No winning between rural and urban environments

Both options are uninhabitable in some form.

Live in sparse population to be around natrure, avoid consumption-based culture and 'rat race'. Enjoy quiet and solitude. Unfortunately you will have to consume gas and own your own transportation to go anywhere, socialize, or gather supplies. Unless you somehow have an active local community you can walk to, and are homesteading to live off your land and self-sustain, then moving to the country is just a form of isolating yourself from the things you need.

Live in densely populated areas, take public transportation. Some distances can be walked or biked. Less likely to be lonely, having access to people other than one's neighbors. Although associated with higher costs of living, specifically rent. More pollution and overall risks to physical health, mental health, and the environment.

I know rural and urban areas come on a spectrum and that everywhere can be different. This is a subjective rant about my burnout from finding a place to live that will improve my quality of life. The older I get, the more it seems too much to ask.