re: Americans say there’s not much appeal to big-city living. Why do so many of us live there?

quote:

---

We have a guy at that age range in this very thread counting down the days until he can leave the burbs

---

Well that's anecdotal. Most people that age are moving the opposite direction. He also bitched about living around too many white people in the burbs

quote:

---

It's just about whether or not you can afford it.

---

Thanks for the lesson.

quote:

---

Just in Alabama, I'd put Fairhope and Florence in that category. You could argue that Fairhope is a Mobile suburb, but I think it has enough distance to stand on its own.

I'd also put a few NC mountain towns in that category. Brevard, Bryson City, Highlands, Sylva, etc.

I think Madison, GA is a neat little town, but I've only spent a brief amount of time there. And it's really small, so maybe not a great example.

---

I agree on Fairhope. Don't know a lot about Florence, so that surprises me.

But I really think what you're giving me is a pretty comprehensive list. There aren't many. I doubt there is anything in Louisiana or Mississippi. We've got 2, maybe 3 in Alabama, and those have serious trade offs. I'm a native Georgian and I don't think we have much outside of coastal resort and vacation areas.

I think the best opportunity for towns in the south is for high paying jobs to require less and less urban proximity (working remotely) which would help areas like Blue Ridge or wherever flourish because you'd have an influx of educated people who can work and live in those places.

I cannot wait to move from my city to our farm

quote:

---

Also consider that for many people your ideal place to live might look very different at 45 than it does at 28.

---

Agree 100%. Young and single, or married with no kids, city living sounds great. Once the kids come, suburbs are more appealing to get better bang for your buck (on housing), more cognizant of school quality, etc. When the kids move out, suburban lifestyle no longer necessary, then the desire kicks in to retire by a lake or something.

quote:

---

This is the truth. You have to wait for people to die to get into some of these neighborhoods.

---

This may have been true 20 years ago but those old people have cashed out during this real estate boom. Plus there are thousands of big townhouses being built in close in hoods. There is a lot of single family and townhouses for sale. They go quick and for big $$$ though.

And contrary to the Post title, living in a big city,close in where you can walk to stuff, is in high demand. Hence all the new townhouses being built in urban hoods.

quote:

---

living in a big city,close in where you can walk to stuff, is in high demand.

---

RE prices would certainly back this up as well.

quote:

---

Corporate Kool-Aid drinkers, big fans of the Avett Brothers and think it makes their music tastes diverse, love a chain restaurant, think a weeknight trip downtown to catch a concert of ball game is weird, Mega church attendee every Sunday followed by lunch at said boring chain restaurant, 30A vacation every summer, etc. Most of them are good folks, I just need a little more diversity in my life.

---

They can’t all be uber hipsters like me only eating at exotic local restaurants, shopping at obscure boutique vintage clothing stores and only listening to the local bands my friends and I all play in. You’ve probably never heard of anyone.

Seriously, your post is both accurate, yet reeks of pretentiousness.

Get the frick out of here.

I’m not saying you have to live in BFE, but living in a city with 50,000-100,000 is way better than a place like Nola, Memphis, Dallas, etc.

Give me an acre and a 2000-2500 sqft home in a subdivision as opposed to having no yard and a 300k 1300 sqft house in a city.


Only way a city is better is if you are a new graduate and single. Then maybe living it up in a city before settling would be fun