Sure, maybe nice to live in... how about a job so you can afford to live there?
Pretty sure Mayberry (that sort of town) doesn't have many $100k+ jobs around.
See that's your problem....there aren't 2 choices....NYC or Mayberry.
That's been dead for a 100 years.
I've never lived as an adult in a major metropolitan area, but in what I term "normal city"....mostly in the SE of the US.
I've worked in IT for most all of it...various things, lead DBA, some sys admin Linux....etc.
I've made well into the 6 figures area and lived in areas where there was plenty to do, cost of living was more than reasonable....and great folks to live with a next door to....
Nothing remotely resembling "Mayberry" nor anything remotely rural....but nothing urban either.
And around here, making $133K+ can buy you a nice house and a pretty sweet life.