Town versus small city

[happyclapper]

I have already posted on aibu about our dilemma over whether we should move as the children would be upset.
Now I would really appreciate your thoughts on whether you think it is wise to move from a small house in a lovely town but the part we live in us not particularly nice. Lots of student accommodation on our road, litter, bit of a route for local drug addicts and homeless people. The new house is bigger and lovely and the immediate area is much, much nicer and more family orientated but the small city it is in has a reputation for being rough and isn't particularly nice.
Thoughts please.

Anyone think immediate vacinty more import than larger area?

Well, we have just moved to a big house at the not so nice end of the street with some social housing. Our house is lovely inside but it can be a bit depressing when you find cans of lager on your wall every day, and (middle class) dog walkers seem to find it acceptable to leave their pooh bags at this end of the street! So I have to constantly remind myself of why I moved as I see these things daily. You want to feel safe and like you can walk down the street at any time of night and day, and explaining to your children why there is vomit on the pavement is less than ideal.

If I could move to a house in a nicer immediate area I would love that as I seem to be quite affected by my local built environment.

I guess it depends on your personality....will you dwell on these things?

Is the small city very close to nicer areas where you might frequent or is it quite isolated. Does the area look like it is on the upturn?

I'm not sure if I've helped.....there's always a compromise isn't there? :)

Thanks Briony32 for the reply. Sorry for the delay but I had given up on a response.
The tricky thing is the town we are in now is really lovely but as we have lived here for such a long time we are bored with it and it is our immediate vanity that like you, we find a bit depressing.
My DP actually saw some kids dealing drugs quite openly in the afternoon in the park around the corner from our house which DS's use all the time. The police are aware that this goes on but it is so frequent they can't be there all the time.
New house seems much safer for DS's but the City itself had a bad reputation and isn't very aesthetically appealing but I guess you don't live in the town on a day to day basis.