Living closer to parents or somewhere prefer to live?

[800msprint]

Difficult one (and been doing my head for a number of years as well)
Narrowed down a few places we'd like to live in but this means an extra hour commute from my ageing parents.
The other option is to move closer to them. Where they live is very lovely (Suffolk) but I'm not 100% I want to live there. It may end up being Essex too as still need to get into London 1-2 week (thinking Manningtree, Hadleigh, Woodbridge)
I'm currently two hours away. The places we're considering moving to will add another hour.
I am an only so no other siblings to help if they need help later in life (currently mid 70s and fine but a bit creaky!) but I like spending time with mum so it's more that than thinking about issues when older.
But I also need to consider where I'd be most happy living. I'm just concerned I might find the area too quiet for me. What would you do?
(I will also add we do actually have enough money (just) to buy a bolthole in Suffolk so we could stay regularly but that still doesn't remove the fact I'll be 3 hours away normally.)
Oh and they won't move and I don't feel cross. They are happy and settled there so fair enough. I don't know anyone in the area as they moved there to retire there.

[JoJoSM2]

I’d live where I want to live and can commute from comfortably.

Your parents made their own choice as to where they want to live and are happy there.

As they get older, they might decide to move closer to you or they might just have other things in place like someone helping with shopping, meals on wheels, the cleaner doing the ironing etc to make their lives easier.