Not a "younger person" here, but I don't want a life of car dependency and social isolation either. But small town life (ours has pop. around 5000-ish) is pret

Not a "younger person" here, but I don't want a life of car dependency and social isolation either. But small town life (ours has pop. around 5000-ish) is pretty good! We have the high street (and a modest-sized supermarket) within 10 minutes walk, a variety of community activities to be involved in, and nature (including protected reserves) pretty much on our doorstep. And most days, the car doesn't leave the driveway. The area isn't "depopulating rapidly", like many more remote rural areas; the challenge, rather, is to manage growth such that the community is not overwhelmed by it.