# Small town or Big city?



## RubyTuesday (Aug 3, 2007)

I read recently that big cities just don't work -that it creates a range of social problems for people. Whereas people are said to be better off in smaller towns.

So I was wondering what the (rough) percentage was for people at SAS who live in a small town versus a big city with a large population.


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## LostinReverie (Mar 18, 2007)

Big suburb - 60,000


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

well ive lived in small towns in southern california but since every 5-10mins that you drive in a straight line you go through a new city, im not sure that really qualifies as a small town so i went with big city


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Wauwatosa, a suburb of 45,000, that directly borders Milwaukee. I guess that's closer to big city than small town.


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## Disintegrate (Jun 28, 2006)

Significantly affected by SA in a town of less than 800.


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## daaaaave (Jan 1, 2007)

small town, moving to a big city soon thank goodness


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

I live on a farm about 12 miles from the town of 5,000 people where I work every day. The nearest city to me is about 40 miles away and has a population around 60,000.


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## sctork (Oct 23, 2006)

Omaha has about 420,000 ppl. I'd rather be in a small town.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

Well I live in a small town, but it is larger then the 150 populated village I grew up in. There are two towns that are opposite from each other that is separated by the Portage Shipping Canal. You can say that I live on an island. There is only one bridge that you can get to the mainland by vehicle. Otherwise you either take a boat across or swim. The total population of the two towns combine is 15,000 not counting the Michigan Tech University and Finlandia University students. The closes city with a pop of 100,000 would be Duluth which is a 5 hour drive from here. That would be half the population of the U.P.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

sctork said:


> Omaha has about 420,000 ppl. I'd rather be in a small town.


All the time I grewup in the Des Moines area I never been to Omaha.


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## su0iruc (Aug 25, 2007)

Big city. I grew up in LA, and I can't imagine myself living in place with a very small population.


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## sctork (Oct 23, 2006)

copper said:


> sctork said:
> 
> 
> > Omaha has about 420,000 ppl. I'd rather be in a small town.
> ...


you're not missing out, there's really not much to see here. Our Zoo is actually pretty cool, I can't think of anything else worth seeing though :b


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## slurpazillia (Nov 18, 2005)

---


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## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

Growing up in a small town helped contribute to my anxiety and depression. THERE WAS NO CULTURE TO PARTICIPATE IN!!


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## Nae (Nov 10, 2003)

Town of 90,000. I could stand to be around less traffic.


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## OneIsALonelyNumber (Mar 28, 2005)

I grew up in a small city, spent my teenager hell years in a city of 100k+ people, and currently live in a small city.


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## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

Small town. There are about 13,000 or so people in Mckinleyville.


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## Eraserhead (Sep 23, 2006)

I live in a city of ~3.5m people, so pretty big. I'm not that happy with it. Too many damn people. People on the streets, people in the supermarket, people on the metro, people on campus... they drive me crazy!

I grew up in a small city.


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## leppardess (Nov 8, 2003)

I voted 'big city' even though I live in a small suburb because it's close enough that all the suburbs kind of melt together with the city (Cleveland). I'd rather live in a smaller town that's away from big cities. I don't like the fast paced life that most people here seem to either prefer or end up living. 

I've lived in small towns before (even places that weren't even incorporated towns, just populated parts of counties) and I enjoyed living there a whole lot more. People were generally friendlier and more willing to help out if you needed a hand.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I work in a suburb of a city of 1,000,000 people plus and live in a town of 16,000.

I said city.


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## mserychic (Oct 2, 2004)

120,000 so I guess that's a big city.


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## Andre (Feb 27, 2004)

Neither, really. It's a town surrounded by many other towns and sprawl that make up suburbia.


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## RubyTuesday (Aug 3, 2007)

...well I guess those responses answer it then - that it depends a bit. 

I noticed that when I stayed in small towns in Italy that people were very sociable, stayed out all night and chatted in the streets (during the summer) -but then, everybody knew everybody's business and gossiped a lot and expected you to spill personal info to them even. Whereas Melbourner's (from a big city) respect others' privacy more and don't stick their nose in others' business so much. But, people have also complained how in Melbourne people are cooped-up inside and the social life is not as free or vibrant.

It is interesting that a friend who moved from Melbourne (Australia) to Brisbane (Australia) told me how much more relaxed and friendly the vibe is in Brisbane. She said that it was like Melbourne was in the 80s. Brisbane is smaller than Melbourne. 

So, maybe somewhere in between a big city and small town, then, provides the best sense of true 'community'...?? -the sociable side but without the gossiping etc..


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

It just depends who ask around here as to which is the best type of area of a SAer to live in....some do prefer rurual areas but like a few other posters on here, I am not one of them....but what works for me wont work for others....

I currently live in a small town outside of a small city. There is nothing to do here, no culture at all. I really dont like where I live at all, in this small village...its has had a few positives, its not horrible or anything but as someone who has always lived in heavily populated areas, I feel like an alien here. My plan is to fix my house up over the next few years, learn all I can about my new job so I can transfer anywhere I want, and then consider a few other places. I have moved before, I am not afraid of change and I am nomadic in spirit....If I were content where I lived then I would stay there, but the area I live in is so devoid of culture and entertainment (except in the summer a few festivals and ability to travel to mountains and desert, one of the positives) that its just not for me.


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## Becky (Nov 5, 2003)

I don't know how big South Bend is, compared to Chicago I'd say it's small, but not small enough to call it a small town. I'm not actually in the city limits, I'm on the outskirts.


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## Laura (Nov 12, 2003)

...


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## RubyTuesday (Aug 3, 2007)

I should maybe have put up a poll that asked whether a person prefers (preferably from experience) living in a small town or a big city. And then asked why.


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