C Should I Live in the City or the Suburbs?

Darlene Mase

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There are three different kinds of areas you can live in: urban, suburban,and rural.You can describe living in a rural area as living out in the sticks1.sticks：（远离城镇或城市的）边远地区。or the country.This type of living is seen as idyllic for those seeking reprieve from crowds.2.idyllic： 田园生活的，平静快乐的；reprieve： 暂时缓解。Rural areas generally have small, selfsustaining populations.

Urban living is city living: active nightlife, full of noise, sophisticated public transit system,3.sophisticated： 高度发展的；transit： 公共交通系统。and sometimes small and expensive city apartments.Some people find the urban life threatening while others think it's stimulating.Urban areas tend to be densely populated and have more intense traffic and pollution as a result.

For those seeking an intermediary4.intermediary： 中间形态，中间阶段。between urban and rural living, the suburbs might be just the thing.Suburbs are large residential areas away from the core of town yet close enough to the city center.Single-family houses are typically found in the suburbs whereas multi-family apartment buildings and condos are characteristic of urban living.5.独栋房屋在郊区较为常见，而多户型公寓楼在城市更为普遍。condo： condominium的缩写，指（分成套间的）公寓楼。

Can you afford to live in the city?

Choosing whether to live in the city or the suburbs is often a matter of budget—where can you afford to live? By and large, living in the city is more expensive than living in the suburbs, though that's not always the case.

A joint study by Zillow and Care.com found that the cost of living in New York City was $71,237 more per year versus the cost of living in the surrounding suburbs.That is a huge difference.Comparatively, living in the heart of San Francisco cost $12,560 more per year than in the nearby suburbs.

But suburban living is not always better on your wallet.In Las Vegas,Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and a few other cities, urban living is more economical.

市区还是郊区，住在哪里更好？考虑到房价、租金、空气质量问题，如今越来越多的人选择远离城市中心，搬到郊区居住。但住在郊区也有一些烦恼：距离远、通勤时间长，且基础设施不如城市里完善等等。两者二选一是个令人头疼的问题，而且你要考虑的因素远不止这些：你的生活水平、你习惯的生活方式、你的工作性质、家庭成员的数量、你的身体健康状况……综合起来，这道计算题你会怎么做？

Your lifestyle influences your happiness in the city or suburbs.

For someone who enjoys five-star restaurants, vibrant nightlife,glamorous boutiques, and fast-paced living, residing in an urban hub is a dream come true.6.vibrant： 令人兴奋的，充满活力的；boutique： 精品店；hub：（地区、系统等的）中心，枢纽。On the other hand, if you find crowds and tons of noise overwhelming, then a large city might feel like purgatory7.purgatory： 炼狱，受苦难的地方。.

Your lifestyle is one of the primary considerations in deciding where you ought to live.If you are into fishing, hiking, and spending time outdoors,then realize that you may have to drive several hours to enjoy your hobbies if you choose city living.

Is your career better suited for the city or suburbs?

Your career should also play an integral8.integral： 构成整体所必要的。role in helping you decide on the city or suburban life.For example, if your job is in landscape, you might find it difficult to find work in the city because there is not a high demand for landscape artists9.landscape artist： 园林艺术家，园林设计师。.The fact of the matter is that most city homes don't have large yards with grass to cut, and competition for landscaping contracts is probably fierce.Similarly,a business executive may find that the suburbs do not offer the convenience and accessibility afforded by city living.

Children (furry or not) will probably be happier in the suburbs.

In general, suburban homes are much larger than urban homes.This extra room means that your children and pets will have more room to spread out in the suburbs.Furthermore, suburban homes typically boast10.boast： 以拥有……而自豪。at least some yard space.This is heaven for pets and small children.On the contrary, children and pets that live in an urban setting have to rely on parks for their outdoor time.This also puts extra strain on parents.Instead of just letting your kids play in the backyard or your animals play outside, you have to walk them to the park, which takes time out of your schedule.

Your health should be a factor, too.

Think for a moment about New York City.Whether you've visited or lived there, you probably remember a few things about the Big Apple's streets: dark alleyways littered with rodent infested trash bags, nasty roaches in stairwells and hallways, and mounds of gray snow on the street corner during the winter.11.无论你是来这里游玩还是居住，你可能都还记得这座大苹果城的街道：黑暗的小巷里乱扔的垃圾袋使得老鼠肆虐，楼梯间和走廊里蟑螂乱窜，一到冬天街角就会堆起肮脏的积雪。Big Apple： 大苹果，纽约市的别称；infested： 大量滋生的，侵扰的；mound：（大）堆，（大）垛。The fact of the matter is that environmental conditions in cities are less than ideal.Pollution leads to respiratory12.respiratory： 呼吸的，呼吸道的。disease, dense population means that viruses and illnesses spread faster, and fast-paced living increases stresses and stress worsens existing conditions or increases the likelihood of being diagnosed with a new condition.

However, living in the suburbs is not the cure-all13.cure-all： 万灵药。when it comes to health-related issues.In urban settings, people usually walk or bike to where they are going.But since most suburbs lack sophisticated public transportation, people typically drive everywhere they go, and this can contribute to higher levels of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.14.obesity： 肥胖；diabetes： 糖尿病。

The debate of whether to live in the suburbs or the city is long lasting and never-ending.When it all boils down to it, it is a matter of preference and budget, so go with your gut and you'll make the right choice.15.boil down to： 归结于；gut： 内心。