I mean besides issues like climate or geography I think cities like Chicago, Minneapolis or even college towns like Madison or Ann Arbor certainly offer a lot m

I mean besides issues like climate or geography I think cities like Chicago, Minneapolis or even college towns like Madison or Ann Arbor certainly offer a lot more than "a grey/beige house in a suburb" or "strip malls and big box stores." This is from someone who's lived in these places in the midwest as well as in San Francisco.