Moving to Lancaster as a Young Single (York, Plum: houses, neighborhoods)

[ABCDiana02]

I am relocating next year, and I'm interested in living in small cities. I love the outdoors, I love farms and fresh produce, and I love seasons; Lancaster seems to fit all those boxes, and I hear the city has a fun artsy vibe as well.

However, I'm single and 25, and I am concerned that I might just be lonely and bored in Lancaster. I'm not interested in hanging out with college students, but I do like restaurants, cafes, nice bars, and a wide range of cultural activities. I recognize that I'll be sacrificing the museums and theater for the farms in Lancaster, but I also know that the cities of Megalopolis aren't too far, and I have contacts in DC and New York.

I guess I'm wondering... Am I totally nuts for considering Lancaster? If I am willing to try, will I be able to meet people my age? I don't really care about dating, but I'd like to have at least a couple fun friends Also, if I'm not totally nuts, which neighborhood would be the best for me? I would be working about ten minutes East of the city center, and I'd love to be able to walk or bike to a market, maybe a couple cafes and restaurants, and, ideally, the Amtrak station. (But I could totally give up the Amtrak station if it meant living somewhere with a nice Main Street feel.) It's also important for me to be living somewhere safe.

Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[pman]

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime...nsylvania.html

id stick with the city. its small enough tou can ride your bike anywhere. you may want to be near the station if you want to visit the big city. mt joy is a cute town with train service. if youre worried lancaster city will be too small what will happen if you live in lititz?

[villageidiot1]

FWIW, I spent two weekends in Lancaster last year and I was extremely impressed with this town. It seems like they have one of the most vibrant downtowns with restaurants, cafes, nice bars, and a wide range of cultural activities. Check out their First Fridays to get an idea of what goes on. LancasterARTS cultivating an environment where arts can flourish in Lancaster, PA

I'm a runner and I did a couple of runs all over the city and I was shocked at the number of people who live in the downtown area. There are loads of row houses that have been nicely renovated. You just don't see this in most cities. There are obviously areas that are more run down but I think the map on the Lancaster Arts website will give you an idea of the more cultural neighborhoods. From my runs, it seemed the neighborhoods to the east past Shippen or Plum got a little rough. The west side, from Market Square to the outskirts of town, is very nice.