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I would pick option A. When I first graduated college I took a job in a smaller city. The job itself was great but socially speaking I hated living there. And like usamathman when I finally moved to a better area I went on more dates in my first 3 months there than I did the 5 years I lived in the smaller city.
I don't regret taking the job because as a new grad you do what you gotta do but I wished I only stayed a year and moved on to a city that was better for young professionals.
This is for females to respond because I think males don't think the same way about this as we do...
I have two job opportunities:
Job A: big city - Houston, LOTS of dating opportunities, job pays well, lots of traffic, things to do
Job B: smaller city - Corpus Chrisit, cushy job = about 75% of the work for the same job in above city, great outdoors, SCANT dating scene for what I am looking for (I don't want to elaborate, thanks).
Job C: smallest city - Boise, job similar to job A but long-term opportunities are better, no traffic, great outdoors, scant dating scene.
Problem: I want job B, but I am reallllllyyyy wanting to settle down! I think I'd be happier in a smaller city if I had a family, but right now, I'd rather be in the bigger city and meet a guy. Job B offers about 15% more in salary for less work.
I feel I am nearing the end of my prime dating years...so I want to find someone during this time before it gets harder. But I also don't want to end up living in a big city forever because his job is there - my career tends to pay more in rural areas and I'd probably have more opportunity in those areas career-wise.
Help-
Which have you put a higher priority on, work or men?
If you focus on getting a man then you go there and forget the job however, if your priority is to make yourself happy and not rely on someone else to provide you with that happiness you go for the job if that will help you make yourself happy.
Until one is happy and content with themselves they cannot provide that to someone else.
I had to make the same decision not too long ago, but I am past the picket fence and family. I chose option C, and come here to whine about lack of dating opportunities. But if I'm really honest with myself, I hit the jackpot on the job, and have no regrets. Like you, I'm highly educated and highly paid, and live in the middle of nowhere, no traffic, very little stress, standard of living lower, but the pay is that of the big city I came from. Ultimately it's your choice, and I realize everyone is different. Good time to listen inward! Good luck.
I imagine the COL in the big city is much more expensive than the smaller cities, so make sure you take that into consideration when you're counting your six figures.
As for dating, unless you're looking for a super specific kink, like a large furry underground or something, I'd say you have just as much chance in the smaller cities. They're not exactly the boonies.
You're not going to get an answer to this that you like.
I'm just curious. Many dedicated professionals make less than 6 figures. At that level it has little to do with drive or work ethic and more to do with choice of profession.
I've got no skin in this game- I'm a woman so it's generally accepted that I'll make less than my spouse.
I could be making 20-50K more a year if I took jobs in Denver or NY, but snowboarding and hiking were more important to me. The dating scene sucks in Summit county, but I found a good one eventually and I suck at dating! I still make more than enough to own a house, save and enjoy life, so it doesn't matter.
I spent some time in CC, It seemed to have a pretty decent dating scene to me. There's plenty of young professionals there. South Texas is just a miserable place to be alive, It's dirt cheap to live there though.
I'm a little biased, obviously.
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