I've lived in city, suburb and country, though at different times of my life.

It really depends on you and your interests. I'm an extrovert and have diverse interests and hobbies. If there's something specific that brings you joy, make sure it's near you.

Cities - diversity, culture, food, intellectualism, arts, transportation options, traffic, noise, transient, friction, concrete, public parks, individual expression, competition

Suburbs - safe, clean, car culture, conformity, families, private ownership, smaller minded, keeping up with the Joneses, competition

Country - relationships, families, car culture, nature, farming, limited options, self-reliance, smaller minded, less educated, community

Whoever said breweries - these are everywhere so don't worry about that!

In all these places, there are pros and cons. As an adult I could live most places. As a mom with young kids, my favorite place to live so far was the downtown main street of an exurb. But now I live in a rural area and love different aspects of it. I don't want to live in the city as a mom, but I have done it as a young mom.

I'm in my 40s now and the schools where we live are not very good compared to the suburban area we used to live. But the natural resources are world-class and with educated parents providing wider opportunities I think my kids will be ok. I like a slower pace of life and also the sense of community. I feel the need to give back and do.

Anonymous wrote:I would add wineries, breweries, and distilleries to the list of pros of country living.

You do this daily?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have had both a second home a very rural part of VA and a house inside the beltway for 20 years.
Country living has relative PROS and CONS:

PROS:
- no traffic
- low taxes
- lots of interesting wildlife
- very quiet and peaceful
- no crime
- great hiking, biking, fishing, boating.
- local, family-owned businesses (few chain stores)

CONS
- few good choices for household services (electric, plumbing, landscape, etc.)
- long drives for most shopping
- frequent power outages
- well water
- poor supermarket options
- few restaurant choices
- limited local medical care
- limited cultural scene
- weak schools

This is interesting because I live in Alexandria and we have power outages all the time yet everyone I know who lives in the Midwest or pa say they never have power outages most say it's been 15 or 20 years. Is this a Virginia/DMV thing?

Pp why do you think you have so many outages there?

How far are the stores from you?

This PP with the list of pros and cons... nearest supermarket (Food Lion) is 20 mins. Walmart is 25mins.
We have outages because we are the very last mile on a long peninsula in the windiest county in VA. If any transmission or pole/wire goes down -- even 20 miles inland -- we lose power. If dozens of poles go down they don't bother fixing ones near us until all the inland poles are fixed because we can't get power until the further inland transmission is repaired. Of course we bought a whole house generator supplied by 250 gallon propane tank.

I grew up in a small town on 2000 people, very isolated on the lower Eastern Shore. Still have friends and family, but haven't lived there since I was in my early 20s. I've lived my adult life in the city (DC proper).

I could not wait to get out and get someplace where there was simply more going on. On the other hand, now that I'm older, when i visit I do miss the slower pace and simpler life.

The pros/cons poster I think has it pretty much right. Things that I notice between the two:

- temperature. The heat island impact is real. I guess if I lived in the burbs it wouldn't be as surprising but DC isn't as vulnerable to weather. Walking outside on a windy day in the country is very different than the city!

- Wal Mart is dominant. There are fewer local businesses, but there are some. But anything else it's a trip to Wal Mart.

- Connections. I know and recognize some of the checkers at my local grocery in DC, but they come and go. Same with librarians, etc etc. The librarian in my home town was my brother's kindergarten girlfriend. I just run into people I know, even though it's been so long since I lived there.

- when I was growing up, church was the center of social life. I don't know if it's still the same, and it's definitely possible to build social life at church in DC, but I bet people notice if you are a church goer or not, and make judgements accordingly.

- Choices. There just aren't as many in rural areas (though online shopping has made more things accessible). If you want to go out a lot (to eat, or to bars for sports or a night out), the scene can get very boring.

I would add wineries, breweries, and distilleries to the list of pros of country living.

Dark with more mud.

Anonymous wrote:Have had both a second home a very rural part of VA and a house inside the beltway for 20 years.
Country living has relative PROS and CONS:

PROS:
- no traffic
- low taxes
- lots of interesting wildlife
- very quiet and peaceful
- no crime
- great hiking, biking, fishing, boating.
- local, family-owned businesses (few chain stores)

CONS
- few good choices for household services (electric, plumbing, landscape, etc.)
- long drives for most shopping
- frequent power outages
- well water
- poor supermarket options
- few restaurant choices
- limited local medical care
- limited cultural scene
- weak schools

I agree with all of this and would foot stomp the medical care. I have a rural home that I love, but it is 45 minutes from the nearest emergency room. It's something to consider for sure.

I mean, it's not clear what you mean by country living. I assume you mean country living in a major metropolitan area such as the DMV. I have lived in DC, close in urbanized suburbs, and now in the ag reserve of MoCo. I consider it to be country as we have several acres, horses around, etc. But shopping, good medical care, entrainment, etc. are not more than a few minutes away.

Anonymous wrote:Have had both a second home a very rural part of VA and a house inside the beltway for 20 years.
Country living has relative PROS and CONS:

PROS:
- no traffic
- low taxes
- lots of interesting wildlife
- very quiet and peaceful
- no crime
- great hiking, biking, fishing, boating.
- local, family-owned businesses (few chain stores)

CONS
- few good choices for household services (electric, plumbing, landscape, etc.)
- long drives for most shopping
- frequent power outages
- well water
- poor supermarket options
- few restaurant choices
- limited local medical care
- limited cultural scene
- weak schools

This is interesting because I live in Alexandria and we have power outages all the time yet everyone I know who lives in the Midwest or pa say they never have power outages most say it's been 15 or 20 years. Is this a Virginia/DMV thing?

Pp why do you think you have so many outages there?

How far are the stores from you?

There is country living AND there is country living. If country living is keeping you away from good healthcare, access to airports, good schools and job opportunities, it can be more stressful than city living..

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone compare and contrast city versus country living if you have lived in both places? I've done searches online but want to hear in your own words and your own experiences. I have only lived in big cities my whole life wondering what county living is like.

Unless you are an outdoorsy introvert in great health, a country living can be very isolating.

Unless you enjoy what city has to offer (lively environment, dinning, shopping, events, culture, walkability, public transport, museums, hustle bustle etc)a city living is of little advantage to you.

In addition to the services question (especially water/pump and sewer/septic), real "country" often has farms. Farms add noises and smells you don't get in the city. Noises which often start at (or even before) dawn. And being downwind of livestock can be quite interesting.

Have had both a second home a very rural part of VA and a house inside the beltway for 20 years.
Country living has relative PROS and CONS:

PROS:
- no traffic
- low taxes
- lots of interesting wildlife
- very quiet and peaceful
- no crime
- great hiking, biking, fishing, boating.
- local, family-owned businesses (few chain stores)

CONS
- few good choices for household services (electric, plumbing, landscape, etc.)
- long drives for most shopping
- frequent power outages
- well water
- poor supermarket options
- few restaurant choices
- limited local medical care
- limited cultural scene
- weak schools

First what do you define as "country living"? For example I grew up in far out, deep 20906, on an acre lot, larger home, lots of wildlife, neighbors too far away to actually get to know them, 3-4 miles to the closest grocery store, snow plows never used to show up - and now when they do show up that area is the last to be plowed.

OR do you mean on a farm, 20+ acres, 10 miles to your closest grocery store, very little vehicle traffic.

Can anyone compare and contrast city versus country living if you have lived in both places? I've done searches online but want to hear in your own words and your own experiences. I have only lived in big cities my whole life wondering what county living is like.