I tried suburban living for 3 years and was miserable. I'm back to city life and never looking back.

Sun, 09/08/2024 - 05:44

The author collaged with LA and a suburban house/ — Randall Galbreath moved to the suburbs in 2021 and soon realized he was miserable. Moving back to a big city helped him find joy again.
Image courtesy of Randall Galbreath; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI; Getty Images

Randall Galbreath and his partner moved to the suburbs in 2021 for more space and a shorter commute.
The car-dependent culture of the suburbs and the gloomy weather made him miserable.
Moving to LA and being able to enjoy the beach and outdoors has improved his mental health.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Randall Galbreath, a 33-year-old who moved with his partner from Chicago to the suburbs, before relocating to Los Angeles. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

My partner, Braden, and I got our first apartment together in July 2020: a one-bedroom in Chicago's Uptown.