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I have decided I'm going to have to wait a little longer to fulfill my dream of living near the beach, since most towns in my dream don't have the economies to support me. I can take a small cut in pay, but housing and insurance are higher than some large cities. Not that I make Big Bucks, I'm confortable. I knew I'd rather be in a smaller city, I've lived in Chicago, Atlanta and am currently in Charlotte.
The small town is now calling me, and I am going to a town of about 25,000 this weekend to look at houses. It's 30 minutes away from a city of 125,000, so there's job opportunites and the job market isn't bad there.
On to my questions for those who've moved "down" in city size;
What was the biggest shock to your system when you first moved? I know no paper delivery, no fast food (better for my waistline and health) no 'corner stores" or running to the Grocery store when you forget something.
What do you miss about 'city living" and what do you like about small town living?
What store/restaurant/place/thing do you wish was in your area? Is there something you're glad that it isn't in your area?
We live way "in the sticks" and the paper is delivered. Our corner store is about five miles. I am glad nothing much is in the area. That is why I keep buying land. LOL
We moved to a small town (2500) from a smaller town (600). We walk 1 block or less for: Restaurant, Post Office, Police Dept, Sheriff's Office and Courthouse. City Office. Auto Parts Store, Supermarket, Bank, Title Co, Liquor Store, Computer Repair and Gadget Shop, Dollar Store, Hardware Store. We live above my wife's gift shop so we really don't even need a car anymore.
The ONLY thing I miss about living in a big city is the many choices for good eateries. I came from San Diego where there are several thousand restaurants.
I have decided I'm going to have to wait a little longer to fulfill my dream of living near the beach, since most towns in my dream don't have the economies to support me. I can take a small cut in pay, but housing and insurance are higher than some large cities. Not that I make Big Bucks, I'm confortable. I knew I'd rather be in a smaller city, I've lived in Chicago, Atlanta and am currently in Charlotte.
The small town is now calling me, and I am going to a town of about 25,000 this weekend to look at houses. It's 30 minutes away from a city of 125,000, so there's job opportunites and the job market isn't bad there.
On to my questions for those who've moved "down" in city size;
What was the biggest shock to your system when you first moved? I know no paper delivery, no fast food (better for my waistline and health) no 'corner stores" or running to the Grocery store when you forget something.
What do you miss about 'city living" and what do you like about small town living?
What store/restaurant/place/thing do you wish was in your area? Is there something you're glad that it isn't in your area?
No disrespect but a town of 25K will have all those things that you mentioned. That is unless you managed to find one that doesn't.
I grew up in towns of 7,500 or less and we had everything you stated plus charming downtowns with quaint little family owned stores and restaurants.
Going to a town of about 25,000 and that's supposed to be small, I live in a county with a total population of just over 14,000, in the town that I live in, it has a population of just under 2,000 and I have everything I need right here and I moved out of the Metropolitan Washington, DC area, now you want to talk about a crowded city, their rush-hour traffic was all day long and all night, here where I'm at we have a rush minute once a week and that consists of three guys on their ATVs going up the road at the same time. We're so far back up in here I get Monday's newspaper on Tuesday.....and I enjoyed every bit of it.
No disrespect but a town of 25K will have all those things that you mentioned. That is unless you managed to find one that doesn't.
I grew up in towns of 7,500 or less and we had everything you stated plus charming downtowns with quaint little family owned stores and restaurants.
I agree--in fact most towns 2,500 and above will have all those, give or take the fastfood, although every town seems to have at least two of those, as well. Oh, and the paper may only be a weekly, but not in a city of 25,000--they have dailys. I suppose the only exceptions would be smaller then 2,500 (hit and miss, then) or very progressive tourist-based small towns, they will tend to not have fastfood, chain stores, and for some reason, grocery stores that close at 7 or 8 p.m. But it really doesn't seem like the OP is going in that direction for a town!
Having moved from a city of over 500,000 to a city of 716 (with a city of 40,000 about 30 miles away), what I miss most is a top-quality grocery store, especially one with a great fish counter.
It's about 115 miles up to a city with a Whole Foods and a Trader Joes, though, and I make that drive every month of two (with a large cooler).
Eating out on a regular basis I don't really care about, and since I travel every month or two, I eat out then. It actually makes it a much bigger deal and a much greater treat.
I agree with all of the above. There are some smaller towns with pretty good grocery stores. I think your chances jump pretty high when you go to a small, college town. I last lived in one small town (about 4,000), that had a horrible produce department! (We are vegetarians, so this counts extra for us) They actually would wrap small pieces of vegetables on a styrofoam plate.
As for the second have of the post, I also like living in an area where "shopping" is a drive away. I think I actually save money that way. I keep a running list of things we need, then we spend the entire day there, eating out and such. It makes it an outing. Unfortunately, living in places like that are getting harder to find to these days. Everyone wants a Walmart in town.
When small town living gets rough is when you get older and need medical facilities closeby. Thatis the reason you see so many small tow older peole move now days with such life saving/extenging medical outcomes.
Let me correct my first post, its a town of 2,500...and actually the house I looked at is 15 miles outside in a farming community. Chickens and corn and peaches. In fact, the house and land, just under 2 acres total is surrounded by Peach trees, heavy with fruit. smelled incredible!!! I spent 3+ hours driving around and exploring and am going back next weekend, to do more looking, really like the area, there's a drive in movie theatre 1 mile down the road....can't remember the last time I saw one of those, current movies too. as far as I can tell, the down side will be shopping/errands, it will be time consuming. But I think I'm ready... found all my usual spots, or equlivents which was a concern for me.
I heard the closest Wallyworld is about 10 miles in the other direction in a town of about 15,000 so guess I'm not as far out in the boonies as I feared...
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...and I enjoyed every bit of it. 
correction
