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Chain stores, bars/clubs, colleges and universities, mass transit (good or bad), marijuana etc, etc are a dime a dozen and can be found anywhere.
A social life is the most important thing to me you must have in any city. If your not willing to interact with others in your area, the rest wont matter. You will just up on websites like this one whining and crying about how bad a city sucks.
Additionally for me: world-class cultural institutions, historical sites, universities, hotels, restaurants, museums, concert halls, opera, theater, zoo ... are all highly desirable as well.
Hmm, a mall or lifestyle center is important to me but I want to go back to 50,000 population. People is important because it brings in shopping centers, hospitals, and other urban amenities.
I think one thing that I have to have is a high population density of at the minimum of 10,000 per square mile at least in some portion of the city. If it is that high somewhere, the rest of the urban amenities that everyone posts here will come.
What is the 1thing in a city you must have? Could be a certain store, restaurant, church, a college or a certain college, certain geography, certain population, specific crime rates, certain demographic, etc....?
If I had to chose one thing for a city that is a must it is the need for at least 50,000 people to live within one city. If I could have two things then the city would be in a region of cool climate.
Cheap rent (i.e. under $500.00 for a studio/efficiency).
Cool Summers are my number one priority. I can put up with a lot of other things, or a lack of certain things, but having lived in the South all my life, I cannot stand the miserable summers. So any city I'd move to must have an average high temperature in July and August of no more than 75 or so, and lower than that would be ideal. After climate, my second necessity would be a city that is relatively easy to get around without a car.
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