I agree with sfbadger. I have found good and bad everywhere.
I don't like cold long winters. I lived in the suburbs all my life until 2+ years ago except for my college years.
Life in a fairly big city is quite different of course, but more varied and interesting. And there are "suburbs" just north of us, regular residential areas with large houses, and small shopping mall in walking distance with a Kroger and a Publix and a wine store (I don't go there any more) and some other places. I like being able to walk to restaurants, the symphony, the art museum, the botanical garden, the park.
We have one car now and it's plenty.
There is a park in Paris I've always admired, Parc Monceau, that has midrise apartments overlooking it. The wife says they run well into the millions of euros. This place reminds me a bit of that, sans the millions of euros. So, I'm happy here.
The property and sales taxes are a bite though.
