[jsmcgd]

Living close together does not seem to be optimal for mental health. Quite the opposite. Physical proximity to other humans is not the same thing as community. One can be very alone and feel anxious whilst been surrounded by other humans.

[klardotsh]

Absolutely this. I was a huge fan of living in cities ages 18-24ish (Chicago, Vancouver, Seattle) and couldn't picture myself elsewhere - but the pandemic, my own mental health, and just generally a desire in life to be at peace while the world around me gets crazier, drove me out to the woods and (soon, for a change of pace) the sea. I have a few close friends I see when I need in-person interaction, I volunteer with an important education-adjacent org when I need to feel connected to a deeper cause and community, and otherwise, I am so tired of constantly having to hear other humans, be subjected to unending car pollution (air quality and the less-discussed one: tire and engine noise pollution), pay exorbitant and extortionate rent, and many of the other concerns that come from living in dense places.

There's no right answer for everyone. Some folks will only thrive in one environment or the other, and that's fine. But as for me? You'll catch me continuing to peruse listings for acreage in far-flung places where I can be left alone.

[biomcgary]

Almost all mammals studied (and other vertebrates too) show stress (e.g., elevated cortisol levels, abnormally aggressive behavior) when exposed to high population density. This is true even when the population density is faked (e.g., studies placing pictures of con-specifics in the wild or playing animal sounds).

Obviously, there is also a lower bound for density, too (gotta find a mate). I think this explains why young people like cities, but once a person has a mate and progeny they move suburban or rural.

[brnt]

Close together != closer together. People usually don't deal well with isolation as proximity. It is thus not opposite, but a function with a personal optimum. I can certainly see how for some people some more proximity would be instructive and thus beneficial for them.