How long before you can say you lived somewhere?

I think three months is a safe bet. I studied in Milwaukee for six weeks, but I wouldn’t say I lived there.

I’ve lived in South Africa for a month and a half or so – that’s the shortest I’ve lived anywhere but it counts to me, because I got to know the area, the food, the locals, the night clubs and developed friendships.

Depends on what the local law says.

Personally if I live somewhere long enough to collect a paycheck, I have lived there.

I think it has more to do with what your were doing. If you were on vacation or just passing through than I wouldn’t say, I lived there. But if it was a temporary stay because you wasn’t sure when you would be somewhere else (work related, military deployement, volunteer work ) then I would say I lived there. Oh, and you aren’t listed under any other current address.

I’m going with @Pandora‘s answer: If you have no other address.

For the purpose of this question, pretend you are mentioning it in convo.

I think it’s as much how you relate to the location as it is the length of time.

I stayed at a rented cottage in the mountains on retreat for six weeks, and I say that I lived in the cottage for that length of time. I settled in, bought groceries, cooked and kept house there, received a newspaper, received mail, and went about the community like a local: shopped at the hardware store, attended local events, filled prescriptions at the drugstore.

If I had spent those six weeks at a seaside resort, say, or in a hotel anywhere, I would say I stayed there, but not that I lived there.

Whenever my husband and I come back to this same cottage (where I am right now, as a matter of fact), we stay for a week. We live here for a week, groceries and Kleenex and computer tables and place mats and all.

I think this is a GQ because I’ve been wondering this myself for a while now…

For me personally (you others don’t have to agree!) I think it will be when I have taken residence in a place and have no plan for, or intention of, moving elsewhere. When I travel, even if I am in a place for a while, I have always considered it temporary. I plan on doing the Peace Corps soon, and even after spending 2 years in a country, I don’t think I’ll be comfortable telling people I lived there…unless I like it a lot and decide to stay.

I know some people are more cavalier about their definition of “live”, and that doesn’t bother me at all.

256 days three hours and 56 seconds.

i believe it is your intent and depth of your heart. Hotel as alot to do with it. Since YOU BOUGHT that house, that is definitely lived there. you settled in.

The peace corps thing, is heart and intent, but your intent is to bring gifts to those who live there. Not to dwell in their lifestyle just for the heck of it.

You are living somewhere when you are known at at least a few local joints, know some people and are associated with a local group activity or association of some variety. Time really doesn’t matter.

If you receive mail there, (old fashion – if you have a phone there), if you have no other address.

If all of your belongings are there, and you sleep there. You can say you live there. Thats what the police told me anyways.

Right out of college we rented a house and lived there for six weeks, threw away all the boxes, and then the landlord sold the house. It was crap in my book, but I still say we lived in that town even though we barely made it 2 months.