Where Should You Live?

by Chris Petry

If you asked anyone in the 18-30 age range where they’d choose to live pre-2020, most
would probably have chosen a large or medium sized city. It’s easy to see why. The convenience of city living cannot be understated. Try growing up in rural Appalachia where fast-food cheeseburgers and movie theaters can be 45 minutes to an hour in any direction.

Cities are more diverse and that diversity can be seen in everything from cafes and eateries, to entertainment options, transportation, living arrangements, art, and culture. Even now, after a
world changing event that resulted in something of an urban exodus, youthful rebellion is best
realized under neon light and skyline.

Now, for the alternative perspective. The suburbs have the malls. The suburbs have parking. Yes, parking! They allow you to live close enough to museums, stadiums, and five-star restaurants without the day-to-day traffic jams, overcrowding, noise, or... did I mention parking? The air smells fresher, cleaner. Or, at least it seems that way. It’s no mistake that the over 30s (the crowd most likely to be marrying and starting families) would have told you pre-2020 that the suburbs are the place to be and their opinion probably hasn’t changed much since then.

Finally, there are the people who want nothing to do with the daily hustle that comes from
living in the city or, just outside of it, in the suburbs. Some people like a nighttime sky free of the
synthetic light pollution caused by skyscrapers, business signage, stoplights, and street lamps.
They like being able to walk right out of their backdoor and into an issue of Outdoor Life. They
want to keep animals (not just the meowing or barking kind), hit the hiking trail or fishing pond
at a moment’s notice, and actually relish in the fact that a trip to the city is an off-day adventure
as opposed to a daily necessity.

Time changes everything. Internet shopping and telecommuting have made living in a city
center less necessary. Of course, the ease of city living cannot be denied. If you want to reside
somewhere in the middle, you’ll always have the burbs! It all comes down to your own
priorities, preferences, work, and family situation. Like the old saying goes, “Home is where you
make it.”