I don't know how accurate my designations are, but if you've traveled around a bit, you've probably experienced all of the listed population densities and have a rough idea of what they're like. For me, I'd have to say 10-15 minutes outside of a medium sized city. It's the ideal arrangement in my mind. Cities of medium population density typically have lower crime, less madness, plus sufficient sources of shopping, entertainment, and so on. Living a few minutes outside the city usually allows for more freedom and less stress, but with plenty of resources within a short drive. Plus, there is usually a much larger city within a few hours drive if you feel like taking a day or weekend trip.
Other for me. Sticks is great, but not off the grid. Being somewhat close to civilization is great for the obvious necessities.
Ideal for me would be a mile or two (walking distance) outside a reasonable sized village (i.e. a village with a shop and a pub at least!), and within an easy (half hour or less) drive of a small or possibly medium town/city (for supermarket shopping). I do want to go to larger cities occasionally, but not very often, so I don't mind driving for an hour or more to get there. That's the ideal, but on the definitions given, I would never really want to live in (or very near to) anything bigger than a 'Medium' (or smaller 'Large'!) at the most. I certainly couldn't cope with living within a major city - the big city 'buzz' does nothing for me at all!
I like where I am. I'm on the edge of a metro-area that has 1.2 million people, but it feels like a small city. I would only call it a major city by Canadian standards. It's a great place in the summer (except for the occasional outdoor Cheap Trick concert). You can be in the middle of nowhere if you drive 30 minutes north and be out of the country if you drive 60 minutes south. If the city isn't enough, were are within a day's drive of most major northeastern North American cities. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa
If I could, I would love to live up in the mountains at my family's cabin...population year round is maybe 20 people.
near a major city that way you can enjoy the benefits of the city without having to deal with the downsides
Somewhere where it is warm with nice weather year round. I am SICK of living in Michigan. The weather 90% of the time makes everything you do almost unenjoyable. I try to golf in the fall and spring and it's a hassle to stay warm... Activities aren't fun when you are cold the entire time. I try to golf in the summer and there are 30mph winds.
I've lived in a major city all my life. I tried doing the small town thing for awhile and I lost my mind I was so bored. I understood very quickly why there were so many alcoholics there. There was nothing else to do.
Yep, I'm a city girl, too. Unlike many here, I prefer living in the middle of a large urban area while having the ability to get outta town for a Sunday drive thru the country, visiting small mom & pop businesses along the way. I attend church in a small town about 25 miles south of the city. Love mingling with the rural folks, then heading back to the hustle-bustle of the big city.
Living in Sin City is living in Paradise. 340 plus days of sunshine, book stores, great library stystem, lots of entertainment, coffee shops galore, clean and a law and order city. Doesn't get any better then that! Oh and no State Income Tax with great Health Care System for Seniors.
I'm getting to the same point with Idaho. Maybe a month spread out across the year with perfect weather. A couple weeks in spring, and a couple in the fall. Windy most of the time year round. You could go from 100 degree weather in the summer, to a lightning storm, have the temperature drop enough for snow, go back up to 80, than drop down to 40 at night. High desert. Problem is cost of living so low compared to other places, nearly impossible to save enough to move out. It's nice if you make enough money for boats, snowmobiles, 4 wheelers, etc., but the average worker is living groundhog's day until death.
as i am a city boy by nature i cant really want to live in the middle of one anymore. id rather live about 20 to 30 miles outside of a major city and out of its county. id like to live in a more rural area, but quickly accesible to a big city to where i dont have to deal with the crimes the city brings or their crazy taxes, but im just a stones throw away from going there for entertainment. i live in memphis right now but looking to move to Fayette county which is around 20 miles away from memphis. quieter and hardly any crime at all and you have space to move. and ghetto thugs wont think about trying to immigrate there.
I have an Ultra Rural Mountain Home (Southern Cascades/Eastern Shasta County) & Rural Country Home (Redding/Old Shasta)
SING it!! I live in a one stop sign town just outside a small city, Longview (yep same one we are discussing in the other thread) and two hours from the Dallas Ft Worth area, four hours from the beach.
nothing to DO? hunting, fishing, walks, horseback riding, ATV riding, gardening, BBQs, visiting with friends, animal husbandry, arts and crafts...there are TONS of things to do!
I'm in the ideal right now. Just outside a large city (takes 10 minutes to get downtown). But I'm on top of a lonely hill, with only three other houses and across the street is acres and acres of Indian owned land. So the area is very rural and country with all sorts of deer, possum, owls, eagles, coyotes, amadillos....
Doesn't matter, as long as there is a pawn shop, liquor store and strip joint within walking distance.
>50K I don't care for large cities, but I would love to live somewhere that has enough to make it somewhere.
I live in a town of 600 people. We have a little store a church and a coffee shop. But I am only a 15 min ferry ride from down town Seattle. Couldnt ask for more.
A large city gives you so many more job opportunities and facilities. I currently live in a city of about 300k but head out into the country often. It's trying to get the best of both worlds.