Comment by cyberax

> Or, because they want to live in NYC

Do they? Or do they just rationalize having to live in NYC?

Depending on the question, most people HATE living in cities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/1l1ryyq/ci... - and it's not even a close competition.

> socialization and meetups and camaraderie around every conceivable interest, innumerable dining options within a matter of blocks, some of the best live entertainment options in the world, friends within walking distance, etc. Case in point

Well, sure. Everything has trade-offs and people decide which ones are more acceptable for them. When given a choice, I moved out of dense areas. Because I don't actually care about drinking every day, and all other activities are not materially affected by having a 1-hour commute to the downtown.

> 1 hour each-way of driving is a lot, and by then you're usually in a different city. 3-4 hours puts you in a different state, and in some places, it puts you in an entirely different country!

Sure. But we're talking about the US in particular.