The benefits of a large city or the advantages of a small town? This comparison is often debated in the minds of a lot of people who feel unsure about what their next move in life should be. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages in both choices and it will always come down to what you feel is more important to you at that stage in your life.
However, we thought we’d list some reasons why living in a small town can be extremely pleasant for some people, especially if they like the tranquil lifestyle and also find a town that really suits them. While you may not want to leave your New York apartment once you’re done reading, it never hurts to know more.
Let’s Think About It
These days, pretty much everyone thinks about saving money and finding new strategies to spend less at some point in their lives. For those of us who are naturally open to the adventurous side, a very good one can involve relocating to a small town and seeing the expenses dwindle at the end of the month.
Everyone knows about the wonders of cities like New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, or Los Angeles. As amazing as they are, the cost of living in one of these places is as high as their reputation and it shows in most people’s bank accounts. Renting in those cities is sky-high, among the highest in the nation, and homeownership is a dream that’s hard to reach for many.
The Downside of Large-City Living
Also, you don’t need to live in one of the humongous metropolitan coastal cities to experience the budget-punishing way of life they are renowned for. You’ll also get this if you live in inland cities like Chicago, Atlanta, and Denver as they also have a high cost of living. Compared to many of the smaller towns located across the landscape, the difference is definitely there.
The upside is obviously the many career benefits and paths available in places like those. This also offers the added potential of a higher income but this is really dependent on your industry and how successful you can become in it as the large number of people means there’s no guarantee you’ll actually succeed.
If your work fits into one of the trends for this quarter of a century, so if you’re a software engineer, a programmer, a model, an influencer, etc., living in a big city might not only be your biggest chance to succeed but it could also be a prerequisite if you want to make it really big.
On the other hand, a construction worker with a stay-at-home spouse and possibly two beautiful kids added to the mix should definitely see the advantages of relocating to a smaller town and saving up quite a few monthly dollars in the process.
Benefits of Small-Town Life
Places with fewer people really have a lot going for them if you take the time to objectively analyze the situation, other than the fact that they’re more affordable which we’ve already mentioned.
First things first, life goes by at a slower pace in one of these places. Far away from the hustle and bustle that you might be used to, the relaxed way of doing things can turn out to be a nice change.
Second, your Saturday date-night won’t mean drunk and loud people everywhere you go and you probably won’t even have to wait for 45 minutes just to get a table at your favorite restaurant or find seats for the latest blockbuster coming out of the movie theater.
Another important thing is that fewer people means less crime. What this means is that, in a small town, it’s probably safer for kids to play outside, for you to leave your car windows cracked in your driveway over the summer, and even to chain a bike in front of a place you have to visit.
Last but not least, you’ll grow to love the close-knit community in a place where everyone knows just about everyone. It’s also a great chance for people who may not have had that many chances to get into a sort of “big fish in a small pond” type of situation.
