Do you prefer small-town living or urban living? Have you ever lived in a small town? What do you think are the positives and negatives of a small town's tight-knit community?

Do you prefer small-town living or urban living? Have you ever lived in a small town? What do you think are the positives and negatives of a small town's tight-knit community?

I much prefer small town living, but not the kind of isolation described in the book.

I think gossip stays alive more in a small town and people are less likely to change their minds once they form an opinion about someone. But I also think that in times of adversity small town people are more likely to help each other out.

At my current age (in my 60's) urban living is more reasonable for me. I feel the need to be closer to amenities such as groceries, gas, pharmacy, hospital and doctors.
Actually I love small town living. There is a feeling of inclusion in small town living that you do not find in an urban area. People seem to be genuinely more friendly and more willing to be helpful. People tend to look out for their neighbors more readily in a small town. The hustle and bustle of the urban area, where people are too busy to be concerned with others is not a factor in the small community. Small towns are quieter as a rule, and are usually more tight knit.
The negatives of small town life is the availability of services. Depending on the towns size there may not be all services available, or the one that is available is outdated, over priced, has lack of product, or not to your liking for some other reason. There are also often volunteer services like fire, ambulance, and police, which could delay response. Lack of a hospital is another problem in very small towns.
My preference is small town living, but for the above mentioned issues, I now live in an urban area.

Grew up in small town, prefer urban living now. Small town living has everyone in your business, is a gossip club and places members in "caste societies." When you go back as an adult, those that have never left to live anywhere else, are still the same narrow-minded, high school mentality, 'I remember you- hahaha' types. I only return once every 5 years or so, just to visit relatives and maybe a class reunion. So, all that said, I really felt for Falk, all the locals remembering him for his past rather that congratulating him for his success. Plus, all the aweful memories he has to endure. It's sad what happened to Luke and his family, but sometimes ya just have to look away.

I grew up in a small town and have retired to a smaller town. I know you can be lonely or happy in either environment, but I much prefer a more urban area. In a small town if you don't fit into their type of people it is difficult to find other people to have relationships with.

I live in a mid-size city, in a fairly quiet neighborhood near a busy city park. I spend a lot of time outdoors when the weather permits. I like rural settings for their access to nature and reflective opportunities, but I don't think I would adjust well to living in a small town because I want the opportunity for culture that larger communities offer. Also, in an urban area, I can find quiet in a park or a museum or library, but in a rural area I think I would feel confined by the limited cultural opportunity and what I imagine to be a more narrow minded population - sorry to sound so judgmental!

I've never lived in an urban setting, but I think I would prefer over a small town. I currently live and work in a small town and find too many people know who you are and your business.

Grew up in small town and living in an urban environment, I have mixed feelings about small town / country life. There is something special about how people treat each other in small towns, unless you have a sordid past then it can be cruel.

Having grown up in an urban city, attended college in that same city and now living in a small community on a farm, I have had the enjoyment/frustration of both sides of the fence. I LOVE city life (mainly because that's my childhood). However, as everyone knows, there are always two sides to any situation and circumstance. City life was great as far as the opportunities, shopping, dining, culture, schools, etc. City life is very "convenient" on many levels. For an introvert like myself, I loved" the way I could "belong" to a large crowd, yet never have to get "involved" if I chose not to.
I married a farmer and have lived in a small town of fewer than 1,000 people for over 20 years now. I truly love it! There are so many positives about this type of life. We are raising our three children on the farm. They go to a small private school and our church has a regular membership of roughly 50 people. Small town life is not easy. Many times I long for the culture and convenience of city life. However, the advantages of the life my children are experiencing right now far outweigh the hassles and headaches small town living come with. We not only have our blood family close by, but we also have our community family and we all look out for and take care of one another. This life is interesting, to say the least. A city girl turned farm wife faces many challenges other than adjusting to small town living. However, I much prefer this way of life for myself and my children. Luckily, we live within two hours of my childhood city, so I get the best of both worlds!

I prefer quiet country living. I've only lived in a town while in college and when my house was being built. Positives of living in a tight-knit community: 1. People are usually more friendly and willing to help one another.

Here are a few personal examples: During our latest snow storm, my husband went to our closest neighbor's (an elderly widow) home to plow her driveway and another neighbor had already been there to do it. When I had my kids and when my grandparents died, neighbors personally brought food to our house.

Negatives: 1. Most people tend to know one another and sometimes form opinions based on rumors/gossip.
2. More gossip. 3. Farther away from quality healthcare and bigger stores.

I LOVE city living and would never want to live in a small town or rural setting. I enjoy all the advantages available to me: great transit system, lots of events, recreational opportunities, restaurants... I would go nuts living without those things. Plus I'm an introvert so I've got zero interest in the type of relationships that seem the norm in small towns.

I have lived in a small town, a rural area and amidsized city (75,000) I much prefer the mid sized city. The rural and small town were way to incestious for me. Everyone knew or thought they knew, your business. There was a lack of available good (pre Amazon) this was really hard. I guess the good thing is that people tended to be more supportive in a time of need. My city now is big enough to allow some anonymity yet still be small enough to allow a lot of activities. I think in a small town, people know your family and tend to judge you by them.

I am a city girl for sure - grew up in the burb's, lived in 3 major cities and then spent 10 years in a small-ish town and hated it. It was hard to be an individual, most seemed to follow a dress code and everyone gossiped, there was no way to avoid those you wished to avoid, services and cultural options were few and the lack of school options (1 middle school, 1 high school) was a big negative for me. I hated that a trip to an art gallery in Manhattan had to be a full-day expensive undertaking. I also have a lake-house where I can enjoy calm and quiet as opposed to the noise and rush of the city, so I am lucky that I have both extremes to balance one another.

I prefer the city, small town people are a gossiping group and hate outsiders. In the city nobody cares

I grew up in a town of about 25,000, but I now live in an urban area. I like the bigger area as we have more options for shopping and entertainment. But it feels like a small town as I run into people I know at the grocery or when I am out and about. When I do go back to my hometown, I realize that my family and friends are missing out on the big city life, but they are living a simpler life and that's all they know.

I prefer living in a small town and knowing my neighbors. Yes, gossip and everyone knowing more about your business than you do yourself can be a problem. But I like the quiet.