No city, no problem: These gays say they are way happier living in the suburbs

Cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are strongholds for LGBTQ populations, but some gay guys say they’re happier as suburbanites than urbanites.

So we’ve gleaned, at least, from a thread on the topic in Reddit’s r/AskGayMen forum. The conversation kicked last month off after one user asked, “Why live in the suburbs or country as opposed to a city?”

“There’s no judgment in my question,” the original poster added. “I’m curious why so many LGBTQIA+ individuals live in the suburbs or the country as opposed to cities, which, in general, tend to be more inclusive.”

Related: Reddit users say these are the most underrated cities for gays

For one commenter, suburbs provide breathing room on a budget. “I can afford to own a home in the suburbs. Owning in the city is too expensive,” that person wrote. “I also like having my own dedicated parking spot in my own garage. I like the not-busy streets. I like driving to the grocery store and back. I like the quiet. I spend much of my free time at home playing video games. Once in a while, I get out and socialize. I drive to the city sometimes. I like to visit, but don’t want to live there 24/7.”

A neighbor to the north spoke along similar lines: “Our big cities in Canada have priced out even the average person renting their own apartment in the city or anywhere close to it. All the gays that moved to the city instead of saving and living in the suburbs are being squeezed out one by one unless [they] make significantly more than the average person.”

One commenter has seen both sides of the debate, saying he grew up in a rural area and later lived in a major metropolis. “There is a peace and quiet that can’t be recreated in the city,” that commenter wrote. “And while the convenience and plethora of things to do are great, having space and quiet is more important to me. I now live in a small suburb of Philadelphia known for Republicans and general unpleasantness to diverse folk. I can honestly say things can change. My town of [more than] 5,000 people raised a rainbow flag two years ago for Pride month. It’s a small gesture, but progress is not overnight.”

Related: Gay guys reveal whether or not they got to “live out their youth properly”

For another gay, the hubbub of the city is precisely the problem. “I can’t stand cities with all the loud cars, people, general noise, normally higher prices, and go-all-night nightlife,” he wrote. “I go into the city as little as humanly possible.”

And a different commenter said he and his husband found “plenty of options” for affordable homes 30 to 45 minutes outside of New York City. “Don’t really miss living in the city,” he wrote. “My town is fairly walkable (including a half-mile walk from the house to a train that goes direct into Manhattan), and it’s not like we were going out to gay bars, fancy restaurants, museums, and Broadway shows that often.”

Also happy to commute for downtown date nights was the Reddit user who said he and his partner bought a starter home 20 minutes away from the city core for less than what they previously spent on rent. “It’s quiet, we don’t have people breaking into our apartment or car constantly, [there’s] minimal risk of bed bugs or fire, we’ve never had to park three blocks away and hike through a blizzard because some a**hole parked in our spot, and we’re homebodies, so driving 20 minutes for the few times per month we hang out downtown is no big deal,” he wrote.

OK, but no one mentioned the access to chain restaurants? Do Cheddar Bay biscuits mean nothing anymore?!