This blog is all about the best city for introverts.
Moving is intimidating, but it’s necessary. We all have to relocate eventually, whether we need to find a new job, leave our family home, or start school. For introverts, moving is even more daunting.
You’ll get out of your familiar routine and you’ll meet new people who you’ll have to get to know all over again. The experience will be terrifying, but it will also help you grow and learn about yourself.
That’s why these twenty-seven tips will guide your research so you can make the best decision you possibly can and find a city that will make you comfortable.
This post is all about the best city for introverts.
CITY TIPS FOR INTROVERTS:
1. Reflect on your personality type before starting your research
As an introvert, you likely see lots of opportunities for alone in the future. You want to have your own space, while also being able to connect meaningfully with others. Before you dive into your search for a new home, take a moment to think about where you see yourself.
Other than the necessities we’ve mentioned, you need to think about how much you see yourself outside of the home and what activities you’d like to do in your new home.
Maybe you’re interested in city life where you can stay in or go out on your own. Or maybe you are interested in small towns where you can get to know just about everyone who lives there.
2. Ask yourself what you want to get out of this move
Think about why you’re moving, whether it’s obvious or not. You might be looking for a job or accompanying a partner as they look for a job. Maybe you’re just interested in gaining some independence and space from your family.
Regardless, figure out the reason you’re moving and what you want to gain from moving. Even if you’re moving to benefit someone else, you can still carefully consider what you want out of the city you move to.
3. Figure how big of a change you want to make
Ask yourself if you’re ready to leave the state or even the country. Maybe you’re ready to live outside of North America in a beautiful city like Cape Town, South Africa or Sao Paulo, Brazil where you’ll get to have so many new experiences you’d never have in your hometown.
On the other hand, you can also stay in your home state and have new experiences in a different town. Consider what kind of change you’re prepared to make and what kind of adjustments you’ll be ready to make once you move.
4. Keep in mind that you can find alone time almost anywhere
While you need to your comfort into consideration, it’s also important to remember that you can find comfort and safety wherever you go. As long as you have your own space, shared or not, you’ll be able to find that alone time you need to recharge.
In other words, don’t let being an introvert make you think you can’t live in certain cities because of the large crowds or the amount of unavoidable social interactions. You’ll find a comfortable space wherever you live as long as all of the other details line up for you.
5. Figure out the cost of living in every city that interests you
Unfortunately, the cost of living is likely the biggest limiting factor in where you can live. When deciding, be sure to look up detailed information about how much you’ll get paid and how much you’ll have to pay to see if you can afford to live there.
If you’re nervous about making this type of judgment on your own, ask a few other people for their financial advice.
Be careful, though, when asking for advice about money because there are lots of people who unintentionally spread misinformation. If all else fails, consider consulting a financial advisor, but do so sparingly because they can be pricey.
6. Look for the best coffee shops in the area
Reader or not, you’ll want to find plenty of places where you can get good coffee. Even if you don’t drink coffee and don’t particularly care to read in public, coffee shops indicate the kind of culture you’ll find.
The more coffee shops you find in an area, the more opportunities you’ll have to find like-minded people who are down to make a meaningful connection and abandon the small talk.
Of course, you can always go to a coffee shop with a good book and enjoy your free time among other people who may be just as introverted as you.
7. Consider applying for a number of remote jobs
Remote jobs will give you the freedom to move anywhere you want. You’ll have to keep time zones in mind and be careful about any geographical requirements in the job listings.
But, other than that, you’re free to move wherever you would like with the security of a paycheck anywhere you go. In this case, you’ll want to prioritize being surrounded by green spaces and having lots of opportunities to meet people in comfortable settings.
8. Figure out what the public transportation scene looks like
There’s something so freeing about being able to walk to your grocery store a few minutes away and come back without the hassle of public transit or a car.
However, if you have to choose, public transit gives you the freedom to travel wherever you’d like without worrying about the hassle of parking. Plus, it’s usually super cheap.
Meeting up with people to explore the music scene, try out a new restaurant downtown, or talk about the latest book in your book club has never been easier.
So, look for public transportation in the cities that interest you so that you can focus on making connections and controlling how much time you spend with other people.
9. Identify nearby locations that you can use as an escape
We all need a change of scenery no matter how much we love the new city we live in. That’s why we can look for music venues, beautiful landscapes, and plenty of activities to explore.
Whether you’re looking for some quiet time or just a new city you’ve never been to, finding your escape is a great way to recharge your battery.
Mountain cities can give you an easy, natural escape (think of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs, almost anywhere in the state of Colorado, or the Blue Ridge Mountains).
Or you can opt for a capital city that gives you the anonymity of busy streets and plenty of opportunities for staycation.
10. Research the opportunities for outdoor recreation
Outdoor recreation refers to any activity that gets you out of the house and into the fresh air for an activity. You can go swimming at the beach, walk around the park, or play frisbee with some strangers. However, if you want to define outdoor recreation, remember that it’s essential.
As much as you can stay inside and get all of your work done from within the confines of your home, you still need to get out of the house and do an activity you enjoy.
You can look forward to doing outdoor activities and outdoor sports as long as you choose to do something that you like. Avoid dreading the outdoors by choosing activities that get you excited to leave the house. Research those activities now so you know they exist when you move.
11. Consider whether you want to live in one of the best travel locations
There’s no better feeling than living in your version of paradise. Maybe you love the snow and cold weather, so you can ski whenever you want. Go live somewhere that makes that possible. Or maybe you prefer sunny beaches where the temperatures stay hot and humid.
You can live in your dream destination with the caveat that you may need to look for a more affordable area if your dream destination is not one of the most livable cities. Regardless, you can still find a place that gets excited to explore it or even just look out the window.
12. Find that laid-back vibe
Every major city will have multiple vibes and cultures. It’s all about finding that second place within your new city that will let you operate at your own pace.
The best places will let you explore a vibrant city without compromising on finding that quiet place. Whether you end up choosing between small towns or big cities, you’ll be able to find the place that fits your style wherever you look.
13. Identify potential homes with sufficient personal space
As you sift through your list of the best cities for introverts, keep in mind that finding the right apartment or house will determine how much time you get to yourself. Even if you live with roommates or a partner, it’s still possible to have your own space and time.
It’s when you end up with a quarter of a studio because that’s all you can afford in the city that would otherwise be your perfect place (hello, New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles).
So, keep in mind that your list of cities also needs to account for how much living space you’ll get when you move there.
Make sure that you have some room to separate where you work (if you work from home or attend school), where you sleep, and where you eat. Bonus points if you any of these spaces are not shared with another person.
14. Explore the opportunities for hobbies
Hobbies are what make life interesting. You learn a skill for no other reason than to enjoy your life more fully. Ideally, you can find classes or groups that practice your hobby in any big city or smaller cities.
But, it’s still worth looking into what kinds of communities you can join once you move. No matter how big or small your future home will be, you’ll find the people who make it feel like a unique place where you can learn interesting things and have new, fulfilling experiences.
15. Consider how much you want to meet new people
There are people everywhere and there’s no escaping them in general. However, there are certain places where it becomes much harder to avoid them if you don’t want to encounter someone new.
You can opt for a rural community if you’re interested in only meeting new people when you intend to. The more time you spend in the city, the more you’re likely to encounter new people who want to get to know you and engage in the dreaded small talk.
You’ll want to connect with other people on occasion, but it’s all about making sure you’re in control of the circumstances under which that happens.
16. Look for a peaceful place among the busyness
Find that amazing place wherever you want to move. That might be the park nearby that provides calm in the middle of a new city or maybe it’s your best friend’s house fifteen minutes from your apartment.
This is another one of those places you’ll find anywhere you live, but it’s important to actively find these places before you resign yourself to feeling out of place and uncomfortable in a great city.
17. Be sure to challenge your comfort zone
Go out of your way to encounter social situations that make you uncomfortable. It’ll be easy to isolate yourself and avoid people, especially because of all of the research you’re doing ahead of time.
But, even as an introvert, you will miss connecting to people on a human, meaningful level. So, challenge yourself with new people and social events that would never be your first choice to attend.
18. Research locations with natural beauty
Find a gorgeous place to visit. There’s something about a beautiful place that recharges you with little to no effort. Maybe you find a waterfall, mountain range, overlook, or body of water.
There’s no substitute for spending time appreciating the natural world around you, whether people are with you or not. By finding these places ahead of time, you’re guaranteed to have somewhere to when a park or coffee shop doesn’t give you the peace and calm you need.
19. Consider the opportunities to form small groups with your community
Look up book clubs, gym classes, and community centers. Find places where you can meet people in environments that don’t require constant talking while doing something you all appreciate equally.
This is a great way to engage in human connection without the stress or anxiety about how you’re interacting with other people.
20. Research areas with low population density
There is no perfect answer that will help every introvert love their new city. However, one of the best ways to feel good in even the largest city is to look up population density.
Find those places with the lowest population density. These places will make it easier to avoid unwanted interactions that will leave you stressed and anxious.
The benefit of avoiding unwanted interactions is that you get to decide when you interact with people on your terms so that it benefits you the most.
21. Find biking trails in the area you’re considering
When public transit fails you but cars are too much of a commitment, bikes are the perfect compromise. They give you the portability you need without having to find a parking spot wherever you go.
Plus, they give you the option of exploring natural landscapes and get you moving. These are just some of the reasons why introverts love biking trails and why you need to look for biking trails in the cities you research.
22. Look into live music venues for unique experiences
For the best experiences you can do both alone and at the start of new friendships, visit a live music venue. You won’t have to talk to your new friend because you two will be dancing to some maxing music in one of the best places in the city.
Whether you go alone or with acquaintances, you will have a great time. You can’t go wrong with good music and good vibes that will make you feel like every city is the best city.
23. Figure out if there’s a national park within driving distance
Visiting a national park is the best way to see an attractive place, visit the great outdoors, and avoid breaking the bank. You can get a yearly pass or just get a one-time pass that lets you get alone time whenever you need it.
Plus, the money you spend goes right back into the national park system, and there’s nothing better than helping out a nonprofit that cares for nature. Just think: you could live somewhere like Salt Lake City and have a national park (Great Salt Lake) in your backyard.
24. Research the kind of weather you’d get in potential cities
No list of best cities to live in will exclude weather and be complete. You need to think about what kind of weather you like and what you’re likely to experience.
Weather within the United States varies so drastically that you need to research to figure out whether you’re living somewhere more like Santa Barbara or Ann Arbor. Both places are equally beautiful, but they will give you very different experiences throughout the year.
25. Avoid kicking a big city off your list of potential homes
Big cities can be terrifying and expensive. There are plenty of reasons you may not want to live in a big city. But, don’t kick them off your list because you don’t think a big city is a good place for introverts to live.
Every city is a great place to live if you know that you like the weather and your apartment is affordable. There are plenty of places that make you think you’d hate it because it’s busy and loud, which are valid reasons.
But those same places have lots of calm, quiet communities where you’d be welcomed. Silicon Valley seems loud, stressful, and expensive, but San Carlos isn’t so bad and it’s only a thirty-minute drive.
26. Consider how far from family and your support system you’ll be
One of the most important factors in deciding where you’ll live is where your family is located. The best US states and the best countries are different for everyone. If you need to be close to home for support, then that answers a lot of your questions.
If you want to leave, then you have lots of possibilities available to you. Regardless, figure out how your family and support system figure into what you think of as your home.
27. You can always move again if you don’t end up in the right place
The best states are the ones where you’re happy. And you don’t have to get it right the first time. You can try out a new place, realize that it’s not for you, and move somewhere else.
With the amount of variety in the U.S., you have endless opportunities to try out places like North Carolina and realize that New Hampshire is more your speed.
Not to mention you could live outside the U.S., anywhere from Tokyo (the capital of Japan) to Honduras. There’s no wrong answer as long as you keep trying to find the place where you feel at home.
