Terri Ramsey Beavers Cities are large, crowded, busy places, but there is always something to do, new places to discover, and adventures to be had. For some, the thought of being in this environment fills them with dread and other people’s excitement. Whichever camp you fall in, consider many things before deciding that city living is or isn’t for you.
Advantages
Job Opportunities
With more people comes more opportunities in all aspects of life and not least for jobs. The variety of positions on offer increases in a city as there are naturally more businesses and industries present. You’ll often find that you have more choice of companies within different +sectors also, so if you’re having no luck with one, there are other opportunities.
It can be easier to find a niche market to fill in a city due to having a naturally larger audience. If you have a unique concept, it can be hard to succeed in a small community where demand is low. Direct access to more people means even a boutique product can find enough success to pay the bill and be worth the effort.
Variety Of Properties
Living in a big city doesn’t have to mean living in a soulless shoebox. Cities offer a massive variety of housing options, from loft apartments to townhouses on shady residential streets. Renting is often the preferred option, but plenty of people happily buy as well. NYC condos for sale affords you a beautiful home that is also an attractive investment should you decide to move on at a later date.
Wealth Of Entertainment
Cities have the numbers to host a variety of cultural institutions, sports teams, and entertainment venues within proximity to each other. Living in a town, you may get a theatre show one week, a museum exhibition another week, and the high school football team part of the year. If you choose this can be just a weekend’s worth in the city, then find something new the following week.
With all the different communities in the interconnected neighborhoods within cities, you’ll often find little street festivals. It is a wonderful way to learn about other cultures while having terrific fun. Big holidays will often have citywide celebrations allowing you another way to let your hair down. Pride week allows anyone to be flamboyant for a bit, while who isn’t Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day?
Exposure To Other Cultures
It isn’t just the public celebrations that will allow you to experience other cultures on your backdoor. Many people from all over the world congregate in cities and bring their style to the areas they settle in. If you’ve spent your whole life in a reasonably small community, moving to a city will open your eye to many different people. Even just meeting people from other parts of your own country can be eye-opening with all the regional variances.
Food is essential to life, and as such, every culture and community has its unique dishes and variances of standards. Eating out in a big city is an absolute treat for discovering new (to you) flavors. The vast array of restaurants featuring cuisine from different countries allows you to take a culinary world tour at home.
Public Transport
Public transportations links in most cities are excellent, allowing you to move freely and relatively inexpensively. Parking and congestion are very often problematic in city centers especially, making bringing a car in unattractive. Therefore, it’s in the city’s best interest to provide alternatives, usually a mix of rail and bus.
Disadvantages
Easy To Get Lost In The Crowd
While living around so many people, in theory, makes it easier to meet people an active social life, the reality can be quite different. Many people feel lost and alone in a crowd, which can make living in a city a very lonely experience. There is so much going on, and people live faster-paced lives than in smaller places. It is this fast way of living that can see people not keep up and become isolated.
Higher Property Costs
There is a high demand for property in cities and limited space to build more in the central areas, as such property prices are higher than in towns.
Higher Crime Rates
Unfortunately, people do bad things sometimes, and the more people you have in one place, the more bad things that will routinely happen. Crime rates are higher in cities, though before discounting them as a viable option, rates and types vary from city to city. Some cities have bad reputations for a high prevalence of violent crimes, whereas others suffer from chronic low-level offenses.
While homelessness is not a crime, in areas with large homeless populations, there is a tendency to higher crime rates. Often drug-related, addicts can resort to petty crimes to fund their habits. Whatever their reason for their situation, many homeless people are desperate, looking for food or money, or shelter. In a few cases, people are also falsely accused of the crime. Such scenarios make it challenging for falsely accused persons to survive in the city and protect themselves. Even so, it is essential to fight for the truth. The experts at cobblawfirm.com suggest seeking help from a criminal defense lawyer.
Less Space
Space eventually becomes an issue in any city, especially as they grow and sprawl into surrounding towns and countryside. As a city grows and more people want to live and work in the central areas, the building must go upwards. Green spaces become a premium and are often shaded out but surrounding tall buildings.
This physical crowding can add to feelings of loneliness as there are fewer natural settings to reconnect and recharge. Being outdoors and gardening has long been recognized as beneficial to mental health. So, it stands to reason when there is little nature to immerse yourself in, and mental health can suffer. Traveling out of the city into the countryside can be difficult from the city, especially if you don’t own a car.
Cities really do offer something for everyone; the trick is figuring out what suits you better, living there or just being an occasional visitor. Weighing up the pros and cons will help you make the right choice for you.