That's true to a large extent. Plus, there is the likelihood that not everyone in a small town is related anymore, as people move and others come to take their place. The main reason why everyone knew everyone else's business in a small town was that most of them were related. There are about two thousand people in Millinocket, maybe a little more. When I go to the store, I recognize about half the people there and, if I paid more attention, I would probably know the names of about a third of them. I might know some of the people who some of them are related to, and which church they go to, but I don't know much more about anyone who isn't a friend. When we were raising our nephew, who was with us because he was a bit of a problem, people we didn't even know would call us to let us know when he was up to something, and we appreciated that, but they were calling in order to be helpful, and that was clear. Today, I think that most small towns offer more of the positives and fewer of the negatives than was the case a century ago. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the shopping problem is less of a problem than it used to be, too.
I live in a small town which we call a Village.. Massey, Ontario has a population of just under 1000 people.. We are situated up north on top of Lake Huron.. We originally moved up here from Montreal with a population of about 3 million.. It was where one can make a lovely living but now that we are retired, I wouldn't trade my life up here for anything as the life up here is so different than the big city.. One thing I like about living up here is we can breath air that hasn't been breathed before.. As far as the winters goes, we love the winter and would NEVER move somewhere where there wasn't winter..
One of the biggest advantages of living in a small town is knowing everyone the good and bad. In a large city you hardly know the person n the next apartment. I know everyone for 5 miles around and know everyone would help me if I asked. I just watched a youtuber in NYC trying to get someone to stop and talk to him on the street and it was next to impossible. What if you needed help who would stop??
"NYC trying to get someone to stop and talk to him on the street and it was next to impossible. What if you needed help who would stop??" Plenty of people, in fact for me, most people. I have experienced nothing but kindness from fellow NYers. Maybe because I smile a lot and look safe.
I could live in a small town as long as it had everything we need to live the simple life we live...and of course it would have to have my children and grandchildren living in this small town too.
But...….where would your adult children work? Small towns don't offer nearly the high salary that a big city would. That's why many small town areas are made up of farming and/or ranching families AND retirees that no longer want employment or just a simple part-time job.
That would be their problem....you asked if I could live in a small town...I gave you my answer Cody.
There are those that "think" they could live in a small town, but never have and, after living in one for awhile, would move. But, suppose there are those that would continue living in one. Being that I was "farm raised" in my teen years, living inside a big city just wasn't what I ever wanted. We live 11 miles from Jacksonville and that's fine. We very seldom go into downtown Jacksonville, mainly because of the increasing crime that has happened there.
I grew up in a small town (5,000 pop.), and loved living there. On Halloween, we kids were safe walking all over town for trick-or-treating, and the town was small enough that the older kids could actually go just about all over. The grocery stores always handed out penny candy to the kids, so even the downtown area was full of kids that night, as well as the theater had a free movie (creepy , of course). We had an old barn and chicken coop out in the back yard, so my Easter chicken lived out there, and so did my Welsh pony. I rode my horse in all of the parades, and my friends and I often just rode through downtown Sandpoint just for the fun of it. We always rode our horses down to the rodeo grounds, and our mounted drill team would be in the Grand Entry of the rodeo, and we ran the concession stand for all of the equestrian events during the summer to make money for the team. After I grew up and left home, I mostly lived in the country, but close to some small nearby town; so except for a few occasions, I have not lived in any large town or city, and Huntsville is probably the largest place that I have ever lived. Both Bobby and I would still prefer to live out of town; but since I need to have close access to the heart doctor and a hospital, it looks like living here in the city is necessary for us nowadays. Here is a picture of Bonners Ferry, where we lived before moving to Alabama, all decorated for Christmas.
Yvonne, that is outstanding that you were involved in a Mounted Drill Team in the Grand Entry for rodeos and took part in other equestrian events. My pro-rodeo days of Team Roping are long over now, but sure have the memories and even some photos. I still remember my old high school 4-H days as well. These are just part of the reasons we want to move. Florida isn't anywhere near a "rodeo" area like the Rocky Mountain and Plains States are. We know what drew us to northeastern Florida in 2009, but those feelings are now gone.
Very rural here wish it no other way we have a tire store and a closed grocery store that's it, LOVE IT, sure no city person here, hate big cities. 1 road! Know neighbors names, dogs, trucks by sight.
I remember when a pre-teen, living in the mid to late '50s, our town (or area) had perhaps a population of about 2,000. I delivered newspapers with a big, green bike. My customers would say hi, or honk passing by, and it was slow paced. I guess whatever way we grow up, we gain things, yet lose other opportunities. Maybe the 'smile quantity and longevity' factor is most important. Also, with social media shrinking the world, a small town isn't as isolated as it was.
Alaska is organized somewhat differently from other states. We have no counties or sheriffs, but there are boroughs about the size of other states. I don't live in a town, but my mailing address is in a nearby town where the mail is sorted for delivery by contract carriers, not the USPS. The nearest small town is about 11 miles away, but there are two villages that are closer. Rural or "Bush" Alaska is organized around hub villages the largest of which is about 7,000. When I lived out there, there was one hospital in the region and it served an area about the size of Oregon with it's ER and 18 inpatient beds. There was a sizeable medical outpatient clinic there, but little surgery was done there other than stabilizing trauma victims. I now live on "The Railbelt" which is the area originally settled along the Alaska Railroad when it was built in the time between 1917 and 1924. I grew up in a town of 7,000 and have lived in towns as small as a few hundred, but I have also lived in Minneapolis and near San Francisco. I enjoy spending time in New York and Chicago, but I wouldn't want to live in either place. I suppose the time will come when we will no longer be able to live out here as our physical abilities deteriorate, but I will miss the ability to walk the property, play the the gardens and watch the wildlife.
My close neighbors all have everyone's full contact info and several even have each others house keys, I have 4-5 peoples pasture lock keys just myself. You never know when needed, not often but sure could be today.
Sure...as long as it had an Airport, a Baseball Stadium, a Concert Hall, and Clear Skies! I live in the High Desert township of Apple Valley, California, in San Bernardino County, the largest county in the USA. Hal