. We plan to move into town when DH retires from farming, hopefully in 3-5 years.

 

[MICKIMINI]

City life for sure. It's much more conducive to expanding knowledge, experience, and empathy for others, things that are essential for human growth and evolution.

Really? And how to do come to that conclusion? With all due respect, that is insulting.

 

[kdonnel]

Depends.

I think I would enjoy the city life as a multimillionaire.

Otherwise the suburbs.

 

[disykat]

I've also lived suburban life my entire life so I have no idea!

I have to say though I have a pretty good sized city about 40 minutes away and a can reach a very large city in about 80 minutes, which is GREAT! I live in a similar sized "town with all the services you need" to where I grew up, but there we had to drive 2.5 hours to go to a mall and 5 hours to get to a big city. It is much more convenient to be closer to a city to go to events, try new restaurants, shop for things I can't get in person nearby, etc. My adult kids also live closer to me than any of us lived to our parents.

 

[KarenB]

That is a tough question. We live in a very small college town. I feel it is safe enough to forget to lock the door every once in a while, a beautiful river five minutes away, good place to raise kids whose friends’ parents watched out for them, three small, local breweries, good local music. However, diverse food and people are not to be found, the one local coffee shop closes at three pm, limited job opportunities, sometimes my views are not looked at in the most positive way. I have been thinking a lot about this lately.