People who grew up in the middle of nowhere are quite adamant about the differences between a city and town. We all have our preferences if we have had the opportunity to do so, whether in Small Town USA or a village in Russia. Growing up in both a city and small town, I've had my fair share of differences but at the end of the day they have their differences which are suitable to the individual themselves. Here are a few that I have come to really see the differences between:
1. Accessibility
Coming from a big town or city, you are probably used to a variety of grocery stores, food selections and clothing stores in a relative amount of distance. Now, you may have to drive an hour to the supermarket.
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2. Variety
There is a variety of restaurants on every corner from Ethiopian, to farm-to-table but in a small town you have a smaller set of options and homecoming is the way to go.
But, let's face it, there is nothing like a mom-and-pop restaurant.Small Town:
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3. Road Trips
In a city, it could mean a trip to a suburb or two hours to the beach, but in a small town you may run into festivals, horse races, zonkey and just random entertainment.
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4. Traffic
You may be used to driving an hour or more to the other side of town or somewhere nearby may take you just as long due to traffic. Yet, in a small town it can take you fifteen minutes to cross town (if you're lucky!).
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5. Knowing Your Neighbor
In a big city there are multiple communities within a few miles, but know few people and likely go to different schools compared to a small town where you grew up with the exact same people within a few streets and you go to the same school your whole life
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6. Communication
Say you forget to call in a prescription. In a small town it's really easy to pick up because they know you. It started out being your neighbor on the back fence now it's through a computer or a cell phone. In a small town it's word of mouth or just good ol' chattin' at the local Dairy Queen.
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7. Infrastructure
It’s not skyscrapers and city noise anymore, but old buildings that make the town quaint and full of charm.
You may see more farming and ranching.Small Town:
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8. Drive Thrus
In a city there is a drive-thru line for hours, but in a small town you never know what you’ll find.
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Let's face it: either is great and choosing maybe difficult, but it will depend on your outlook on crowds and space.