Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in?
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
The assertion that small towns are preferable to big cities. Reasons offered in support of this statement are that small towns are safer, more family-friendly, and have better job opportunities. However, given the current political climate, I would hesitate to move to a small town as I believe that all safety in the world would not prevent gun violence and mass shootings from taking place. While small towns may offer a lower number of murders than large cities, they are also likely to be less safe overall due to smaller police departments, less land for patrols, and an overall lack of resources. A small town may offer safer streets, but violent crime is likely to occur regardless of where it is.
In recent years, there has been a growing sentiment that small towns are safer than large cities due to residents being more acquainted, and therefore able to watch out for each other. However, statistics do not support this notion. While large cities may have higher crime rates, they do so because of population size. For example, New York City has one of the highest murder rates in the nation. However, with a population of over 8.8 million people, there are just more people to potentially commit a crime. For example, if 100,000 people live in a medium-sized town, there are 20 times the ratio of potential criminals as there are in a city with a population of 300,000. Similarly, while large cities may appear to have higher crime rates, statistics indicate that large cities have larger police forces that are able to respond to calls more quickly and efficiently. Additionally, statistics indicate that cities with larger populations are more likely to have SWAT teams, which are specifically designed for high-risk situations, than small towns. However, small towns are less likely to have these resources, and thus more crime will occur there.
The assertion also asserts that small towns offer a more family-friendly environment. While this is true, not all families would agree with this statement. While some families enjoy living in a small town, others prefer to live in a big city so they can have access to more entertainment and dining options. For example, families in New York City are within driving distance of Broadway shows, Central Park, museums, zoos, and other attractions that are present in big cities nationwide. Cities also offer a variety of employment opportunities, while small towns often rely on local businesses. However, the statement fails to mention that if a family has children, it is possible that both parents work, and they may find it difficult to get out of the house and explore a small town. In addition, small towns often have few options for restaurants, and many families do not want to have to drive long distances to find food.
If the statement believes that small towns offer superior employment opportunities, he may be mistaken. While large cities may offer more lucrative opportunities, this may not be true in all fields. For example, many large companies, such as Facebook and Google, have campuses in large cities, which attract the best engineers. In contrast, small businesses are typically located in small towns, and this limits the number of jobs available. In addition, while large cities may have more Fortune 500 companies, small companies are more likely to employ local residents. The assertion may also believe that small towns are immune to political turmoil, but this may not be true. For example, in the last presidential election, many small towns in Pennsylvania that supported Trump became inundated with anti-Trump protesters. This disrupted daily life in the area and resulted in numerous arrests.
Thus, although small towns may offer certain benefits, they are not as safe as large cities. However, large cities are not completely safe either. Regardless of where one chooses to reside, there is always the possibility of becoming the victim of a crime.