Have You Found "The One"?

According to a survey in this month's Outside Magazine, only 27% of readers report that they are living in their dream town. That means that 73% are, like me, still looking for it.

Similarly, the "city satisfaction poll" on my own blog (thanks to everyone who voted!) finds that 80% feel something less than "true love" when it comes to their current city. 40% state they are "enjoying themselves for now." 20% think "it's a mixed bag." 20% "know it isn't the one."

These numbers support a theory I've been tossing around. Compared to our parents, who may have worked at one company and lived in one home for decades, I believe we are a constitutionally itinerant generation and a product of our times. We change jobs and addresses frequently - sometimes by choice, sometimes not (i.e. layoffs).

We have less job security but a wider canvas for global job searching and opportunities. We have more career flexibility but also more concern with career fulfillment. We are both enthralled by the choices and daunted by the burdens that come with deciding how and where we ought to live. Thus, to me, it's no wonder it takes us a while to find a place we want to commit to.

One last thought. It seems I am not alone in thinking "the one" will be smaller. Outside's survey respondents (the majority of whom reside in cities of over 1 million people) voted that a population between 10,000 and 50,000 was the ideal size for a dream town. Runner-ups were 50,000-100,000 and 100,000-250,000.