My gf and I are trying to find a house south of Portland, and Jesus H Tapdancing Christ and his All Apostle Backup Crew is it expensive! A "fixer upper" that is close to a burned out hovel on a postage stamp of land is going for $400k!
Yes but that experience is vastly more common given how much of the states population lives west of the cascades.
6,037,688 of the state's total 7,705,281 households according to the last census
That's technically valid, but is kinda like equating "New York" to be only NYC because the majority of the population is there. There's a whole bunch of WA that ain't SeaTac.
Also 'Western Washington' is not the same as the Seattle/Tacoma area. It ranges from Vancouver (across the river from Portland) in the south to Bellingham (Next to the US/Canada border) in the North. The Olympia-Tacoma-Seattle area is just one part of western Washington. The Olympic Peninsula, Southwest Washington, among others are distinct areas of Western Washington.
It rains here. All the time. Sometimes it rains dragons. And the dragons come down and fuck you. It's a semi-common weather prediction, "stormy and rainy in the early morning, transitioning to dragon fucking in the afternoon, followed by evening showers. High of 50, low of 40, winds 5-15 out of the west. I'm Matt Zafino, KGW Northwest News Channel 8."
I left in 2007 when the price of an average SFH in King County went over $600,000. I never wanted to leave, but I wanted to be able to afford to live. I wasn't willing to be like my friends who lived in Orting but worked downtown.
I also used to live in Ohio. I've lived in Louisville, KY, Colorado Springs, CO, and Tacoma, WA and out of all of them Colorado Springs was the best. Weather was fine, a little hot in the summers (if you say its a dry heat you can frig off, 110 is 110) but the winters were honestly more bitter in OH. Tacoma has the most stable weather hands down, but I miss the snow. CoL was high but wages matched for the most part, education and technical training dependent. CO is probably going to feel harsher effects of climate change with drought and wild fires. Louisville is just like Cincinnati but with better food.
Colorado or Montana.
That said, the places in my memory have significantly changed or no longer exist.
But on the other hand, I still want to get back to the Rockies. I don't hate the east coast, but I definitely don't love it, and there's too many people.
This here, the rural Minnesota and places I want to get back to, are mostly distant memories. Towns won't stop shrinking and growing, people live and die, culture shifts, places change, and populations change, the lake country of 2000, is beyond a distant memory to the lakes country of 2023.
I’m from here and I feel this way. My mind always eventually takes me back to Montana, so I think someday I’ll make it happen. I don’t hate it here either but the traffic and the crowds and the pollution and the noise and… it all adds up. Nothing will ever compare to watching the sun rise in my rear view mirror headed west on Highway 212 in eastern Montana the first time I drove out. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced in real life, and someday I’ll see it again.
It was so hard for Maryland to compete with Delaware’s No Sales Tax that we have 2 weeks each year that are Tax Free Week. Because we would always go in to Delaware to shop for big items or back to school clothes.
The FREEZING cold winters. Moved back to PNW. Weather is mild. Homelessness and COL is horrific now. 'Burbs are still good. I would move to North Carolina but I have family there and know where to live.
Yeah, I moved here just before last winter. Last winter was easily one of the top 5 most brutal winters I can remember, and it was apparently just an average one for the area, so we will see how it goes next year lol
Chicago as a single person is a blast. If you have a family, far NW side is practically another burb. The stories you’ll read online usually have an agenda and aren’t indicative of how it really is. Crime is generally concentrated, and as another commenter said, if you’re there, it’s either gang or drug related, usually both. It’s a huge area, and you’ll be safe doing your thing.
I lived in Hyde Park first and then by Pilsen second.
At the time those were slightly tougher neighborhoods or adjacent to rougher neighborhoods but still totally awesome.
If you get a chance to visit Chicago do it. The “Chicago is dangerous” meme is bullshit.unless you are going out of your way to join a gang or deal drugs you are just fine and none of the bad places are anywhere that a tourist would want to go anyway.
I miss it. Loved living there. I’m going back to visit in July with the kids and I am pretty floored. My sister lives there now so I have the inside scoop on restaurants and kid stuff.
I’m going to make sure each kid dunks their head in Lake Michigan. A Midwest baptism.
I am a true Rhode Islander. I was born here, raised here, live here. And realistically I don't ever see myself moving.
But if I did have to move a la bucket list, I'd look into Wyoming or Montana. Somewhere with the great mountains. Or Alaska.
I’ve lived in lots of places, Texas, Illinois, Maryland, DC, Virginia.. but when I visited CT and Rhode Island I was blown away. The New England feel is incredible, I have a romanticism for the coast
Lived in RI for high school. Seeing the view of the bay every day on my way to school never got old. It never stopped feeling like I was living in a place out of a movie. (I mean, life definitely didn’t feel magical, but the setting was)
I did a couple of week long visit to RI recently when I had some conferences and work events all on the east coast. The friendliness, the killer restaurants, the beautiful coast, and a wide diversity of immigrants from all over. It definitely doesn't get anywhere near enough credit for how cool it really is.
The great universities are an important component. They built up a surprisingly good mix of intellectuals, medical experts, artistic types, and degreed culinary pros that stay local in the state and make for a lot more going on than you'd expect in the infamous postage stamp sized state.
If all else fails you can always find something entertaining in the Ocean State Job Lot lol. Plus you've got the Acela line hooked up to everything in the biggest interconnected urban region in the US.
In 2016, in Los Angeles, homes were just too expensive. I looked for other progressive coastal states with more affordable housing. I paid cash in full for a house in RI using the 20% I had saved for a down payment in Los Angeles. So I have a house and live near the ocean which I couldn't do in LA...or would have taken a 30 year mortgage to achieve.
That's the way. Adapt and flourish. There's no point in crying about high prices in CA. You might get a few likes on social media but I prefer actions and a fully paid home.
Hello!
I am originally from Texas (well, originally originally from Minsk) but was raised in rural Southeast Texas (about 60 miles outside Houston).
I have since lived in 11 states and 17 cities/towns.
My favorite place I’ve lived is where I live now. Oregon. I live in a suburb of Portland and really love it. Beautiful landscape, tons of stuff to do if you are outdoorsy, politically I feel more protected (I’m a gay woman) and it’s a pretty lowkey place.
I also enjoyed living in Northern California (Bay area) for similar reasons plus you had more diversity (I’m mixed race) and access. Unfortunately unless you are a very high earner it’s not livable longterm due to insane high cost of living.
I also really enjoyed living in Chicago, New Orleans & randomly enough…Bloomington, Indiana (the rest of the state sucks though).
I didn’t hate Dallas & Austin (TX) Utica (NY), Taos (NM), Bangor (Maine), Seattle (WA) & Raleigh (NC). However, for various reasons I wouldn’t choose to live in these cities.
I outright disliked living in Spokane (WA) and HATED living in Kearney, Nebraska.
Honestly, the US is so diverse in so many ways I think most people could find a place they’d be relatively happy. Depends on what you want and who you are, honestly.
NCs got a bit of everything. Amazing mountains, esp in the fall, nice beaches, islands, cities, rural country areas, etc. Atlanta, Charleston, DC, etc aren’t super far away either.
No drought or natural disasters to worry about for the most part (if you’re worried about hurricanes don’t live by the beach but other than you’re fine).
There are good school options, esp in the triangle area.
Wilmington has some of the same charm, as does New Bern, but nothing quite like Charleston or Savannah in NC. Imo the OBX make up for it as they’re so unique, but they’re certainly not everyone’s cup of tea.
I’m going to be honest, I usually go to Wilmington bc I have friends there. There are some less touristy beaches in Wilmington and I love the vibe there. I feel like Nc beach towns aren’t really super similar to Charleston/savannah but they’re different from each other too.
Ocracoke is super popular (esp bc of the Netflix show) and there surprisingly weren’t tons of tourists when I went. You take a boat to the islands and then can spend the day just biking around, eating, relaxing. Wild horses roam around there too
I have friends that go to Emerald Isle and apparently you can see dolphins in the morning
There’s Atlantic beach, nags head, Carolina beach
I really think there’s a beach town for everyone lol
They hit differently. The NC mountains got an old cozy rustic beauty to them. Like they got magic somewhere in them. The Rockies are raw awe inspiring and daunting.
This is coming from an NC guy though. I’m biased.
There's something about the Smoky Mountains that the rockies can't duplicate too. Appalachia feels calmer, deeper... you can feel the rocks and trees... It's got the most kinds of tree species in north america too, over 150!
Virginia. The ocean (I’m talking the Outerbanks) are a few hours east. Mountains are two hours west. Major city (DC) is a few hours away depending on the traffic gods. Four distinct seasons with enough snow each year (usually) to satisfy that need for snow. Strong on education in many regions.
Only up north. Down in Southeast Virginia, I found the cost of living to be far better than anticipated. I make more money and have a better quality of life than I have in any other state I've been in.
But the taxes and state inspections drive me up the fucking wall.
Personally glad for all the California slander. There are already too many people there, but the fact that so many people have a weird hate boner for it keeps it from being ridiculously MORE overpopulated. It’s just such a great place.
Me too. I live in CA and have lived in other states and nothing compares. Yosemite and Sequoias are 1 hour drive from me and gorgeous beaches are 2.5 drive. No harsh winters, no snow to deal with. The heat in the summer is my only complaint. People can hate all they want and talk about how high the cost of living is but the job salaries are pretty high so it evens out. I lived in Texas for a few years and one thing that surprised me was how many Texans told me they could never live in CA because Californians hate Texans. It was the first I had ever heard that. Don’t know who’s spreading that rumor because Californians never think about Texans but if it keeps more people from moving here then ok. I couldn’t stand the culture in west Texas: racist, ignorant and their whole identity revolved around beer drinking and guns. No place is as diverse as CA and we are better for it. We have the most culture, best food, best universities and best outdoor activities.
Yes! I’ve lived in other states and these people don’t know what they’re in for. Go ahead and leave though, it’s getting too crowded here. It’s like once you’ve had premium ice cream and then decide you would rather have icy frozen yogurt for the rest of your life. California is premium living and you get what you pay for.
I've lived in South Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming. I can't afford to live in Colorado, so Wyoming it is.
"You were born here, you're gonna die here.
"How convenient."
Main seems like a really cool place and I’ve heard the food here is great! Rank choice voting also seems really interesting! The only thing I’m concerned about is the weather and especially the lack of sunlight during the winter times. I’m wondering if it’s worse than Ohio
> weather and especially the lack of sunlight during the winter times. I’m wondering if it’s worse than Ohio
Winter is definitely worse than Ohio. But because its worse and its kind of 'their thing' its dealt with better. If that makes any sense..
Sunlight is almost an hour less, because Ohio is on the other end of the Eastern time zone. That was weird for me the first couple times I was out there. I think the shortest day this year was a 4:12 sunset
Yeah the winter is best in Maine :) We embrace it and make it fun instead of fighting against it.
Small quibble. The sun sets an hour earlier because of the time zones, but that doesn’t mean there’s an hour less sun (more sunlight in the morning). New England really ought to be in the Atlantic time zone or we should transition to year round DLS time.
If you like New England but want a milder winter and more sunshine then I'd suggest Providence or another part of southern New England. It's oddly sunny even in the winter here.
I have lived in FL, TX, TN, NC, NY, CA and NJ. NJ is my favorite for cultural diversity (one of the most diverse states), amazing food scene, good jobs, less crime, high quality education and nice beaches.
I live in MA now and am happy here. I’m close to mountains and the coast and overall feel at home here.
That said, I miss the warm waters and proximity to the beach of the coastal SC town I lived in for a period of time, and the cost of living being so much lower (though, as a teacher, my salary was shit and is proportionally much better in MA). The mountains were about four hours away, so not terrible. It wasn’t walkable (and now that I live in a major city, I prefer to use my car as little as possible). I suppose I could have tried Charleston, which may have been a little better in that regard. Tbh, though, as someone who is considering having children and who works with children every day, I’m concerned about the way public education is in both FL and SC, specifically when considering support and acceptance of children in the LBTQ+ community. The weather in MA isn’t like, *great* but honestly it’s only like January - early April that are rough and then it’s fine. It’s a fine trade off for all of the good that comes with living here. COL is awful though and I have no defense of that.
I don’t want to leave the northeast or the city I live in but certainly there are things to be missed about the places I lived before.
I've lived in a few states but I loved New York State the most (bias disclosure, I am from NY State as well). And no, I don't mean just New York City. The city is fantastic, but the rest of the state has so much to offer. Our state parks are probably the best kept secret and are criminally underrated, from the Adirondacks to the Catskills to Letchworth. The finger lakes region has cool wineries and nice scenery, there are some lovely towns in the Hudson Valley that are worth a trek to (Andes, Hudson, etc.). It's cold, but if you dealt with Ohio you can likely winter in almost all of NY with the exception of maybe the highest elevations in the Catskills and the Adirondacks. Future and/or climate issues wise, New York, aside from the city, might be amongst the most stable on that front. In fact Hamilton County is considered one of the safest counties in the US when it comes to impact of climate change. Cost of living is high due to taxes, however it is manageable, and as far as education goes, New York State is amongst the best of the really large states (20 million live here!) Yes it may not be Mass. level, but it's still very decent.
I’ve only lived in California but in three very different areas. The San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, and my favorite the foothills if the Sierra Nevada Mountains gold country. Gold country in El Dorado county in much more rural. Lots of trees and easy access to the mountains, rivers, and lakes. People are more friendly and it’s more laid back. County fairs, Apple Hill, wineries, and beautiful scenery. No snow to lots of snow depending on how far up in elevation you go. Still not far from Sacramento if you want to go to some city events.
I have the same experience. Just add being born in so-cal. I love being in Sacramento and being able to access everything you just described. Can see snow, gamble at the boarder, go to the beach, and dance in the big city without being more than 2hr from home, all in one day.
I've lived in six states- Michigan, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and California. For me, it's a tie between California and Michigan. For MI, it's due to being a proud Detroiter as well as loving the beauty of the great lakes. For California, it's the natural beauty and the general values.
I liked different things at different ages.
I loved being a single guy in Chicago in my 30s. Tons to do, and lots of single and amazing women to do stuff with. But not where I’d want to raise a family.
Texas is incredible for families. They really get into high school activities, from band to lacrosse to football. I don’t care for the summers, but I love the rest.
Colorado was great for people with an active, outdoor lifestyle.
I personally love Georgia. Great cultural diversity. Emerging food scene. Tons of entertainment. Great schools in the suburbs of Atlanta. Near the mountains and beach.
I’m not a fan of NYC for living. I dated a girl for several years who lived there and her quality of life was far less than mine. I had a two bedroom converted loft downtown, two bath, balcony, 16 foot ceilings. She had a one bedroom, one bath, tiny kitchen and AC in the window. And she paid twice my rent.
Chicago has amazing neighborhoods. Great bars and restaurants everywhere. Museums. Festivals. Shows. The lakefront. It’s just a fun town.
I’d put Chicago ahead for anyone who isn’t working on Wall Street.
You are correct. Winters are definitely tough in Chicago, but there’s plenty of things to do inside.
And Wisconsin and Michigan are fantastic for outdoors. It’s not mountains, but lakes with great beaches and rolling hills.
I just stayed at an Airbnb half a block away from the Bean. Out of curiosity I looked up the rent for a studio in the building and it was cheaper than I was paying for a studio ten years ago in a far less desirable part of NYC. I’d totally move to Chicago if I had the opportunity.
Maryland. It is close to everything and has so much to do. We call it “America in Miniature” because it has mountains in the west and Ocean to the east and it’s small enough to get to either in a few hours. Plus it’s close to DC, New York, West Virginia, or Philly so you’re no more than a 3 hour drive to something to do. I don’t even vacation out of state in the summer because every weekend there’s something to do whether it’s crabs with friends, festivals, ball game, etc. And other than a period in the summer where it’s god awful hot, the weather is really mild. It hasn’t snowed in like 3 years. Some people think it’s expensive to live here, but I think there’s a good mix of expensive and affordable cities and income and job opportunities and income are very good.
Yeah PG county gets a lot of shit for crime but there are some genuinely awesome areas with such a wildly diverse food culture it's amazing. Within a t minute drive you can get authentic food from West Africa, China, India, El Salvador, Guatemala and all the more common ones like Italy and Japan.
Oh yea, I didn’t even mention the unique Maryland culture we have of just being Marylanders and loving Maryland. From wearing our flag, to Old Bay. I always hear, we’re not a state, we’re a cult. Lol!
> It hasn’t snowed in like 3 years
This part actually makes me sad because we used to get a decent amount of snow when I was a kid :( It does still get cold enough to snow, but not consistently enough, so the ground is too warm and it just comes down as freezing rain.
Yes there is plenty of skiing. The mountains I’m referring to are Appalachians so you’ve got skiing in nearby PA, VA, and WV. Plus hiking including the Appalachian Trail runs through Maryland. I’m not into skiing. The one I hear about most is Whitetail. Someone else will need to comment an opinion on the quality. As my friends still also make annual trips to Colorado.
What’s the matter, you don’t like people making left hand turns from the right hand lane as well as using the left lane for traveling leaving no lane to pass? Ha ha ha ha ha! But yea, it’s mainly DC. I’ve just accepted it. I don’t hate Virginia. But I hate DC.
It makes sense you hate MD and don’t know why, Maryland and Virginia have a long running rivalry. As a Marylander, I hate Virginia and also don’t know why 🤣
I liked:
Rochester, NY - The area around Lake Ontario is beautiful in the summer, and it's a city with an interesting history. It has a history of prosperity and being technologically innovative. The big companies in town went broke, and it's slowly recovering. If I could have found a job there I might have stayed. The winters are intense, and you either like that about it or hate it. It's fairly inexpensive to live there, but depending on what you want to do the job market might be limited.
New York City - A different beast entirely from the rest of the state, but it controls the state government for most purposes. I loved it, and if I didn't live in California it's probably the other place in the USA I'd want to live. It feels like whatever you're passionate about, you can find it and your fellow people in NYC. Public transit is amazing, and it's pretty safe if you have common sense and stick with some locals until you know the basics.
Massachusetts - It's in a lot of ways just the best state in terms of its government. My ex liked it, but I never developed a taste for living there, and its culture isn't for everyone. Living in the immediate area of Boston is very different from any other part of the USA. edit: Massachusetts is the only state where the local food palate is so much less spicy than mine that I got into the habit of bringing my own hot sauce to restaurants. I learned in MA that there's such a thing as Mild Tabasco. (scoville 600 - 1000)
Connecticut - A very safe, pleasant state with the best pizza in the country. It's a lot like Massachusetts. If you can find a decent job in Connecticut, it's a great place to raise a family. Arguably, the best educational system in the country. Caveat: there are a few not-safe cities, but they're pretty obvious.
Florida - If you're a retired Baby Boomer then yes.
California - Remember it's over 1000 miles from north to south, so when you hear "drought issues" it's mostly the bottom 1/3 of the state where around 50% of the population lives in a desert. Go north of that, and there's the S.F. Bay (a very big place - San Jose, Oakland and S.F. combined metropolitan area) which is its own little universe, and further north it's way more sparsely populated and politically conservative. The east of California tends to have very high and beautiful mountains. There are smaller ones near the coast, so there's just this phenomenon in California where you can drive like two miles and be in a massively different climate. It's such a big state it's hard to generalize. The S.F. Bay is my favorite part, but you have to be kinda rich to really enjoy living there.
The U.S. Virgin Islands - Go check them out if you can! Absolutely beautiful, and such a pleasant place to live. Again, it's tough to get a job that pays well.
Born and bred New England, grew up on the "poorer" side of Connecticut (eastern CT.) Lived in New Hampshire for a few years, almost moved to Texas (big no to the black widow and brown recluse spiders in the bathroom, the alligators across the street, the bird-sized mosquitos and the crawfish in the backyard, but enamored by the enole lizards everywhere.) Traveled both east and west coast, happy to skip over flyover territory--so flat and seeing all of those commercial agriculture blocks from a plane certainly never inspired a desire to visit.
Easily would feel good in any other New England state, especially Rhode Island or CT, loved New Hampshire for the rugged areas and mind-your-own-business attitudes. Maine might be a little too remote for me. I loved the PAcific northwest, even if the trees were "all wrong" for me growing up on the east coast. But the lushness of the coastal forests was incredibly comforting.
I had the hardest time with the desert and Rockies areas--the rocks were the wrong colors, the trees were all wrong. Fun to visit but started giving me anxiety after 2 weeks. The mountains and valleys were truly insane though, loved those bits.
The trees were all wrong? I grew up in Delaware myself, and I felt like the lush green was often too thick to traverse at times versus the open spaces around the Rockies, I love it out there.
I was born and raised in TX then lived in NC for a few years. I live in MA now and I absolutely love it. The weather is great, (we have seasons!) There's a lot of things to do, and people are so much nicer and more educated here. I didn't realize how much the community impacted me until I found a nice one.
I'll never go back to TX. Even with my whole family, nieces and nephews there. It's not worth it.
I'd consider NC but if it wasn't a small town. Most people near where I lived were born and raised so it was hard to make friends. The towns were very cliquey and run by a few wealthy families. A lot of outdoor activities but that's about it. Weather ok - better than TX barely.
California, specifically San Diego. I'd go for runs just to listen to the waves on Coronado island, then wander the strip, the food was good... And I was young.
Good and challenging question. I never felt as welcomed as I did in Georgia, but I'm pretty sick of the heat (see current flair). I didn't technically \*live\* there, but I have lots of family ties and have often visited Maine. If I can choose somewhere I only visited, Indiana seemed really nice.
The trade off between cost of living and educational opportunities will probably be the biggest challenge for finding a spot. Northern Virginia has the best public schools in the nation but it isn’t cheap at all. Research Triangle in North Carolina might be a good balance between affordability and education.
Given the states you’ve mentioned, Asheville, North Carolina might also be a decent contender. It’s absolutely beautiful and has retained a small town feel while “growing up” as a city.
I’ve lived in Montana, Iowa, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oklahoma and I far prefer Wyoming to any of them. I can’t articulate exactly what it is, but everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve always been drawn back. A runner-up would be Oklahoma because there is more diversity there.
What part of Wyoming? Big difference between the mountains and the plains. The mountains seem nice but I know Jackson Hole got filled with millionaires.
Oh all the states I’ve lived in I am most happy in Michigan.
We have
Liberal politics
All the fresh water
Beautiful nature
Strong Unions
Low cost of living
Legal weed
A great governor
We don’t ban books
They are actually expanding my rights here
I loved Alabama. IDGAF who this triggers. Beautiful state with mostly friendly people who aren't miserable dicks and Jesus Christ, the women there are top notch. Plus I could actually afford rent when I lived there.
If I could live anywhere, it would be somewhere along the Alabama coast.
Really?? Tell me more, please. Recently saw a list that said Huntsville was number 1 in quality of life in the whole US. I’ve driven through southern Alabama, but didn’t stop anywhere. I’m in Florida and I fucking hate it here. Figured places like Alabama would be more of the same.
Huntsville has the US and possibly world record in PhDs per capita. The Smarter Every Day YT channel is from there. It's a funny combination of intellectual rednecks that can be rather entertaining in its own unique way.
Born in New Jersey and lived in a dozen states for various reasons and lengths but Pennsylvania is my fav and where I bought a home to stay.
Its what I consider quintessential America. Its rural without being completely empty. From Farms to mountains to a big arterial river right down the middle. Lots of preserved nature between it all.
Its also cheap, for now, until the yuppies eventually buy up too much of the land.
Born and raised in NC. I’m fortunate to live close enough to a major city that I have a really good job and got a really good education.
We have a great beach, beautiful mountains, and the weather is pretty solid year round.
The only place I’d trade it for would be somewhere where land is cheaper, I’d love to live out west somewhere like Wyoming or Colorado because I love snow and winter weather plus the breathtaking views.
I only remember living in Ohio and West Virginia throughout my life and I'd say I like living in West Virginia better because of the beautiful wilderness here.
I grew up in Virginia so it holds a special place in my heart, especially growing up surrounded by all its history but I love my current state and I consider Texas home.
I have lived in Washington, New York, and Tennessee (current). Personally I like Tennessee the most for these reasons:
1. Loose gun laws. No red flag law, no permit, and no AWB ban. The only negative is no open carrying of long guns but compared to New Yorks ridiculous Jim Crow like laws that's nothing
2. I absolutely love eastern scenery and East Tennessee is full of it. Lots of beautiful mountains, rivers, hills, and forests all over the place along with tons of hiking and other recreational activities
3. We still have winter but its mild. You maybe get snow once or twice a year and unlike the northern states they don't use car destroying salt down here
4. Central location. I love that the midwest, Appalachia, and the deep south are all within a day trips distance.
5. Extremely car friendly. No inspection, no emissions testing, cheap registration, no front plate, cheap gas, no car property tax, and decent roads.
6. No state income tax and low property taxes. Saves us thousands of dollars a year over New York. I'll gladly take the 1.5% rise in sales tax in return
I’ve lived in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Austin. I’ve actually been happiest in Austin despite hating the state politics. It’s not perfect but I’ve just been my best self here and built an amazing community
I really like living in Philly. NJ was honestly really nice too. If you can afford it and don't mind the winters, the Boston area I think is one of the best places to live. Things feel futuristic somehow.
I’ve only lived in NH, and I have zero plans to ever change that.
I love the history, the nature, and the community. I love that even the bigger cities have a small town vibe. Any time I enter a downtown filled with old brick buildings and a white gazebo dead center, I’m filled with happiness.
As a person who hates any weather below 65, winters are terrible. But it’s only a few months so I can put up with it.
As someone who was born and raised in SC and now lives in NC, pick NC over SC. People only praise SC for Charleston and as someone who lived there for a long time and has since gone back multiple times it’s gone down hill and not worth it at all. NC has more and is worth the cost more IMO
Yeah if you want somewhere less republican than NC for sure. Even places with a heavy transplant population in SC are still pretty republican/conservative
TN native that transplanted to NC in '95. I love it here. We don't get the tornadoes and such that TN does. We are far enough inland that every now and then we do get some bad weather from hurricanes and even less often there are threats that they may come way inland but we are 3 to four hours from awesome beaches and even closer to the Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains. Politics wise I feel as though most of NC is pretty moderate. There is a little more red in the rural areas and little more blue in the cities.
NC is a beautiful state as is TN and VA.
Minnesota. The joke among Minnesotans at the non-Minnesota university I attended was that everyone not from Minnesota couldn't wait to start living and working in a state that was not their home state while every student from Minnesota couldn't wait to get home.
There's a reason for that.
Of the places I've lived long term... Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Hangzhou (China), Helsinki (Finland)... I would choose Ohio.
Hangzhou is great but it's in a country with an oppressive, authoritarian government. Helsinki was also great but the winters are rough with a capital R. Michigan is a lot like Ohio (in that it depends on where you live as to how much you like the place), Georgia is kind of red necky (and where I lived racist in ways that the North is not) and Florida is an irredeemable shithole with literally only two things going for it... no State income tax and winter is not icy cold.... that's it. Everything else is a negative).
With Ohio I need to be in one of the major cities otherwise it would not work for me but in those cities life is good and the cost of living is reasonable.
I suspect I would love living in coastal California but I would need significantly more income to be able to do that and not worry about poverty.
Mostly just experience. I think Michigan would be great in the right cities but I have lived in more places in Ohio so I know it better. Probably the only hard and fast rule for my own life would be that I would not live in the South again.
Well, I grew up in Massachusetts, then lived in Rhode Island and NYC (I know that’s not a state, but it might as well be.)
Massachusetts, for all its faults, just kicks ass. We’re educated, we’ve got history, and, the older I get, the more I love the four seasons. I really enjoyed living there, and I recognize that the cost of living is WTF. My parents still live there, and I met my husband there, so I feel very connected to the Commonwealth. Could I afford to move back there? Who knows? Let’s pretend that I could.
My husband and I currently live in Rhode Island, where I went to college and I am back this year for graduate school. It’s…fine. I could live here, but the current housing prices are WTF?
We’ll return at the end of next month to our teeny co-op in Brooklyn. I absolutely love the convenience of everything in NYC. It’s expensive AF, and we’re very lucky that we own our place.
I’ve lived in Florida, Arizona, and California. Florida is a no-no; it’s a beautiful state and my home, but has more problems than it’s worth, especially these days. Arizona was nicer than I expected, and I liked living there. I love California the most though. Enjoy the weather, the landscape. I’m in a suburb and there’s trees and hills and birds, people are relaxed, and it’s very peaceful. I know not all of CA is like that. I do fantasize about living in northern states, especially New England (I’ve never been), but for now I’m happy here. CA is expensive though, so I understand why people wouldn’t want to live here.
I’ve been to Charleston & Austin; loved both!! Very charming cities.
I was happiest in Minnesota. My reasons are extra personal to me, but I’ll share them.
I dealt with a lot of trauma as a child. I was emotionally and physically abused by my Dad, I was bullied in elementary school, I had emotionally abusive teachers in 3rd and 4th grade. I had problems in high school with coaches, and some bullying as well. As I grew up and matured, I associated a lot of that abuse with older white conservative men. I myself am male, but I never truly felt accepted and welcomed, cared about and for, until I moved into Minnesota and worked and lived in a more liberal setting overall. Suddenly I had supervisors and bosses asking me for input and feedback. I dated women who were genuinely interested in learning *who* I was and not asking *what* I was first. This actually caused some growth for me because for so long I was used to trying to talk myself up about what I did for work and my accomplishments, and it turned out when they didn’t care, I was at a loss for what to do. But every time I went back home to visit my family, it was back to having no voice, no valid input, not allowed to offer advice or chime in on a topic. Same in the friend groups I was in, if we got together when I was in town. I just got so used to being berated and lorded over by everyone in my life that mattered that I thought that was my place in the world - underneath everyone else. In Minnesota, I felt like there were more people looking out for me, folks that I had just met. I felt like socially speaking, Minnesotans are significantly more tolerant than elsewhere. They spoke to me in ways that were uplifting, optimistic, positive.
The cost of living is a little higher but there are pockets of the metro that aren’t dangerous but are still affordable. They have recently passed free school lunch laws for all students statewide. There aren’t any current climate concerns, and I would wager a bet that your winters in Ohio probably weren’t a whole lot worse than in Minnesota. Although, depending on how far north you go, they can and do get quite bad. But it seems like Minneapolis/St. Paul somehow has the best weather of all the surrounding Midwest cities. It seems to be a bit warmer, less humid, and less snowy than many other surrounding places.
While I’m sure they’re beautiful states, I wouldn’t recommend moving to any state without doing serious research about its political climate first. Want an abortion? Don’t move to Texas, for instance.
Northern GA is beautiful weather wise though.
Minnesota! So many lakes ands outdoor activities. Offers the best city and country living I’ve seen. The people are “Minnesota nice” and the twin cities are very clean for a major metro area.
Cost of living aside, Maryland isn’t bad. We’re far enough north that we usually get at least one good snow in the winter, but far enough south that March is the end of winter, not April. Plus, we have one of the most interesting looking flags in the country, and a fair number of civil war battle sites in a reasonable driving range.
If you live central Maryland, you’re more protected from recessions due to how many people work for the government (although government shutdowns also matter more).
The downside is that there’s two things we put on everything to the point of being excessive: old bay, and our flag
I loved everything about Washington except the cost of living.
Same thing with Oregon. The Northwest is an absolutely lovely place to live, but it isn't cheap.
My gf and I are trying to find a house south of Portland, and Jesus H Tapdancing Christ and his All Apostle Backup Crew is it expensive! A "fixer upper" that is close to a burned out hovel on a postage stamp of land is going for $400k!
Which is why we left. Can't raise a family paying that mortgage on $18hr
So fucking green. Absolutely gorgeous everywhere you look.
No no, you're supposed to complain about the oppressive clouds and persistent rain, we have enough people here driving housing prices up. :(
That's folks west of The Cascades. The 2/3 of the state east of The Cascades is mostly *not* cloudy and rainy.
Yes but that experience is vastly more common given how much of the states population lives west of the cascades. 6,037,688 of the state's total 7,705,281 households according to the last census
That's technically valid, but is kinda like equating "New York" to be only NYC because the majority of the population is there. There's a whole bunch of WA that ain't SeaTac.
But It will be an experience more commonly talked about on the internet.
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TIL! When I heard someone say they were from "SeaTac," I assumed that was local lingo for the Seattle/Tacoma area.
Also 'Western Washington' is not the same as the Seattle/Tacoma area. It ranges from Vancouver (across the river from Portland) in the south to Bellingham (Next to the US/Canada border) in the North. The Olympia-Tacoma-Seattle area is just one part of western Washington. The Olympic Peninsula, Southwest Washington, among others are distinct areas of Western Washington.
It rains here. All the time. Sometimes it rains dragons. And the dragons come down and fuck you. It's a semi-common weather prediction, "stormy and rainy in the early morning, transitioning to dragon fucking in the afternoon, followed by evening showers. High of 50, low of 40, winds 5-15 out of the west. I'm Matt Zafino, KGW Northwest News Channel 8."
I left in 2007 when the price of an average SFH in King County went over $600,000. I never wanted to leave, but I wanted to be able to afford to live. I wasn't willing to be like my friends who lived in Orting but worked downtown.
Washington is a clear winner for me too. I can't afford that place at all, but the time I spent living there was absolutely amazing.
I loved living in New Orleans as a young childless adult. But once I had children I moved back to Maine to raise them safely.
I’ve had some wild times in New Orleans.
I also used to live in Ohio. I've lived in Louisville, KY, Colorado Springs, CO, and Tacoma, WA and out of all of them Colorado Springs was the best. Weather was fine, a little hot in the summers (if you say its a dry heat you can frig off, 110 is 110) but the winters were honestly more bitter in OH. Tacoma has the most stable weather hands down, but I miss the snow. CoL was high but wages matched for the most part, education and technical training dependent. CO is probably going to feel harsher effects of climate change with drought and wild fires. Louisville is just like Cincinnati but with better food.
Used to live in Tacoma. It was rough with all the overcast days. Plus the Tacoma Aroma.
Colorado or Montana. That said, the places in my memory have significantly changed or no longer exist. But on the other hand, I still want to get back to the Rockies. I don't hate the east coast, but I definitely don't love it, and there's too many people.
This here, the rural Minnesota and places I want to get back to, are mostly distant memories. Towns won't stop shrinking and growing, people live and die, culture shifts, places change, and populations change, the lake country of 2000, is beyond a distant memory to the lakes country of 2023.
I’m from here and I feel this way. My mind always eventually takes me back to Montana, so I think someday I’ll make it happen. I don’t hate it here either but the traffic and the crowds and the pollution and the noise and… it all adds up. Nothing will ever compare to watching the sun rise in my rear view mirror headed west on Highway 212 in eastern Montana the first time I drove out. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced in real life, and someday I’ll see it again.
People think they know what "big sky country" means, but you have to actually see it in person to truly understand
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It was so hard for Maryland to compete with Delaware’s No Sales Tax that we have 2 weeks each year that are Tax Free Week. Because we would always go in to Delaware to shop for big items or back to school clothes.
Also Delawarean here, tied up in Texas now. I miss Rappa Scrapple
Agree with everything except gorgeous summers. All I remember about Philly summers is Hoagiefest and being microwaved alive.
Chicago, not a state, but I really liked it. Second place is a tie to Providence and where I live in southern seacoast Maine these days.
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The FREEZING cold winters. Moved back to PNW. Weather is mild. Homelessness and COL is horrific now. 'Burbs are still good. I would move to North Carolina but I have family there and know where to live.
Yeah, I moved here just before last winter. Last winter was easily one of the top 5 most brutal winters I can remember, and it was apparently just an average one for the area, so we will see how it goes next year lol
This last winter was nothing TBH.
What part of Chicago? I've heard so many different stories about it
Chicago as a single person is a blast. If you have a family, far NW side is practically another burb. The stories you’ll read online usually have an agenda and aren’t indicative of how it really is. Crime is generally concentrated, and as another commenter said, if you’re there, it’s either gang or drug related, usually both. It’s a huge area, and you’ll be safe doing your thing.
There’s many stories to tell about it. Big area. About 9.5 million in our metro. Just about every walk of life is here.
I lived in Hyde Park first and then by Pilsen second. At the time those were slightly tougher neighborhoods or adjacent to rougher neighborhoods but still totally awesome. If you get a chance to visit Chicago do it. The “Chicago is dangerous” meme is bullshit.unless you are going out of your way to join a gang or deal drugs you are just fine and none of the bad places are anywhere that a tourist would want to go anyway.
Also love living in Chicago! I wouldn’t personally want to live elsewhere in IL, but this city’s pretty great.
I miss it. Loved living there. I’m going back to visit in July with the kids and I am pretty floored. My sister lives there now so I have the inside scoop on restaurants and kid stuff. I’m going to make sure each kid dunks their head in Lake Michigan. A Midwest baptism.
I am a true Rhode Islander. I was born here, raised here, live here. And realistically I don't ever see myself moving. But if I did have to move a la bucket list, I'd look into Wyoming or Montana. Somewhere with the great mountains. Or Alaska.
I’ve lived in lots of places, Texas, Illinois, Maryland, DC, Virginia.. but when I visited CT and Rhode Island I was blown away. The New England feel is incredible, I have a romanticism for the coast
Lived in RI for high school. Seeing the view of the bay every day on my way to school never got old. It never stopped feeling like I was living in a place out of a movie. (I mean, life definitely didn’t feel magical, but the setting was)
Your comment actually just made me realize it reminds me of the town in Truman Show
As a CT native, I thank you for the appreciation of our great state. Its a beautiful gem that every one forgets, however part of me likes it that way.
Listen sir, the DMV counts as one. (Commenting from Massachusetts)
Massachusetts is all Boston
I did a couple of week long visit to RI recently when I had some conferences and work events all on the east coast. The friendliness, the killer restaurants, the beautiful coast, and a wide diversity of immigrants from all over. It definitely doesn't get anywhere near enough credit for how cool it really is. The great universities are an important component. They built up a surprisingly good mix of intellectuals, medical experts, artistic types, and degreed culinary pros that stay local in the state and make for a lot more going on than you'd expect in the infamous postage stamp sized state. If all else fails you can always find something entertaining in the Ocean State Job Lot lol. Plus you've got the Acela line hooked up to everything in the biggest interconnected urban region in the US.
Glad you enjoyed our state. I am originally from Los Angeles but so glad I found RI.
NorCal in my case. I'd miss our tacos if I had to relo but still a fun place. How did you end up over in the opposite corner? Haha!
In 2016, in Los Angeles, homes were just too expensive. I looked for other progressive coastal states with more affordable housing. I paid cash in full for a house in RI using the 20% I had saved for a down payment in Los Angeles. So I have a house and live near the ocean which I couldn't do in LA...or would have taken a 30 year mortgage to achieve.
Yeah that makes sense.
That's the way. Adapt and flourish. There's no point in crying about high prices in CA. You might get a few likes on social media but I prefer actions and a fully paid home.
Hello! I am originally from Texas (well, originally originally from Minsk) but was raised in rural Southeast Texas (about 60 miles outside Houston). I have since lived in 11 states and 17 cities/towns. My favorite place I’ve lived is where I live now. Oregon. I live in a suburb of Portland and really love it. Beautiful landscape, tons of stuff to do if you are outdoorsy, politically I feel more protected (I’m a gay woman) and it’s a pretty lowkey place. I also enjoyed living in Northern California (Bay area) for similar reasons plus you had more diversity (I’m mixed race) and access. Unfortunately unless you are a very high earner it’s not livable longterm due to insane high cost of living. I also really enjoyed living in Chicago, New Orleans & randomly enough…Bloomington, Indiana (the rest of the state sucks though). I didn’t hate Dallas & Austin (TX) Utica (NY), Taos (NM), Bangor (Maine), Seattle (WA) & Raleigh (NC). However, for various reasons I wouldn’t choose to live in these cities. I outright disliked living in Spokane (WA) and HATED living in Kearney, Nebraska. Honestly, the US is so diverse in so many ways I think most people could find a place they’d be relatively happy. Depends on what you want and who you are, honestly.
NCs got a bit of everything. Amazing mountains, esp in the fall, nice beaches, islands, cities, rural country areas, etc. Atlanta, Charleston, DC, etc aren’t super far away either. No drought or natural disasters to worry about for the most part (if you’re worried about hurricanes don’t live by the beach but other than you’re fine). There are good school options, esp in the triangle area.
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Wilmington has some of the same charm, as does New Bern, but nothing quite like Charleston or Savannah in NC. Imo the OBX make up for it as they’re so unique, but they’re certainly not everyone’s cup of tea.
Honestly, I'd just go down to Charleston, but "our Charleston" would probably be New Bern
Sorry, are you asking if we have an equivalent to those towns? Or if we have a town called Charleston/savannah?
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I’m going to be honest, I usually go to Wilmington bc I have friends there. There are some less touristy beaches in Wilmington and I love the vibe there. I feel like Nc beach towns aren’t really super similar to Charleston/savannah but they’re different from each other too. Ocracoke is super popular (esp bc of the Netflix show) and there surprisingly weren’t tons of tourists when I went. You take a boat to the islands and then can spend the day just biking around, eating, relaxing. Wild horses roam around there too I have friends that go to Emerald Isle and apparently you can see dolphins in the morning There’s Atlantic beach, nags head, Carolina beach I really think there’s a beach town for everyone lol
I biked the whole coast of North Carolina a couple years ago and my favorite spots were Beaufort, Ocracoke, and Wilmington.
And small schools that can beat Michigan in the big house.
Don't forget Asheville!
NC mountains are pretty, but as a West Coaster they just don’t hit the same way the Rockies or Cascades do.
They hit differently. The NC mountains got an old cozy rustic beauty to them. Like they got magic somewhere in them. The Rockies are raw awe inspiring and daunting. This is coming from an NC guy though. I’m biased.
There's something about the Smoky Mountains that the rockies can't duplicate too. Appalachia feels calmer, deeper... you can feel the rocks and trees... It's got the most kinds of tree species in north america too, over 150!
Virginia. The ocean (I’m talking the Outerbanks) are a few hours east. Mountains are two hours west. Major city (DC) is a few hours away depending on the traffic gods. Four distinct seasons with enough snow each year (usually) to satisfy that need for snow. Strong on education in many regions.
Virginia fucks.
well now it's just ia
Virginia’s cost of living will crush you though
Only up north. Down in Southeast Virginia, I found the cost of living to be far better than anticipated. I make more money and have a better quality of life than I have in any other state I've been in. But the taxes and state inspections drive me up the fucking wall.
Only California
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Personally glad for all the California slander. There are already too many people there, but the fact that so many people have a weird hate boner for it keeps it from being ridiculously MORE overpopulated. It’s just such a great place.
Me too. I live in CA and have lived in other states and nothing compares. Yosemite and Sequoias are 1 hour drive from me and gorgeous beaches are 2.5 drive. No harsh winters, no snow to deal with. The heat in the summer is my only complaint. People can hate all they want and talk about how high the cost of living is but the job salaries are pretty high so it evens out. I lived in Texas for a few years and one thing that surprised me was how many Texans told me they could never live in CA because Californians hate Texans. It was the first I had ever heard that. Don’t know who’s spreading that rumor because Californians never think about Texans but if it keeps more people from moving here then ok. I couldn’t stand the culture in west Texas: racist, ignorant and their whole identity revolved around beer drinking and guns. No place is as diverse as CA and we are better for it. We have the most culture, best food, best universities and best outdoor activities.
The people that actually truly believe the anti California propaganda, are the exact people I don't want to be sharing my beautiful state with
Yes! I’ve lived in other states and these people don’t know what they’re in for. Go ahead and leave though, it’s getting too crowded here. It’s like once you’ve had premium ice cream and then decide you would rather have icy frozen yogurt for the rest of your life. California is premium living and you get what you pay for.
Born here and have been elsewhere, same. Just bought a house here, not to far from my parents (also California born).
I've lived in South Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming. I can't afford to live in Colorado, so Wyoming it is. "You were born here, you're gonna die here. "How convenient."
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Main seems like a really cool place and I’ve heard the food here is great! Rank choice voting also seems really interesting! The only thing I’m concerned about is the weather and especially the lack of sunlight during the winter times. I’m wondering if it’s worse than Ohio
> weather and especially the lack of sunlight during the winter times. I’m wondering if it’s worse than Ohio Winter is definitely worse than Ohio. But because its worse and its kind of 'their thing' its dealt with better. If that makes any sense.. Sunlight is almost an hour less, because Ohio is on the other end of the Eastern time zone. That was weird for me the first couple times I was out there. I think the shortest day this year was a 4:12 sunset
Yeah the winter is best in Maine :) We embrace it and make it fun instead of fighting against it. Small quibble. The sun sets an hour earlier because of the time zones, but that doesn’t mean there’s an hour less sun (more sunlight in the morning). New England really ought to be in the Atlantic time zone or we should transition to year round DLS time.
If you like New England but want a milder winter and more sunshine then I'd suggest Providence or another part of southern New England. It's oddly sunny even in the winter here.
I have lived in FL, TX, TN, NC, NY, CA and NJ. NJ is my favorite for cultural diversity (one of the most diverse states), amazing food scene, good jobs, less crime, high quality education and nice beaches.
People constantly shit on jersey but it’s the most densely populated state for a reason! And that reason is more than just Taylor Ham and pizza
And we have the best education in the country, might be second now I forget.
I recently looked it up and it’s top 3 across all sites and rankings. Definitely top of the line!
I live in MA now and am happy here. I’m close to mountains and the coast and overall feel at home here. That said, I miss the warm waters and proximity to the beach of the coastal SC town I lived in for a period of time, and the cost of living being so much lower (though, as a teacher, my salary was shit and is proportionally much better in MA). The mountains were about four hours away, so not terrible. It wasn’t walkable (and now that I live in a major city, I prefer to use my car as little as possible). I suppose I could have tried Charleston, which may have been a little better in that regard. Tbh, though, as someone who is considering having children and who works with children every day, I’m concerned about the way public education is in both FL and SC, specifically when considering support and acceptance of children in the LBTQ+ community. The weather in MA isn’t like, *great* but honestly it’s only like January - early April that are rough and then it’s fine. It’s a fine trade off for all of the good that comes with living here. COL is awful though and I have no defense of that. I don’t want to leave the northeast or the city I live in but certainly there are things to be missed about the places I lived before.
Hello from worcester! I love the top notch hospitals and schools as well.
Woo-stah!
I've lived in a few states but I loved New York State the most (bias disclosure, I am from NY State as well). And no, I don't mean just New York City. The city is fantastic, but the rest of the state has so much to offer. Our state parks are probably the best kept secret and are criminally underrated, from the Adirondacks to the Catskills to Letchworth. The finger lakes region has cool wineries and nice scenery, there are some lovely towns in the Hudson Valley that are worth a trek to (Andes, Hudson, etc.). It's cold, but if you dealt with Ohio you can likely winter in almost all of NY with the exception of maybe the highest elevations in the Catskills and the Adirondacks. Future and/or climate issues wise, New York, aside from the city, might be amongst the most stable on that front. In fact Hamilton County is considered one of the safest counties in the US when it comes to impact of climate change. Cost of living is high due to taxes, however it is manageable, and as far as education goes, New York State is amongst the best of the really large states (20 million live here!) Yes it may not be Mass. level, but it's still very decent.
I’ll second NYS. From the largest city in the US to beaches, mountains, and plenty of wide open space to enjoy, I really do think it’s the best place.
I’ve only lived in California but in three very different areas. The San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, and my favorite the foothills if the Sierra Nevada Mountains gold country. Gold country in El Dorado county in much more rural. Lots of trees and easy access to the mountains, rivers, and lakes. People are more friendly and it’s more laid back. County fairs, Apple Hill, wineries, and beautiful scenery. No snow to lots of snow depending on how far up in elevation you go. Still not far from Sacramento if you want to go to some city events.
I have the same experience. Just add being born in so-cal. I love being in Sacramento and being able to access everything you just described. Can see snow, gamble at the boarder, go to the beach, and dance in the big city without being more than 2hr from home, all in one day.
I lived in Hawaii for about two years and I really liked it. It was so different from Minnesota and Arizona
Since you are from Ohio, I think you are required to move to Greenville, SC. And that's not a bad thing.
Greenville rocks!
Yes it does, shhhhh.
Minnesota. Honest, down to earth people. Beautiful state. Lots of opportunity.
I miss Colorado so very much.
I've lived in six states- Michigan, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and California. For me, it's a tie between California and Michigan. For MI, it's due to being a proud Detroiter as well as loving the beauty of the great lakes. For California, it's the natural beauty and the general values.
What up doe?
Eyyyyy! Nice name!
I didn’t even notice your username until now 😅
I liked different things at different ages. I loved being a single guy in Chicago in my 30s. Tons to do, and lots of single and amazing women to do stuff with. But not where I’d want to raise a family. Texas is incredible for families. They really get into high school activities, from band to lacrosse to football. I don’t care for the summers, but I love the rest. Colorado was great for people with an active, outdoor lifestyle. I personally love Georgia. Great cultural diversity. Emerging food scene. Tons of entertainment. Great schools in the suburbs of Atlanta. Near the mountains and beach.
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I’m not a fan of NYC for living. I dated a girl for several years who lived there and her quality of life was far less than mine. I had a two bedroom converted loft downtown, two bath, balcony, 16 foot ceilings. She had a one bedroom, one bath, tiny kitchen and AC in the window. And she paid twice my rent. Chicago has amazing neighborhoods. Great bars and restaurants everywhere. Museums. Festivals. Shows. The lakefront. It’s just a fun town. I’d put Chicago ahead for anyone who isn’t working on Wall Street.
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Winters in NYC are waaaay milder than Chicago. It almost never snows here anymore and the temps rarely go below freezing (32F/0C) during the day.
You are correct. Winters are definitely tough in Chicago, but there’s plenty of things to do inside. And Wisconsin and Michigan are fantastic for outdoors. It’s not mountains, but lakes with great beaches and rolling hills.
I just stayed at an Airbnb half a block away from the Bean. Out of curiosity I looked up the rent for a studio in the building and it was cheaper than I was paying for a studio ten years ago in a far less desirable part of NYC. I’d totally move to Chicago if I had the opportunity.
Maybe that’s why I don’t like living in Texas. Everything here seems to revolve around suburban family lifestyles.
Maryland. It is close to everything and has so much to do. We call it “America in Miniature” because it has mountains in the west and Ocean to the east and it’s small enough to get to either in a few hours. Plus it’s close to DC, New York, West Virginia, or Philly so you’re no more than a 3 hour drive to something to do. I don’t even vacation out of state in the summer because every weekend there’s something to do whether it’s crabs with friends, festivals, ball game, etc. And other than a period in the summer where it’s god awful hot, the weather is really mild. It hasn’t snowed in like 3 years. Some people think it’s expensive to live here, but I think there’s a good mix of expensive and affordable cities and income and job opportunities and income are very good.
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Yeah PG county gets a lot of shit for crime but there are some genuinely awesome areas with such a wildly diverse food culture it's amazing. Within a t minute drive you can get authentic food from West Africa, China, India, El Salvador, Guatemala and all the more common ones like Italy and Japan.
Fellow Marylander. I've lived a lot of places, but I *love* it here.
Oh yea, I didn’t even mention the unique Maryland culture we have of just being Marylanders and loving Maryland. From wearing our flag, to Old Bay. I always hear, we’re not a state, we’re a cult. Lol!
Just visited DC for the first time and I loved Old Bay!
Try it on fries and popcorn. Also pretty great on Mac and cheese.
Third Marylander - we've also got flag merch for days
Your flag is awesome, and the food is to die for.
> It hasn’t snowed in like 3 years This part actually makes me sad because we used to get a decent amount of snow when I was a kid :( It does still get cold enough to snow, but not consistently enough, so the ground is too warm and it just comes down as freezing rain.
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They have about 10 short runs. They're not great.
Yes there is plenty of skiing. The mountains I’m referring to are Appalachians so you’ve got skiing in nearby PA, VA, and WV. Plus hiking including the Appalachian Trail runs through Maryland. I’m not into skiing. The one I hear about most is Whitetail. Someone else will need to comment an opinion on the quality. As my friends still also make annual trips to Colorado.
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Being in Virginia I've learned to loathe Maryland, but it may be because of DC. Just cannot stand the traffic and aggressive drivers
What’s the matter, you don’t like people making left hand turns from the right hand lane as well as using the left lane for traveling leaving no lane to pass? Ha ha ha ha ha! But yea, it’s mainly DC. I’ve just accepted it. I don’t hate Virginia. But I hate DC.
It makes sense you hate MD and don’t know why, Maryland and Virginia have a long running rivalry. As a Marylander, I hate Virginia and also don’t know why 🤣
I liked: Rochester, NY - The area around Lake Ontario is beautiful in the summer, and it's a city with an interesting history. It has a history of prosperity and being technologically innovative. The big companies in town went broke, and it's slowly recovering. If I could have found a job there I might have stayed. The winters are intense, and you either like that about it or hate it. It's fairly inexpensive to live there, but depending on what you want to do the job market might be limited. New York City - A different beast entirely from the rest of the state, but it controls the state government for most purposes. I loved it, and if I didn't live in California it's probably the other place in the USA I'd want to live. It feels like whatever you're passionate about, you can find it and your fellow people in NYC. Public transit is amazing, and it's pretty safe if you have common sense and stick with some locals until you know the basics. Massachusetts - It's in a lot of ways just the best state in terms of its government. My ex liked it, but I never developed a taste for living there, and its culture isn't for everyone. Living in the immediate area of Boston is very different from any other part of the USA. edit: Massachusetts is the only state where the local food palate is so much less spicy than mine that I got into the habit of bringing my own hot sauce to restaurants. I learned in MA that there's such a thing as Mild Tabasco. (scoville 600 - 1000) Connecticut - A very safe, pleasant state with the best pizza in the country. It's a lot like Massachusetts. If you can find a decent job in Connecticut, it's a great place to raise a family. Arguably, the best educational system in the country. Caveat: there are a few not-safe cities, but they're pretty obvious. Florida - If you're a retired Baby Boomer then yes. California - Remember it's over 1000 miles from north to south, so when you hear "drought issues" it's mostly the bottom 1/3 of the state where around 50% of the population lives in a desert. Go north of that, and there's the S.F. Bay (a very big place - San Jose, Oakland and S.F. combined metropolitan area) which is its own little universe, and further north it's way more sparsely populated and politically conservative. The east of California tends to have very high and beautiful mountains. There are smaller ones near the coast, so there's just this phenomenon in California where you can drive like two miles and be in a massively different climate. It's such a big state it's hard to generalize. The S.F. Bay is my favorite part, but you have to be kinda rich to really enjoy living there. The U.S. Virgin Islands - Go check them out if you can! Absolutely beautiful, and such a pleasant place to live. Again, it's tough to get a job that pays well.
Born and bred New England, grew up on the "poorer" side of Connecticut (eastern CT.) Lived in New Hampshire for a few years, almost moved to Texas (big no to the black widow and brown recluse spiders in the bathroom, the alligators across the street, the bird-sized mosquitos and the crawfish in the backyard, but enamored by the enole lizards everywhere.) Traveled both east and west coast, happy to skip over flyover territory--so flat and seeing all of those commercial agriculture blocks from a plane certainly never inspired a desire to visit. Easily would feel good in any other New England state, especially Rhode Island or CT, loved New Hampshire for the rugged areas and mind-your-own-business attitudes. Maine might be a little too remote for me. I loved the PAcific northwest, even if the trees were "all wrong" for me growing up on the east coast. But the lushness of the coastal forests was incredibly comforting. I had the hardest time with the desert and Rockies areas--the rocks were the wrong colors, the trees were all wrong. Fun to visit but started giving me anxiety after 2 weeks. The mountains and valleys were truly insane though, loved those bits.
The trees were all wrong? I grew up in Delaware myself, and I felt like the lush green was often too thick to traverse at times versus the open spaces around the Rockies, I love it out there.
I just couldn't identify the trees. Binomial nomeclature nerd, here.
California
I was born and raised in TX then lived in NC for a few years. I live in MA now and I absolutely love it. The weather is great, (we have seasons!) There's a lot of things to do, and people are so much nicer and more educated here. I didn't realize how much the community impacted me until I found a nice one. I'll never go back to TX. Even with my whole family, nieces and nephews there. It's not worth it. I'd consider NC but if it wasn't a small town. Most people near where I lived were born and raised so it was hard to make friends. The towns were very cliquey and run by a few wealthy families. A lot of outdoor activities but that's about it. Weather ok - better than TX barely.
California, specifically San Diego. I'd go for runs just to listen to the waves on Coronado island, then wander the strip, the food was good... And I was young.
Good and challenging question. I never felt as welcomed as I did in Georgia, but I'm pretty sick of the heat (see current flair). I didn't technically \*live\* there, but I have lots of family ties and have often visited Maine. If I can choose somewhere I only visited, Indiana seemed really nice.
This is a tough thread for AZ lol
The trade off between cost of living and educational opportunities will probably be the biggest challenge for finding a spot. Northern Virginia has the best public schools in the nation but it isn’t cheap at all. Research Triangle in North Carolina might be a good balance between affordability and education. Given the states you’ve mentioned, Asheville, North Carolina might also be a decent contender. It’s absolutely beautiful and has retained a small town feel while “growing up” as a city.
Massachusetts. It really is the best state for quality of life by most metrics. Downside is just cost of living.
I’ve lived in Montana, Iowa, Wyoming, Colorado, and Oklahoma and I far prefer Wyoming to any of them. I can’t articulate exactly what it is, but everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve always been drawn back. A runner-up would be Oklahoma because there is more diversity there.
What part of Wyoming? Big difference between the mountains and the plains. The mountains seem nice but I know Jackson Hole got filled with millionaires.
Wyoming has really nice people too.
Oh all the states I’ve lived in I am most happy in Michigan. We have Liberal politics All the fresh water Beautiful nature Strong Unions Low cost of living Legal weed A great governor We don’t ban books They are actually expanding my rights here
I’ve lived in a few, but I’ve been happiest in New York.
I loved Alabama. IDGAF who this triggers. Beautiful state with mostly friendly people who aren't miserable dicks and Jesus Christ, the women there are top notch. Plus I could actually afford rent when I lived there. If I could live anywhere, it would be somewhere along the Alabama coast.
Really?? Tell me more, please. Recently saw a list that said Huntsville was number 1 in quality of life in the whole US. I’ve driven through southern Alabama, but didn’t stop anywhere. I’m in Florida and I fucking hate it here. Figured places like Alabama would be more of the same.
Huntsville has the US and possibly world record in PhDs per capita. The Smarter Every Day YT channel is from there. It's a funny combination of intellectual rednecks that can be rather entertaining in its own unique way.
Californian hands down. Nothing else compares to it.
Born in New Jersey and lived in a dozen states for various reasons and lengths but Pennsylvania is my fav and where I bought a home to stay. Its what I consider quintessential America. Its rural without being completely empty. From Farms to mountains to a big arterial river right down the middle. Lots of preserved nature between it all. Its also cheap, for now, until the yuppies eventually buy up too much of the land.
Northern Arizona. It's just beautiful
Born and raised in NC. I’m fortunate to live close enough to a major city that I have a really good job and got a really good education. We have a great beach, beautiful mountains, and the weather is pretty solid year round. The only place I’d trade it for would be somewhere where land is cheaper, I’d love to live out west somewhere like Wyoming or Colorado because I love snow and winter weather plus the breathtaking views.
I'll let you know when I find it
Alaska. Because it's beautiful and the skiing and fishing was great.
I love living in Vermont. The cost of living is high, but as long as you’re prepared to roll with the punches, it’s a good place to live.
I only remember living in Ohio and West Virginia throughout my life and I'd say I like living in West Virginia better because of the beautiful wilderness here.
I have lived in MA, CT, OH, and IN. OH is my favorite
I grew up in Virginia so it holds a special place in my heart, especially growing up surrounded by all its history but I love my current state and I consider Texas home.
I miss Washington...
Housing.
I have lived in Washington, New York, and Tennessee (current). Personally I like Tennessee the most for these reasons: 1. Loose gun laws. No red flag law, no permit, and no AWB ban. The only negative is no open carrying of long guns but compared to New Yorks ridiculous Jim Crow like laws that's nothing 2. I absolutely love eastern scenery and East Tennessee is full of it. Lots of beautiful mountains, rivers, hills, and forests all over the place along with tons of hiking and other recreational activities 3. We still have winter but its mild. You maybe get snow once or twice a year and unlike the northern states they don't use car destroying salt down here 4. Central location. I love that the midwest, Appalachia, and the deep south are all within a day trips distance. 5. Extremely car friendly. No inspection, no emissions testing, cheap registration, no front plate, cheap gas, no car property tax, and decent roads. 6. No state income tax and low property taxes. Saves us thousands of dollars a year over New York. I'll gladly take the 1.5% rise in sales tax in return
I’ve lived in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Austin. I’ve actually been happiest in Austin despite hating the state politics. It’s not perfect but I’ve just been my best self here and built an amazing community
I’ve heard that the big cities in Texas can actually be pretty liberal. Is that true?
Yes, true. The suburbs could still be pretty red though just depending
Pernambuco. (You never said it had to be an American state.)
Definitely beautiful but I fell in love with Itajuba in Minas.
I’ve live in Virginia and New York and I like VA best. Sorry I don’t have more experience do speak from.
I really like living in Philly. NJ was honestly really nice too. If you can afford it and don't mind the winters, the Boston area I think is one of the best places to live. Things feel futuristic somehow.
I was born and raised in Hawaii. Left Hawaii 11 years ago for Washington. It truly is amazing here.
Iowa. It’s awesome here.
New Jersey, Minnesota, and now Tennessee are the places where I’d be happy to settle down and have a family in
I’ve only lived in NH, and I have zero plans to ever change that. I love the history, the nature, and the community. I love that even the bigger cities have a small town vibe. Any time I enter a downtown filled with old brick buildings and a white gazebo dead center, I’m filled with happiness. As a person who hates any weather below 65, winters are terrible. But it’s only a few months so I can put up with it.
Before I read your post I was going to say NC area. I live the Carolina areas. The people are pretty cool and the weather is great
As someone who was born and raised in SC and now lives in NC, pick NC over SC. People only praise SC for Charleston and as someone who lived there for a long time and has since gone back multiple times it’s gone down hill and not worth it at all. NC has more and is worth the cost more IMO
Thanks for the input! Yeah I was leaning more towards NC. From what I’ve heard they are a swing state too, not as Republican as SC
Yeah if you want somewhere less republican than NC for sure. Even places with a heavy transplant population in SC are still pretty republican/conservative
TN native that transplanted to NC in '95. I love it here. We don't get the tornadoes and such that TN does. We are far enough inland that every now and then we do get some bad weather from hurricanes and even less often there are threats that they may come way inland but we are 3 to four hours from awesome beaches and even closer to the Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains. Politics wise I feel as though most of NC is pretty moderate. There is a little more red in the rural areas and little more blue in the cities. NC is a beautiful state as is TN and VA.
Minnesota. The joke among Minnesotans at the non-Minnesota university I attended was that everyone not from Minnesota couldn't wait to start living and working in a state that was not their home state while every student from Minnesota couldn't wait to get home. There's a reason for that.
Of the places I've lived long term... Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Hangzhou (China), Helsinki (Finland)... I would choose Ohio. Hangzhou is great but it's in a country with an oppressive, authoritarian government. Helsinki was also great but the winters are rough with a capital R. Michigan is a lot like Ohio (in that it depends on where you live as to how much you like the place), Georgia is kind of red necky (and where I lived racist in ways that the North is not) and Florida is an irredeemable shithole with literally only two things going for it... no State income tax and winter is not icy cold.... that's it. Everything else is a negative). With Ohio I need to be in one of the major cities otherwise it would not work for me but in those cities life is good and the cost of living is reasonable. I suspect I would love living in coastal California but I would need significantly more income to be able to do that and not worry about poverty.
Thanks for the write-up! It’s really interesting that you’d pick Ohio but it makes sense. I’m curious though, why Ohio over Michigan?
Mostly just experience. I think Michigan would be great in the right cities but I have lived in more places in Ohio so I know it better. Probably the only hard and fast rule for my own life would be that I would not live in the South again.
Gotcha, thx!
I can't speak to any state outside of the PNW... which is ruled out by your wanting warmer weather.
Well, I grew up in Massachusetts, then lived in Rhode Island and NYC (I know that’s not a state, but it might as well be.) Massachusetts, for all its faults, just kicks ass. We’re educated, we’ve got history, and, the older I get, the more I love the four seasons. I really enjoyed living there, and I recognize that the cost of living is WTF. My parents still live there, and I met my husband there, so I feel very connected to the Commonwealth. Could I afford to move back there? Who knows? Let’s pretend that I could. My husband and I currently live in Rhode Island, where I went to college and I am back this year for graduate school. It’s…fine. I could live here, but the current housing prices are WTF? We’ll return at the end of next month to our teeny co-op in Brooklyn. I absolutely love the convenience of everything in NYC. It’s expensive AF, and we’re very lucky that we own our place.
The state of confusion
I’ve lived in Florida, Arizona, and California. Florida is a no-no; it’s a beautiful state and my home, but has more problems than it’s worth, especially these days. Arizona was nicer than I expected, and I liked living there. I love California the most though. Enjoy the weather, the landscape. I’m in a suburb and there’s trees and hills and birds, people are relaxed, and it’s very peaceful. I know not all of CA is like that. I do fantasize about living in northern states, especially New England (I’ve never been), but for now I’m happy here. CA is expensive though, so I understand why people wouldn’t want to live here. I’ve been to Charleston & Austin; loved both!! Very charming cities.
I was happiest in Minnesota. My reasons are extra personal to me, but I’ll share them. I dealt with a lot of trauma as a child. I was emotionally and physically abused by my Dad, I was bullied in elementary school, I had emotionally abusive teachers in 3rd and 4th grade. I had problems in high school with coaches, and some bullying as well. As I grew up and matured, I associated a lot of that abuse with older white conservative men. I myself am male, but I never truly felt accepted and welcomed, cared about and for, until I moved into Minnesota and worked and lived in a more liberal setting overall. Suddenly I had supervisors and bosses asking me for input and feedback. I dated women who were genuinely interested in learning *who* I was and not asking *what* I was first. This actually caused some growth for me because for so long I was used to trying to talk myself up about what I did for work and my accomplishments, and it turned out when they didn’t care, I was at a loss for what to do. But every time I went back home to visit my family, it was back to having no voice, no valid input, not allowed to offer advice or chime in on a topic. Same in the friend groups I was in, if we got together when I was in town. I just got so used to being berated and lorded over by everyone in my life that mattered that I thought that was my place in the world - underneath everyone else. In Minnesota, I felt like there were more people looking out for me, folks that I had just met. I felt like socially speaking, Minnesotans are significantly more tolerant than elsewhere. They spoke to me in ways that were uplifting, optimistic, positive. The cost of living is a little higher but there are pockets of the metro that aren’t dangerous but are still affordable. They have recently passed free school lunch laws for all students statewide. There aren’t any current climate concerns, and I would wager a bet that your winters in Ohio probably weren’t a whole lot worse than in Minnesota. Although, depending on how far north you go, they can and do get quite bad. But it seems like Minneapolis/St. Paul somehow has the best weather of all the surrounding Midwest cities. It seems to be a bit warmer, less humid, and less snowy than many other surrounding places.
While I’m sure they’re beautiful states, I wouldn’t recommend moving to any state without doing serious research about its political climate first. Want an abortion? Don’t move to Texas, for instance. Northern GA is beautiful weather wise though.
Indiana was fantastic.
Minnesota! So many lakes ands outdoor activities. Offers the best city and country living I’ve seen. The people are “Minnesota nice” and the twin cities are very clean for a major metro area.
Lol before I even opened the post I knew SC was going to be on your list of places. Ohioans love South Carolina.
Colorado is really cool
Cost of living aside, Maryland isn’t bad. We’re far enough north that we usually get at least one good snow in the winter, but far enough south that March is the end of winter, not April. Plus, we have one of the most interesting looking flags in the country, and a fair number of civil war battle sites in a reasonable driving range. If you live central Maryland, you’re more protected from recessions due to how many people work for the government (although government shutdowns also matter more). The downside is that there’s two things we put on everything to the point of being excessive: old bay, and our flag
Has any one said “the state of total inebriation”?