There are many benefits to living out of town as well as in town…
(dont stone me for saying there are benefits to living out of town!!)
Questions to ask yourself (this can limit the locations):
1)how big of a community do you need/want?
2)Do you need restaurants, pizza stores and only-kosher stores? if so, how many do you need?
3) Do you mind not knowing your neighbors? Are you the type to want to know a large portion of those who live around you?
4)Do you want east coast, West Coast, or somewhere in-between? (I assume in USA)
5) Are you origionaly from NY? (I only ask because your title is “in town vs out of town” rather than “NY vs elsewhere…) Do you want to live there or not?
6)How many choices of day schools and high schools do you want? LA has several, Chicago has some, NY has so many that it can be confusing…
7) What type of profession/job do you/your spouse have? teaching? Then you would need many choices of schools. Law? make sure that he/she can pass the bar exam that applies to that area. (Many states use the same or similar tests while others are very different)
8)Special Needs? Medical needs? Make sure there are sufficient resources.
9)What “type” are you? (I hate “typing” people but here it can be important and overlooked) Chasidish? Chabad? Yeshivish? Sephardic? MO? That may limit your choices to communities that have larger populations of these types…
These are a few questions that may lead you to a closer answer. Hatzlacha!