WHO’S YOUR CITY?
We all make at least three important decisions in our lives: what to do, where to do it, and with whom.
We devote a lot of time to choosing our livelihood and nurturing our careers. We try, too, to choose the right life partner—someone who offers us unconditional love and support.
But the third factor also has a powerful impact on our financial prospects, life experiences, and general level of happiness: where we live. Polls show that where we live is more important to our happiness than education or even how much we earn.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American moves once every seven years. More than 40 million people relocate each year; 15 million of them move more than 50 miles.
Some move for job opportunities, others to get closer to family. Still others are upsizing or downsizing, leaving the frostbelt for the sunbelt, or simply getting out of the rat race while they can still run.
Where we live is the precursor to almost everything we do. As Richard Florida writes in Who’s Your City?:
The place we choose to live affects every aspect of our being. It can determine the income we earn, the people we meet, the friends we make, the partners we choose, and the options available to our children and families. People are not equally happy everywhere, and some places do a better job of providing a high quality of life than others. Some places offer us more vibrant labor markets, better career prospects, higher real estate appreciation, and stronger investment and earning opportunities. Some places offer more promising mating markets. Others are better environments for raising children.
Location can also provide a hedge against some of life’s unpleasant surprises. Jobs often end. Relationships can, too.
As Florida writes, “It’s exponentially easier to get back on your feet when your location has a vibrant economy with lots of jobs to choose from, or a lot of eligible single people in your age range to date.”
Of course, millions remain rooted right where they were born. The climate may be too cold, the economic opportunities limited, or the singles market nonexistent. Yet they stay. Why? Some lack the economic resources. Others are frightened by change or uncertainty.
But many—perhaps most—stay put for the best of reasons. They love their hometown. Their biggest priority is spending their lives with lifelong friends and family. Often they have chosen community over economic opportunity—or other potential advantages—and found it a worthwhile trade-off.
The rise of technology and economic prosperity, however, are giving more of us the freedom to relocate.
As a writer, for example, my office is wherever I plop down with my laptop. (A big change from all those years on Wall Street when I was chained to my desk.) I am free to live virtually anywhere. But “anywhere” can be a bit daunting.
Do you choose a stunning natural environment or the excitement of city life? Do you go with a warm year-round climate or a lovely change of seasons? Do you enjoy all the amenities of the big city or the easy familiarity and laidback lifestyle of a small or mid-sized town?
My answer is “all of the above.” I’d be happy just to rotate.
Unfortunately, that suggestion provoked a minor insurrection from my wife and daughter, both decided nesters. Plus, the kids are in school nine months a year. (Guess I’m not Jonathan Livingston Seagull after all.)
Today there are plenty of places around the country that offer good schools, affordable housing, high quality health care, and economic opportunity. But with the freedom to go anywhere, some are searching for even more.
They are looking for a place that makes them feel energized. A place that offers great aesthetics, as well as cultural and recreational opportunities. A place that provides a sense of pride and attachment.
Most of us, in fact, have already found it. Gallup reports that 67 percent of Americans are happy with where they live, rating their community satisfaction a 4 or 5 on a five-point scale.
But that still leaves nearly a third who are either ambivalent or dissatisfied with where they live. If you’re part of this group, you may know exactly where you’d rather be. But if you’re not sure, you might benefit from Florida’s book.
He offers a smorgasbord of factors to consider when choosing a new location. He also suggests the best cities for singles, for recent college graduates, for young couples, mid-career professionals, families with children, empty nesters, and retirees. Some of us his choices are surprising. All of them are well researched, taking in everything from educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities to the local job market, taxes, and the cost of living.
If you want more personalized advice, visit Bert Sperling’s free website: www.bestplaces.net/fybp/. It allows you to customize your search based on the job market, climate, health care, education, recreation, arts and culture, and other criteria. His goal? To help you “Find Your Best Place.”
Of course, you may wonder what the people will be like when you get there. Here’s a hint:
Author Wayne Dyer once said he was walking along the beach in his hometown and bumped into a couple who had just moved there.
“What are the people like here?” the woman asked. “We’re curious.”
“What were they like where you came from?” asked Dyer.
The woman frowned. “Not too nice, really,” she said. “Most of them were cold and unfriendly. No one ever really reached out.”
Dyer nodded his head. “I think you’ll find they’re that way here, too.”
A few months later, he ran into another couple who had just moved to town. They too inquired what the local townspeople were like.
“What were they like where you came from?” asked Dyer.
“Oh, they were great,” the woman gushed. “Everybody was so sweet and friendly. They were like family.”
Dyer nodded his head: “I think you’ll find they’re that way here, too.”