Now that I have houses, I find that I spend more time in Whiterun and Falkreath (my one outside Morthal is pretty boring, but I do have a good greenhouse and garden there). For shopping and selling, Whiterun all the way, but, for a wonderful home for myself and my family... Lakeview Manor all the way. So far I haven't run in to bandits, wolves or bears there (at least not close to the house). The only annoying things are the conjurer at the bottom of the hill (but I can solve that on a weekly basis by knocking her off and she doesn't respawn for 10 days). The blood dragons that keep dropping dead at my doorstep (no kills, but I keep getting gold and bones) and the pair of bandits on the road in to falkreath (although, again, as long as I get rid of them once a week, it's never a big problem).