- I grew up in a small town in upstate New York called Rhinebeck, which is about two hours north of New York City.
- This year, I moved to a small apartment in Brooklyn, New York City’s most populous borough – and it was definitely an adjustment.
- In Rhinebeck, I had to drive to go anywhere, but in Brooklyn, I walk or take the subway everywhere.
- At grocery stores upstate the lines are typically five minutes or less, but in Brooklyn, I’m always prepared for at least a 20-minute wait.
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I am from a small town in upstate New York called Rhinebeck. With a population of about 2,566, it definitely has a small town feel. The high school has about 400 students, so everyone knows one another well.
This year, I moved to Brooklyn for a new job in New York City. Brooklyn is NYC’s most populous borough, with a population of about 2.6 million and 36,732 people per square mile. Comparatively, Dutchess County, which encompasses the town of Rhinebeck, has just 374 people per square mile.
Adapting to the change from country to city has made me realize that traveling just two hours in New York state can make you feel like you’ve gone to a different world.
In Rhinebeck, my car was my mode of transportation, as I couldn’t get to town or to any stores without it. However, in Brooklyn, I don’t have a car, since I can walk or take the subway to anything I could ever need.
The convenience of living in a city does come with a catch - I have to wait a lot longer at places like the grocery store. The line at my local Trader Joe's is typically about a 20-minute wait, but if I go during a peak time, it's possible to be there much longer.
Take a look at all the ways that country and city life in New York state can be entirely different.
I grew up in a very old farmhouse with my mom and two brothers in Rhinebeck, New York.
My house in Rhinebeck was built in 1789 and has about 14 acres of farmland behind it.
It's a lot more spacious than my 600-square-foot apartment in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
Though the place is pretty small, I make it work!
According to the most recent US Census, Rhinebeck's county, Dutchess County, has about 374 people per square mile.
In Dutchess County, there are 121,158 housing units, according to the US Census Bureau.
Brooklyn has a much higher population density, with an estimated 36,732 people per square mile.
Brooklyn has about 1,053,767 housing units, according the latest US Census.
Not far from my home upstate, there are the beautiful Catskill mountains.
The Catskill Mountains are full of incredible hiking trails and waterfalls.
You won't see any mountains when you look up in Brooklyn, but there are plenty of tall buildings.
Though I enjoy the fact that there aren't as many skyscrapers in Brooklyn as there are in Manhattan.
In rural New York, my backyard was a large field, where we used to have a miniature horse and a retired Olympic horse.
Though our horses passed a few years ago, we still keep the fields mowed for our neighbor's horses, which I often see running around.
In the city, my "backyard" is a lot less green and a lot more concrete.
Like most apartments in New York City, mine doesn't come with any outdoor space.
In Rhinebeck, my house has room for dogs.
We have three dogs, one mutt named Maisie and two Bernese Mountain Dogs - Hugo, pictured above, and Jasper, who is not as skilled at posing.
But my apartment in Brooklyn does not allow pets.
Sadly, I can't have any pets at my apartment, but that probably helps my comforter stay as white as it looks here.
In Rhinebeck, I have to drive to get anywhere.
It would take me at least 30 minutes to walk to the nearest store from my house in Rhinebeck.
But in Brooklyn, the subway is my main mode of transportation.
Luckily, I only have to take the subway four stops to get from my apartment to my job.
It's pretty easy to find somewhere to park in Rhinebeck.
Though we get many more tourists now than when I was growing up, it's still fairly easy to find parking in Rhinebeck.
In Brooklyn, not so much.
I've only driven to my apartment once, when I was moving in, but parking was a nightmare.
Going to the grocery store in Rhinebeck is a breeze, and the lines are typically shorter than five minutes.
The stores are also far less crowded and it's unusual for them to run out of stock.
But at my local Trader Joe's in Brooklyn, I can expect to wait at least 20 minutes to check out.
If I go after work on a weekday, the wait can be 45 minutes or longer.
From mountains to streams, there's plenty of natural beauty to be found around Rhinebeck.
I feel very fortunate that I got to grow up around so many picturesque places.
Though there are some places to find greenery in Brooklyn, like Fort Greene Park.
Brooklyn does have some great parks, and Fort Greene Park is at the end of my block. The whole park is about 30 acres, which is quite spacious for New York City. Central Park, in comparison, is about 840 acres.
But there are beautiful places to go in both the city and upstate.
Blithewood, pictured above, is a state historic site at Bard College. I spent many beautiful summer days there with friends.
And honestly, I feel lucky that I've gotten to experience both.
Though there may not be as much natural beauty in New York City, there are still places to find it - you just have to look.
- Read more:
- I moved to the suburbs from the city, and I'll never move back. Here's why.
- I moved from a town of 8,000 people to New York City - here are 10 things I do and don't miss about small-town life
- I moved from Canada to the UK 7 years ago, and while I love London, I can see why Meghan Markle prefers my home country
- I just moved to New York City after living in London for a year - here's what I miss most about living across the pond