City life: So much choice packed into tight space.

People who like living in the city enjoy the energy that pulsates there. You can live car-free and walk or take public transportation to everything you need—shopping, dining, entertainment, school, and work. In one block, you can choose from a variety of restaurant choices, from your favorite café to the pizza place that delivers. On any weekend, you can take your pick of things to do—movies, theatre, art galleries, comedy clubs, museums, street festivals, and more. You’re never far from fun.

That’s also a con. You’re in the midst of all this charged-up activity. Stress levels are higher in the city. Privacy is less. Your home is separated from your neighbor’s by a wall, not a yard. If you choose to own a car, parking can be hard to find, or expensive. Crime is more prevalent in the city, which makes sense when you consider there are so many more people there.

Most cities aren’t far from a rural area, so when you feel the need to escape, you can rent a car or hop on a bus for a country retreat.

Country life: Take it slow and easy.

People who choose to live in rural areas prefer the open space that is afforded outside the confines of a city. They are less enchanted by the choices afforded to city dwellers and prefer the simple pleasures. A hammock in the back yard. A vegetable or flower garden. Farmer’s markets with locally grown produce. Paddling down a river or hiking through the woods.

Country dwellers aren’t as enamored with designer labels—from the clothes they wear to the kitchen cookware. They prefer a casual lifestyle that’s uncomplicated. The choices are fewer than the city offers, but they don’t care.

With today’s technology, country dwellers aren’t as isolated as they used to be. The Internet, Wi-Fi hot spots, digital and cable television, and cell phone towers have spread to the outer confines of our society. So, moving to the country doesn’t mean you have to forego your favorite cable television series or rely on a (shudder!) land line for calling people.

Suburbia: The comfortable compromise

The suburbs surround the outskirts of cities, a cushion between those hubs and the rural areas beyond. They offer easy access, via highways and public transportation to all of the action in the city, but residents can escape the bustle to their peaceful homes. Suburbanites like the blend of urban conveniences with rural solitude. Although the yards are small, they at least create a small boundary between neighbors, and a place for kids to play and their parents to entertain.

As more city dwellers move outward from the city, the suburbs grow deeper into the outlying areas. As one suburb fills up (and prices rise accordingly), homeowners look for the next “up and coming” community. The commute to the city becomes a bit longer, along with the distance to the desired amenities. But that’s the trade-off for compromise.

Which lifestyle is most appealing to you? And why?