Discussion of the Day
Small towns versus Big cities
Joy L14-Mar-22
I have lived in big cities and small cities, big towns and small towns. I love the small town that I live in. But I have lived in a small town that had the attitude that you don't belong here and why are you here. I love this town where the postie knows me if something has the wrong address on it, he checks, if we are in town for the day they put any parcels around the back. The shop owners know you, if anything happens the whole town rallies around. Do you prefer to live in a small town or a large city?
Comments
  • APB
    Once you retire it doesn't matter so much does it?
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    • APB
      The best compromise is a great local community IN a big city...that way you get the best of both...otherwise I'd choose the small town too
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      • JANET R 328390
        I think there are good and bad points in both. To be honest I love the country but prefer to live in the City. You can always go for the day to a country town.
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        • VICTORY
          SMALLER THE BETTER
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          • Edith v
            I too have lived in a small country town .The main problem is everybody knows all your business. They gossip & you have very little privacy.I prefer the bigger city/town where you can turn over in bed & nobody knows ,
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            • JANET R 328390
              I know what you mean. I have found the same thing....
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          • Peter T 100083
            Small town but with an or two of major city. Is what i would!
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            • Lones
              I have also lived many small town, in the bush, large cities, overseas, and in regional centres. I have found many welcoming and others if you’re not born there you’re an outsider. I prefer the quieter life of a small town, when everyone looks out for each other
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              • Sarah G 76834
                I would prefer a small town but I have ended up in a big city.
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                • Leslie D 488751
                  I have found that it doesn't matter where you live as long as you are happy and at ease with yourself. Before I met the good lady I used to skip from town to town as if chasing a dream, never content with myself, looking for something I could never find. Then I met a lady that changed all that, and the town, or the people, doesn't seem to matter anymore. I found that happiness comes from within and the world at large doesn't matter that much.
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                  • just me- NZ
                    Totally agree with that.
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                  • JANET R 328390
                    Totally agree with you.......
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                • Bev
                  Definitely small town.
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                  • Keisha b
                    Big city always don't want to suffocate.
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                    • Ann H 652541
                      I like small towns you know where everything is and then there is a lot talk about because everyone knows everyone else. The movie theater and the stores you can find them easily, big towns not so much if you have to stop every so often to fine anything where it is at and so on. I think small town is better than the large metropolis is. The children knows all the parents and things like that these days when crime is on the rise this is good thing.
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                      • clifford s
                        i have loved both joy is right a small town can be very friendly but a big town gives you variety that i love cliff
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                        • mary c
                          middle sized city. not too big and not so small as to know everyone- pretty inbetween which is good. And i can hear a Morepork calling in a nearby tree tonight which is always nice...Go Upper Hutt haha.
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                          • Dimitri T 100433
                            prefer cities since there is more to do & enjoy
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                            • Paula J 395266
                              I have lived in both small towns and cities and believe life is what you make of it. I know my postie and the local business owners know me by name, so not much different from the small country town I once lived in. However, what I didn't like about the small town was that you had no secrets, not that I have any, but if I do I like to tell people myself and almost everyone was related which can be difficult to navigate, but what I most disliked was if we had any medical problems that weren't "usual" we had to drive to a much bigger town for treatment or diagnosis. People I knew died because of that problem. So until medical services are the same for people Australia wide I will remain a city person.
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                              • JANET R 328390
                                Yes as you get older ..... think the city is better. I know people in the country and at weekends or after hours have to come down to the city anyway........................
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                            • Smiley
                              Currently live in the outer suburbs of a major city but hoping to move to a regional town (or even happy to move into a village) sometime this year.
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                              • mary josephine b
                                I like to visit large towns but prefer to live in a smaller town where I know people and recognize in the street
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                                • Claude H
                                  I was brought up in a small town and it was a great place to bring up a family but when you get older you need to be near facilities not always available in smaller places
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                                  • Noel N 119831
                                    Small town
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                                    • Igor A
                                      I love small cities. You can do things one by one there. In big cities your head goes round to so many distractions.
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                                      • Jania S
                                        I have lived in both cities and rural, and each place was different. I was blessed in city as I was in big smoke at front door, but the backyard was big with gumtrees and birds so I never ever really left rural and now I am back, I can go to city for day or two to catch up with friends, but I would never ever want to live in city again.
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                                        • Glenys C
                                          It depends on your circumstances. Housing is cheaper in small towns but food is dearer unless you can grow most of it yourself. It also depends if you're happy for everyone to know your business.
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                                          • Dimbee
                                            Secret is to live in small town and holiday in cities.
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                                            • Greg B 520364
                                              As a child I grew up in Sydney and went to the Blue Mountains To my grandparent's place when on holidays. So I had the best of both worlds. Except my grandfather was the local headmaster, not good way to make friends with other kids. I like both big and little.
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                                              • Julie K 348980
                                                Although I live in a large city, my suburb is like a small village. People say good morning to one another and there is an air of friendliness.
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                                                • Pat C 618241
                                                  I lived in a small town in NSW when I was first married. Because I had to go to work the locals didn't ever acknowledge me but right from Kinder my daughter was just one of the kids and knew the names of all the mums.
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                                                  • Robert T 597718
                                                    Small towns can be excellent
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                                                    • Jan H 753322
                                                      A small town is great but sometimes we need to be closer to a regional area for facilities. Large cities_ no way!!
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                                                      • Jen S (S.A.)
                                                        small towns are nice to live in and small villages but if you are new to the area it can be hard until the locals accept you but once you are accepted they are always there to help you if you need it. in a large city, no one knows you and it can be lonely
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                                                        • Jenny L 591463
                                                          I do prefer small town even though we weren't treated all that well when we first arrived and we were told to keep to ourselves. Our rates are so much cheaper here and we have more land. We can grow a few veggies and herbs and we do keep to ourselves. We have cleaned up a lot and can put some of the land owners to shame. Hubby works very hard keeping the place up to our standards and he's about to mow the grass again. It's now weekly since all the rain and he filled the fuel can up and it costs double now. Getting quite expensive to keep the grass down. Oh well but it needs to be done and it will be. Maybe cheaper to buy a donkey or a goat to keep grass down. Maybe one day have to wait and see about that though at least for the time being.
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                                                          • Tupulua S
                                                            love small town
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                                                            • Phyrephly
                                                              Small towns/village type place seem to be 'safer' - everyone knows and tends to look out for everyone else. But larger towns/cities seem to be places where your privacy may be more respected, perhaps. Also, less likelihood of gossip-mongering. Tho' this is, in no way, set in stone. Maybe, suburbia grow from a wanting of both privacy and safety, dunno. Cities do tend to be 'busier' in lifestyle, than smaller towns/villages. People may have less time to wonder about what their neighbours are doing behind closed doors. Suburbia has the cards for me, in this regard; generally can regard neighbors as much as is mutually comfortable, and that's it. But as with anything else: to each, his/her own.
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                                                              • marni k
                                                                Small town definitely. Been here 13 years. Came from sydney suburbs. Your neighbours do not know your name and half the time would pretend they do not see you. If you were lucky you would get a cursory wave. Here i sit on my front porch and everyone whether you know them or not greets you with a smile and a g'day. Neighbours help you out and vice versa. The only problem with a small town is everyone pretty much knows everyone else and boy is there gossip galore. But other than that you have trees to look at, fresh clean air to breathe and you are now surrounded by a sense of community. I worked in the sydney city and suburbs until recently and that would be only time i would go back. Travel to disgusting pollution and travel back and take a big breath of fresh air.
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                                                                • Tiffany L 690503
                                                                  I live in rural area with lots countryside
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                                                                  • Sonya F 68771
                                                                    I live in Campbelltown which was small now a large city you have every things you need without going into the big city
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                                                                    • Mooi
                                                                      I suppose my town would be considered large, but I don't have much to do with the community. I plan to move to the hills when I retire and I stop looking after my grandchildren. I would consider myself socially awkward and prefer just to be around my family. So small towns are very appealing to me, but I don't want to be to far from my family but I don't want to be a bother to them either in old age.
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                                                                      • Lynn A 461499
                                                                        I love small towns and as I hate to be amongst huge crowds.
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                                                                        • SIDNEY7
                                                                          I love mt small Town as it's easy to socialize due to everybody knowing each other, seeing each other outside of work/school and often having mutual friends. Small towns have a much stronger sense of community, than big cities,closeness to nature,cleanliness,peaceful, relaxed and familiar enviroment,small towns are much safer,lower cost of living,everything is close to you,more areas for outdoor exercise cycling, bushwalkinging etc.food there is more natural.
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                                                                          • Michelle S 553303
                                                                            I moved from Sydney to the Blue Mountains in 1991 when my children were small to give them a better life style than I and their dad had had, but by 2010 the area was starting to get busy and the atmosphere was changing. I'm glad my kids grew up there at that time as they enjoyed freedoms that many children today don't have but by 2020 I wanted some peace and serenity so I moved to a small country town out West and although I don't think there's enough for the youth out here to do with respect to skating, bowling, cinemas or shopping centres the kids out here DO have a good work ethic and that's great to see. I didn't know that I would enjoy living here alone as much as I do but I have time and space to think. It's SO quiet once the businesses close up for the night that all I hear are the sounds of the bush, frogs etc as well as a night sky where I get to see so many stars that it isn't possible to see with the number of street lights that there were where I used to live before. I don't have McDonald's or KFC here nor are there Ubers or Door Dash but I don't need those things to be happy. I've found a contentment in this small town that I wouldn't have imagined was possible and sitting on my front verandah at dusk with no traffic,cjust the sounds of nature itself, is something I wouldn't now trade. There's positives in both small towns or larger cities but I know that my blood pressure is lower where I am now. Thanks for reading!
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                                                                            • Carolyn H 319412
                                                                              I am happy living in a big city suburb.
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                                                                              • Vickie H 438885
                                                                                Small Towns are easy to Navigate.
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                                                                                • suzi v
                                                                                  small towns have treasures
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                                                                                  • Victoria 315341
                                                                                    Home is where the heart is, having said that, I do prefer smaller towns for the simple reason, if your not seen for awhile people will check on you.I have lived in big cities across the country with hundreds of thousands of people and I have never felt so alone.
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                                                                                    • Val B 69099
                                                                                      I like small towns. Hate going to the city. Too busy and too much traffic
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                                                                                      • Sandra C 12043
                                                                                        Wherever you live there are advantages and disadvantages.You just have to pick where you want to live and put up with the disadvantages.
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                                                                                        • Glenys R 127976
                                                                                          I moved from Sydney to a town of less than 10,000 people. Swapped planes, traffic, and barking dogs for the occasional train, birds, and foxes. I miss Sydney, so go back there occasionally. Then I get stuck in traffic and realise I don't miss it at all. It's actually quicker for me to get to places now than it was from Sydney, and I live further away from a lot of places. Plus, everything I need is no more than an hour's drive away.
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                                                                                          • Michelle S 553303
                                                                                            I'm with you Glenys! I grew up in an area that today is a bustling city but when I was born had all new homes with young families like my own. The kids used to come to our place to play and everyone knew everyone else and their kids. But I HATE going back today and after my elderly father dies I will sell the house, probably to the group that has bought 2 other properties very near to my dad's home and which they knocked down and now run disability homes in them. My dad's house is on the top of a hill and is the 1/4 acre which most properties of that time had. I'll dig up my favourite dogs grave and leave the contents to whatever charity wants to pick them up. The house is 61 years old and it looks it. With the bulk of the value being in the land itself they'll only knock the house down anyway. I'll NEVER go back after that not only because my childhood was horrible and sad but because I now live in a small country town hours away from there and it's perfect for me. I don't own the property but my landlord is good and I can have my 5 cats and I'm happy. But where I grew up in the 60's and 70's is a city of hundreds of thousands of people and my heart starts palpitating when I'm on the motorway. I love the peace and serenity of the town I now live in and how quiet it is after dark. Even though there's the occasional truck that goes by and I live on a busy road it's deserted after the businesses close for the night. I might not have Menulog or Ubers but what I do have are birds and the wind through the trees and I'm content! Thanks for reading.
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                                                                                          • Glenys R 127976Michelle S 553303
                                                                                            That was interesting to read. You’ll probably get a fortune for your dad’s house. I’d like to go back to the place I grew up, but could never afford it now. Plus it won’t be the same. I love the peace and quiet here. It’s like our town closes at 5pm.
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                                                                                          • Michelle S 553303Glenys R 127976
                                                                                            Same here with the town shutting up shop at 5pm. My father got one of those reverse mortgages that the bank was offering to people like him that had paid their houses off and I know, because my son told me, that he owes over $400K to the bank which they will take and get first dibs at after the house is sold, so it does depend on the market just what is left after their cut. With the disability homes being built literally across the road and 2 doors down from there it is highly likely that they wouldt like to get the opportunity to bid at least when the time comes. It's just crazy busy there now and everyone rushes to and fro like what their doing must be done at top speed and that's NOT for me I'm afraid. My Nana, Dad's mum, died 10 years back at age 97 and her place was only about a kilometre from Westmead Hospital and I have a lot of fond memories from when I was a child walking up the street with her and going to the local corner shop. I can still see in my head what the town looked like then, but to cut a long story short my grandparents cut my father out of the Will so that when my Nana died my Uncle, who always despised me, got his name on the house title and he got the property. When my father and youngest daughter went out to Parramatta for her 21at birthday which was 8 years ago, we stopped by the property and there was this God AWFUL monstrosity sitting where their little fibro home used to sit with his vegetable garden and fruit ?? all round but there wasn't a sign that it had ever existed. I haven't been past it since and never will again because it's ALL changed, for the worse I'm afraid, but that's progress. It took up almost their entire large block and made me sad. I'm old enough now to be affected by change and there's going to be a LOT more of it before we're through! Take care now and have a good day!
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                                                                                        • Bung,
                                                                                          I too have lived both cities and small country communities, out of town where local shopping area consists of smaller locally owned stores. I love the country life and small towns, however we also lived on the land and as we are getting older the larger towns/communities are more suited to us. We no longer have the worry of maintaining acres of land. We have more time now in our later years to spend time with friends and family (including grandchildren) we are also more financially able to look at travel (omitting Covid). I still love the small town country life and in an over 50's community where we now live we have the country life feel daily
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                                                                                          • Larry S 382961
                                                                                            I live in Sydney but came from Bundaberg QLD. It’s a place that if you spit in the gutter by the time you got home everybody knew. Both big and small have good/ bad points.
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                                                                                            • Pieter K
                                                                                              Home is where the heart is.
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                                                                                              • Joe B 288252
                                                                                                Big smoke for me, I like to have a great variety of junk food close to hand……lol
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                                                                                                • mary c
                                                                                                  oh absolutely...i hear you brother.
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                                                                                              • Empress
                                                                                                I don't know anymore. I just find most people too painful to deal with and have become more reclusive.
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                                                                                                • mary c
                                                                                                  i miss people at the moment- covid in nz- am hiding. So miss meeting gal pals at a cafe. It was the highlite of my week.
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                                                                                                • Empressmary c
                                                                                                  I hear ya...
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                                                                                                • mary cEmpress
                                                                                                  its funny- i don't like to spend long periods with people before i need to escape to be alone but i do like being around people if that makes sense.
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                                                                                              • Glen E 88471
                                                                                                Big cities have better medical facilities. Being close to these facilities is most helpful when you have frequent treatments. Big cities also have of course a greater number of employment opportunities. It is also easier if you reside nearer your family.
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                                                                                                • Colin L 88398
                                                                                                  Big Cities while as you say they know you they are also very clicky and gossip can be very bad. At least with large cities you tend to have every service you need and they are not constantly looking over your shoulder telling you how to live your life and taking steps to make you live as they tell you to. Anywhere else it is called Interfering and they are told to pull their head in but in small towns it is as common as mud and when you are on the outer you get a second rate service for everything you need.
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                                                                                                  • B Keeper
                                                                                                    VERSUS.
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                                                                                                    • Mary M 329762
                                                                                                      Its up to the person. I am village girl not city girl. I want to move in couple more years to the village life as i feel like the best tgings for me.
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                                                                                                      • Maureen G-Melb.Vic.
                                                                                                        I love Melbourne, even though in recent some terrible things have happened. I always feel at home when I come into the city. Would love to have a small apartment there, so can spend more time there. I always go my favourite haunts which are in the old section of Melbounre. Love it.
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                                                                                                        • Stephen F 84899
                                                                                                          Small towns presently looking to move to a small town This city is so large & the problems that it created
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                                                                                                          • Robin L 79437
                                                                                                            small towns for me
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                                                                                                            • Paul B 522937
                                                                                                              Near work
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                                                                                                              • Beverly I
                                                                                                                Small city where I live
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                                                                                                                • Beverly I
                                                                                                                  Small city where I live ????
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                                                                                                                  • Paula
                                                                                                                    lived in 2 small towns now lived in 3 big city's also towns there to noisy and every one knows your business
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                                                                                                                    • Grommie
                                                                                                                      tried both and the smallest towns I ever lived in were ships at sea. That's a real test to see if you can get on with your "neighbours". Joy L., I learned to spell, too, never seen versers before, guess there's a first time for everything.Small towns? It only takes one person to start a rumour about you for whatever reason, and you're sunk.
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                                                                                                                      • allin
                                                                                                                        way out in the country, off a dirt road,,,
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                                                                                                                        • BLACK LIVES MATTER
                                                                                                                          A small town (in the DEEP SOUTH) is where I learned about racism (and ever thing that goes with racism) and is a part of my rationale too locate to a big city (Chicago) - aka becoming a RUNAWAY! I DEFINITELY prefer Big Cities over Small Towns - will NEVER live in a small town (again) - EVER!!!
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                                                                                                                          • Teresa C 190104
                                                                                                                            I live in a small rural town and love it we have elderly neighbors all keep an eye on each other when we are sick and there is not a lot of traffic which is great for me as I have light and noise sensitivity since my TBI
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                                                                                                                            • kristian s 513441
                                                                                                                              I prefer to live in a big city is because I don't like people getting in my personal business if something happen.
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                                                                                                                              • SueM2
                                                                                                                                To each thine own.
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                                                                                                                                • Frank N
                                                                                                                                  I prefer small towns. That why we live in Otaki
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                                                                                                                                  • mary c
                                                                                                                                    nice. we used to have a back at waikawa beach bfore husband's stroke.
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                                                                                                                                • Elizabeth T 396096
                                                                                                                                  I have lived in the city and in the country (Both small towns and larger towns) and I much prefer the country.
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                                                                                                                                  • Sheree T
                                                                                                                                    Small towns are by far the better option.
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                                                                                                                                    • Darla T
                                                                                                                                      Small towns are great support systems.
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                                                                                                                                      • Edward S 497347
                                                                                                                                        I have lived and worked in the big city ( Melbourne suburbs ) and have also lived in small country towns for the past 28 years, during which I lived very rural on a farm for 6 months after a house fire at my home within the country town. There are BIG differences between:- 1) Living in the metropolitan suburbs 2) Living in country towns large or small 3) Living RURAL on a farm These all offer different styles of living and mateship, not overlooking the big difference in crime rates, how much people know and support each other, and also the availability of health care and the amount of government funding the suburbs gets compared to country towns and rural areas. Although there is much LESS health care in country towns I prefer living in small country towns because of the peace and quiet, people support and look after each other, more friendly and less crime
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                                                                                                                                        • Megan K 659578
                                                                                                                                          Small town living here.
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                                                                                                                                          • marianna R
                                                                                                                                            Love a small town better than the big cities as we have less pollution in the air so feel healthier every time we are coming home from visiting friends and family in the big smoke town
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                                                                                                                                            • misfortune8
                                                                                                                                              I grew up on a farm in a small coastal town. People talk about the fresh country air, but I remember when the wind came from one direction, it brought the smell of cow sh*t, then it would change to the smell of chook sh*t. You had to watch where you stepped! I couldn't wait to move to the city. I love Sydney!
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                                                                                                                                              • Linda C
                                                                                                                                                I live on the Gold Coast. When I first arrived back in the early 80's I was shunned as someone from down south taking their jobs etc. I usually shut this rubbish down by telling them my great grandparents were among the first settlers and my grandfather moved to Melbourne and started his family there so in fact I am just coming back. I found most of the whingers were only 1st generation or maybe 2nd generation anyway so in fact I was 3rd and my kids 4th. People used to wave to you and talk to you in the streets but it has now become a city and that smaller town feel has gone. Still, it is better than the major cities. I don't think I would like to live in a small town where everyone knows everything. My aunt did and when we visited we felt like we were on display.
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                                                                                                                                                • Rhonda D 522615
                                                                                                                                                  Big city for me. More opportunities for employment. People not knowing all your business.
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                                                                                                                                                  • PETER M 134659
                                                                                                                                                    the city
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