The debate over which is better – downtown living of suburban living – has raged for several decades. In fact, it can be somewhat humorous how this debate is played out in popular culture as proponents of one mode of living will often portray the other as, for lack of a better word, weird. This is commonly seen in all manner and variety of films. Of course, real life is not a film and that means one must make a choice as to where to live. So which of these truly is the right choice?

Honestly, only you can answer that. The right choice of where to live will be based almost exclusively on your own likes and needs. Some may find living in suburbia to be the best location in the world while others may look at suburban life as simply not being for them. In general, to arrive at a determination as to which is truly the best, one need to weigh the individual positives and negatives and then settle on a location that specifically fits ones individual needs.

If you like hustle and bustle, you will want to live downtown. If you like peace and quite, you probably will want to live in a suburban region. Sure, some downtown areas are quiet and some suburban areas are noisy. However, in general, the suburbs are slower and quieter while downtown areas are bustling due to the heavier concentrations of population. Depending upon your own particular needs and tastes, you will need to select the region that best fits what you look for in a place to live.

Travel issues will be a common theme among where you choose to live. Those that live in suburbia will often have to have long commutes to work. Downtown areas generally offer public transportation which allows them to circumvent the common issue of long commutes. How you look at commuting to work will usually place a factor in the way you approach your residence.

Proximity to stores and shopping areas will vary widely based on where you choose to live. Virtually all downtown areas are close to stores and shops. Most suburban neighborhoods have big malls near them. Then, there will be those suburban areas that are somewhat remote and require travel to do a little shopping. Those not interested in driving far to make a purchase of a common household item may end up a little turned off at suburbia.

Suburban living often opens the door to purchase a huge home. Real estate in downtown areas is almost always a premium. That means higher prices for smaller properties. Some may enjoy that but others find it the polar opposite of what they want in a home. Again, individual tastes may vary.