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What is it like to go from living in a large-ish city of say between 300 thousand and 1 million people to living in a small city of say 30 to 60 thousand?
600k to 50k
road rage disappeared
long lines and wait times drastically diminished
2 hours to nearest zoo, arboretum, big name concerts, etc....
no driving for over 30 minutes to get to a store or doctors office across town
less variety in shopping and entertainment options
city to country more accessible more quickly
many festivals, etc are inexpensive or free, with no outrageous parking fees everywhere
I like going to the big city, but a days driving or dealing with the faceless masses make me realize why I couldn't live there. Smaller cities/larger towns are less stressful, if you can make the transition depends on your personal tastes and where you are in life. If you need extreme variety, you'll have trouble with the transition. If you're more settled and don't mind the familiar, the transition may not be a challenge.
Agree with the above. I moved from the SF Bay Area to Redding (90,000) and had basically the same amenities I wanted in the SF Bay Area, but with very minimal traffic, easy parking, very short lines at places like the Social Security office, the DMV. I had to go to the emergency room one morning, and there was ONE other person in the lobby waiting room when I got there. Regular county doctor's office would have maybe 6 people waiting in the waiting room.
I found the transition to be heaven.
I've since moved from Redding to Crescent City (7500) and find it to be the same as Redding, as far as very minimal traffic, etc. The shopping options aren't as good, but there's still a Super Walmart, Grocery Outlet, Starbucks, Safeway. But, for more shopping than those types of basic stores, you need to drive about 1 1/2 hours away. Same for any concerts, etc., whereas even Redding had lots of top-name entertainment come through.
I'm retired, so job market didn't matter to me. I don't see myself ever being able to go back to dealing with jam-packed doctor's offices and horrible traffic ever again.
Anything smaller than Crescent City with 7500 people, though, would be too small for me. Many years ago I lived in a very small town, where everyone knew everybody's business or they made it up (pop around 250)- and that is not for me. CC is big enough that's not an issue.
600k to 50k:
Nice people
Less traffic
More selections. The stores in the cities are always cleaned out of popular items.
Parking. You can find a spot and it is free.
Far cheaper COL
Same amenities as large cities
Less crime
Lower taxes & less liberals (they go hand in hand)
No rioting
English is spoken
Better schools
Better service
Sense of community
The only downside is the job market and less opportunity but if you are okay with downsizing your lifestyle then it doesn't matter.
It's like living in the aforementioned city's suburbs, and then extracting the city from the region.
Do you like suburbs? Then you'll probably like a smaller city. Did you like your urban amenities? You will not find those in your new town, with a tiny handful of exceptions.
It's like living in the aforementioned city's suburbs, and then extracting the city from the region.
Do you like suburbs? Then you'll probably like a smaller city. Did you like your urban amenities? You will not find those in your new town, with a tiny handful of exceptions.
Have lived in suburbia. Not currently, though.
Maybe a suburban area further away than typical from the city is good for peace without loosing too many urban amenities. Maybe a sort of cross between suburbia and country. I now recall reading about one county in the past that was described as "rural suburbia".
I talked briefly to a fellow from southern NJ. He mentioned Jersey's bad press but said it wasn't like that where he is. I was always curious of Jersey's pine barrens. Never was there, though.
This has been a major shock to me.
440K to 29K, but apparently with the university population it grows to 49K. Not sure about that one.
At times it feels like I am stepping back in time.
I feel like at times I'm living a novel about the good old days of small town life.
I have been told there has been explosive growth in this town.
I miss big city life of having more than a couple of options for grocery stores.
Not much to do in small town America IMHO.
I have learned small town life, is not for me.
So much of this depends on what station you are in life.
The younger you are I think there is no doubt that the urban life is better.
The older you are, the more I think you will find small town life is better.
Anymore, you can get what you want on line, talk to whom you want on line or phone, virtually go anywhere you want to learn about places and things.
You can can go into the big city and get your fix of urban things when you want assuming you don't live THAT far out. And you don't have to stay in the city if you don't want to.
The one thing that nobody has mentioned about small town life is that people are WAY more trusting. When you encounter people and are friendly they don't necessarily think you are up to something or are conning them.
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Another idea
