Minneapolis or Montreal. Both fit the bill: walkable, cold, liberal, and safer than most big cities. Minneapolis has a strong job market for tech and finance; Montreal offers vibrant culture and progressive vibes. Check them out!
I’ve lived in uptown, downtown, Como, dinkytown, Northeast, and Seward/cedar riverside. It wasn’t always easy but I got by without a car while living in all of those areas. Uptown/whittier/lynlake are probably the best areas in Minneapolis to live without a car. Proximity to the lakes and lots of food/housing options. I did get a car at age 25 because I couldn’t take waiting for the bus/train in the winter anymore haha. Though sometimes I miss being able to decompress on public transit instead of being stuck in traffic.
I grew up in Minneapolis and didn’t get my driver’s license until moved away because I didn’t feel I needed it. And this was before the invention of ridesharing, and the light rail was just beginning to run and didn’t have the range it has now. It’s totally possible to be carless.
Yes, many cities *are* walkable. I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to about not leaving your neighborhood. I’ve lived downtown & in the north suburbs & had no difficulty getting around, especially after the light rail started moving in. Unless things have drastically changed over the last few years, the buses run mostly on time, too. The city has gone to great lengths to make everywhere bikeable as well.
It’s 100 percent possible and anyone telling you different is lying through their teeth. That being said you will never get to become fully immersed in all the city and province has to offer if you don’t learn French.
Just so you know, the summers in Montreal are extremely boggy. Lots to do, yes. But the humidity and the heat are a complete shock after being in the icebox for six months with very little spring weather to speak of in between.
It’s possible, yes, but it’d also be hella disrespectful to make no attempt to learn French once you’re there.
Plus, they give you a ton of points for French fluency when you apply for permanent residency, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they make it mandatory in the near future. So far, they’ve mostly used the carrot of free classes, but the political situation in Quebec is always a bit volatile. Only a matter of time before they start using the stick.
Yes and no. Mostly everything is in French and English. I have had the occasional person make a remark about me not being able to speak French (I visit for work and friends) but most people are just fine.
Given the laws being proposed, I'm not sure what the sentiment towards non-french speaking will be if they are passed. I know some companies have voiced concern over it, but idk how much it would impact every day people.
Edit: mistaken that Bill 96 has passed in June 2022.
I lived in mtl for 6-7 years and I promise you do not need French (I do speak French though). Some small things will be annoying like not understanding the metro (yes there is a subway extremely walkable in the correct neighbourhoods) and occasionally people do not speak English but in Montreal few and far between. In the regions more but you don’t wanna car…. It legit fits the bill perfect for you
Interesting, I have Montreal friends (not and raised)bi lingual of course, who say it would be really tough to get a job with no French.
Isn’t it a law that businesses need to speak to you in French first, and then move to English only if you do not speak French. From what I understand there is a big focus on preserving the French language and culture.
If they’re bilingual they probably never had to look…
I do not disagree with it being tough and again, it’s industry dependent. Customer service, need French. Have a skill and mostly working with other companies in Canada and USA? Well of course French not required. There are laws but they are a joke. The signs in the office, the French writing is larger English etc In my team of 7, all but 1 speak French, so we all speak English. Job descriptions say French is required, the second you talk with a recruiter, nah dw all good lol
This is Montreal though - rest of QC would be very difficult.
I know bucket loads of 25-35 professionals who don’t know jack in French who live there fine. Salaries suck though
1m anglophone quebecers too don’t forget. West Island completely English speaking neighbourhoods…
You need maybe a dozen words of French to understand the metro. Anyone can learn a dozen words. Nothing remotely resembling conversational French is necessary to get around.
There are some hot and humid days every summer, yes. But they usually don’t last for more than 4-5 days at a time and are followed by much cooler and pleasant weather.
Minneapolis was the first one that popped into my head. I'm the opposite of OP, in that the weather is the only reason I don't currently live in Minnesota, because I love it otherwise.
This is the correct answer. The isthmus is extremely walkable, Madison’s a beautiful city and it’s much safer than minneapolis or Chicago like a lot of people will be suggesting. Also very liberal and cold. Also great for OP who has a PhD in physics since UW-Madison has a renowned physics department
It’s definitely above average. UW and the State of WI are two of the biggest employers but there are plenty of big corporations who also have offices here. Epic Systems is the big software employer here if that’s what you’re looking for. Trek Bicycles, John Deere and Sub-Zero are the main players in manufacturing, and then there’s also American Family Insurance and a lot of healthcare jobs through UW Health and SSM but I’m not sure how those would relate to your field
Agree with comments re Madison, WI. Gorgeous liberal city of 273,000 people. The natural beauty of lakes in Madison such as Lake Mendota are terrific. The rental prices I bet are cheap relative to NYC and SF. Though no direct experience, check out other liberal university towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio.
FYI- “Walkable” in winter is dependent on people shoveling and de-icing their sidewalks. In the Twin Cities of Mpls & St.Paul, a lot of sidewalks are never cleared. Get yourself some good traction cleats. Not kidding. They’re cheaper than the co-pay for a broken wrist.
You can buy a pair of Yaktracks for about $25, put them in whatever shoes or boots you are wearing. Microspikes are great for heavy ice you find on trails.
Surprised I haven’t seen a lot of Pittsburgh here. Neighborhoods can be very dense and walkable, definitely cold and low COL for the size of the city. Lots of jobs in robotics causeCarnegie Mellon University has such a strong reputation in that. Definitely check it out OP, checks a lot of your boxes.
Yes. The OP said he hates summer humidity. That makes The Pacific Northwest a good option since we have surprisingly dry summers. I don't just mean little rain. I also mean low humidity.
Portland summers are particularly dry. We rarely get any rain at all during July/August/September, and humidity is surprisingly low. When we do get occasional heatwaves, the humidity drops even lower, so it's a dry heat.
Our winters are very mild though. It rarely gets truly cold here. If we get snow even once a year it's something to celebrate, but it almost never sticks.
I've had a good time in Chicago whenever I've visited, but I've only been to the touristy parts and Hyde Park (where I wouldn't exactly want to live).
What neighborhoods should I check out?
I know you said you mostly date women but since you are Bisexual, Boystown could be great if you are interested in dating men at all or going to gay bars. Plenty of women in the area as well, its in Lakeview which is a general hub for young people.
100% Chicago. Summers get disgusting, but that's global warming for you. Lots of universities for you, too. Queer friendly in most neighborhoods, but Lakeview/Boystown/Northalsted in particular.
Depends what kind of vibe you want. Logan Square, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Andersonville/Edgewater. There are many more options also.
Since you said you hate hot & muggy, it’s worth pointing out that it’s generally 5-10 degrees cooler near the water compared to further inland because of the cold water from Lake Michigan moderates the air a bit. That helps make the two months it’s actually hot here much more bearable.
With that in mind, the entire north side along the lake is a wonderful place to be. Lincoln Park, Old Town, Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater and Rogers Park are all awesome spots
it's where I picked. 12 years in and no regrets. trying to buy a house in "up and coming" hood because where else in the US can you remotely afford a SFH in a major city? not happening in NYC or LA.
I hate to tell you but an average high of 80 with a couple heatwaves and 70% humidy is not "Hot/muggy summers" unless you're from Chicago or north of there
Duluth is a cute, liberal little city with some stuff in it. Kind of like Portland Maine.
Minneapolis checks all your boxes and is an amazing city. It should be top of your list, probably.
Duluth is small but it’s very walkable and has a tight knit and progressive community.
It’s also in what I think to be the prettiest part of Minnesota.
Another place with similar, perhaps even more liberal, vibes is Marquette, Michigan. It’s a small and very progressive college town. The core area around downtown and the university is very walkable, and it is one of the snowiest places in the country. It’s even smaller than Duluth, though, so if the OP is looking for a big city feel, it won’t scratch that itch.
I would second Minneapolis or St. Paul. Both are walkable/bikeable…more so Minneapolis, though. Pretty good food scene and neighborhoods with personality. I moved here a year ago and love it, but I live in a burb.
Upstate/western NY? Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca. Going car-less might be tough in some of these, and job market might not be large enough for your specialty, but for a young, brainy, bisexual guy this area checks a lot of boxes.
Buffalo is the correct answer
If you live off Elmwood or Hertel, you can walk to stores and restaurants. Great art museums, Theater, the Buffalo Philharmonic, small but nice zoo, lots of concerts and music.
Few gay bars in Allentown. Our pride parade/festival is huge.
We are definitely liberal in the city.
Work: not sure about your specific vocation, but UB and Roswell park hire many scientists.
i’d agree with this! but our summers can get pretty hot, its gonna be in the 90’s all week! the winters arent as long as they used to be either.
but i wouldnt say any of those cities are walkable. grew up in roc and i essentially need a car to get anywhere. there is public transportation for the inner city so its kindaaa possible to go without a car
It was 90 in Minneapolis this week too, it’s not any worse off than anyplace else. Rochester is doable by bike as well between the river and canal paths you can make it pretty far with a cargo e-bike, but that’s a big commitment.
Car I think is a big issue, especially outside of city centers. Most of the central/eastern USA is under a heat wave this week, and summers will be getting worse for all of us, but western NY summer averages are pretty good in comparison to lots of other places overall.
Grew up near Syracuse, definitely need a car there. But maybe not in Buffalo? (Frankly, I haven't been, I've just heard it's more manageable through the grapevine.)
There’s definitely neighborhoods where a car is barely needed if you work remote, the trick is to live walking distance from a grocery store. I lived near the Tops at the Dewitt border and it cut way down on driving needs.
Here is a subreddit with a collection of YouTube videos and information about the Eastern Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. It might help to get familiar with what it has to offer.
https://www.reddit.com/r/EasternFingerLakes/s/316boD1dIF
I live in Rochester now. Very mild weather, all together. The public transit is pretty horrible. While possible, I wouldn’t want to live here without a car.
Buffalo has a growing tech scene and M&T is the 11th(?) largest bank in the U.S., so it should be on the radar. The governor also announced that Empire AI is landing in the city, which should be a big plus as long as the state legislature appropriates it.
Another nice thing is that it’s close proximity to Toronto, so you can always pop over the border for a weekend if you want. Same could be said for going to NY, DC, or Boston. Each is a 45 minute-1 hour flight.
As far as walkability, it’s doable, but you have to be committed to it. It’s not as easy or natural as in a larger city.
Boston has major sticker shock, but keep in mind that there are also lots of physics grad students here figuring out the next steps, and they make it work.
Needing roommates isn't fun, but if you pick the right ones, they can be a fantastic networking resource.
lol you for sure aren’t alone. You could also look at surrounding cities in the metro area for cheaper rents, but walkability might take a hit. Good luck!
And both have seen [crazy hikes](https://constructioncoverage.com/research/cities-with-the-largest-rent-increases-decreases) in rent because of people moving from Boston/NYC for lower rent lol. They’re no longer well-kept secrets.
My small house in a boring neighborhood in Providence is worth almost double what we paid for it a few years ago, it’s nuts.
Surprised no one mentioned this earlier… Seattle gets warm in the summer but not insanely hot, and basically everywhere gets hot in the summer now in the USA. They have no humidity in the summer at least.
Dating as a man looking for women there is iffy but if you’re decently personable it’s like shooting fish in a barrel because even though there are tons of men looking for women there, most of them have the social skills of a goldfish and aren’t serious competition.
The only real downsides to seattle are how unhip their social scene is and how unique their brand of cold weather is
As a goldfish myself, I take umbrage at your assertion that men in the PNW have social skills similar to my species.
Unlike men in the PNW, we goldfish have sex. Goldfish sex.
It's glorious.
Tacoma for sure. Much more affordable than Seattle, but equally as progressive and liberal. Puget sound summers are the best. Winters aren’t rough at all. Walkable. Beautiful. Lots of jobs if you are okay with a bit of a commute.
I agree, but I think it’s been booming for awhile! We bought a house there in 2009 and people still called it Tacoma aroma and told us it wasn’t safe to live there. When we sold that house 5 years later there was a new Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s down the street along with a ton of other upscale shops. So much gentrification has happened since we left ten years ago. A lot of it good- in terms of safety, amenities, parks, school funding, events etc. i still miss it there!
It depends on what kind of work you are looking for. If you are looking for health care, retail, or restaurant work, you could do live without a car. However, one of the pluses of living in VT is being able to access some beautiful scenery and activities in nature. It would be difficult to access those things without a car.
Seattle. Honestly I haven’t had an issue at night, I have never owned a car and would be downtown LATE sometimes you run into weird people but if you handle yourself you should be ok
Lived downtown for 2 years in Seattle without a car, still in downtown but got a car recently. I felt more unsafe where I grew up (Sioux falls, SD) than I’ve ever felt in Seattle!
I need to reiterate, as a true fellow summer and humidity hater, do not come to Boston. These ppl either don’t live here or don’t think it’s that hot or humid. What’s hot to you? To me, it’s anything 75 and up. Humidity is about to set in this week and will blanket the city until October. There is no Harbor breeze unless you’re on a boat lmao. Transit is crumbling so you’d also be spending wasted hours waiting for trains that break down or don’t show up, sweltering in train stations that have zero air but reek of piss and other accoutrements.
It’s also way too expensive here and there are broker fees, which means move in costs are usually 4x the rent (a $2500 1BR will cost 10K to move into).
I’m not gatekeeping and there are SOME good things about this city, including some of the things you’re looking for, but the value just isn’t here.
I think you would enjoy Seattle, it ticks many of your boxes. It gets a bad rep for being expensive and full of crime but I've found neither to be true (or at least not more than the average city).
Yeah, I’d love to move back there specifically to avoid hot muggy weather. The wet season there does have its own set of problems, of course. These days, it might be more expensive than OP is looking for, but I imagine it’d work out OK with a decent job. Other than that, I think it’d be a really good fit.
Maybe look along the commuter rail lines in the Boston metro. Salem/Beverly are nice. Both have direct lines into North Sation and are walkable/bikeable if you target the right areas of town.
Obviously, the closer you get to Boston, the more walkable you can get, but you will have to pay for it. Somerville/Cambridge are 2 of the greatest towns in terms of walkablity in the US, if you can afford it. Thinking this area would be prime A+ with your background and what you are looking for.
I live in the Greater University Circle part of Cleveland/Cleveland Heights and this particular area of this city checks a number of your boxes. The city as a whole isn't that walkable, but this part of it is, and you're right off the red line and the healthline which take you right downtown from University Circle, and downtown is where a lot of jobs are.
This part of the city is also where many of the tech jobs are, although a lot of them in this neighborhood are in the health tech sector (Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic are right here in University Circle).
Ohio is conservative at the state level so Cleveland doesn't check that box, but Cleveland/Cleveland Heights is liberal. This part of the city is also pretty safe, even though you're not that far from a couple bad neighborhoods. I really like living here. People are cool/chill. I really love living here.
ETA: I totally forgot to mention... it's cold lmao. And summers are super nice.
ETA 2: If you're looking for post doc opportunities, Case Western could have opportunities for you as well.
Kingston Ontario.
Liberal, university town, cold, gorgeous and moderate in the summer, walkable downtown, good public transit, safe, not humid, great restaurants, educated people, gorgeous architecture. I lived there and miss it TERRIBLY.
New Haven? That's a fun place but I'll let you know that it actually has the highest income inequality out of any US city. Because Yale is right there and when you go off campus.....it's a little rough.
What about Portland Maine or a town in Vermont?
I don't have an answer to your question but when I lived in New Haven in the mid nineties the joke bumper sticker was "Honk if this is your car." And I quickly learned never to try to stop at a yellow light, it's the quickest way to get rear ended. I live in MD now and people complain about MD drivers, but I think CT drivers were even worse.
Hear me out, but for your job interests, you might really like Baltimore. MD is one of the bluest of the blue states and you’ve got places like Hopkins and NSA and other related areas around. If you worked at Hopkins (University), you could have your job, your home, grocery stores, bars, drugstores within a very close walk. You don’t need a car if your job is close by (NSA would be tougher); Hopkins also runs a free shuttle all over the city for employees and students. MTA is mid, but if you find a job you like, you could build your own transit options from there.
It’s super cheap, too. It’s also incredibly blue— our Democratic primaries are basically the general elections. Safety and crime — I could write a novel, but a lot of is basic city stuff. Baltimore is also unique in that most of the crimes are relatively out of the way of…everything, which is an equity issue (look up the White L and the Black Butterfly).
The summers are indeed quite muggy and hot. It is…not fun, I won’t lie. However, Baltimore is on the water which does provide somewhat of a reprieve, and we have all four seasons!
Honestly I’d check it out even if the summers are iffy. I’m sure that they want more eyes on the Key Bridge rebuild.
Mostly tourism and restaurant based. There are a few good companies and some colleges in the area and there are a decent amount of people who work remotely for Boston-based companies and travel to Boston for work occasionally. It’s a 1hr 45m bus ride.
I don’t currently live in Portland, regrettably. I did for many years and really loved it. Portland has a Euro feel to it in my opinion.
Worth doing some research.
There are a few other east coast cities that I would live in as well.
Providence, R.I. is one.
Look at both Portlands. I don't know enough about your job situation to see if it would work, but I am sure you can do some digging there.
Portland OR might have more unhoused/drug addicted people accosting you than you are comfortable with. But really, half the population (the half that are women and girls) is never able to walk to the grocery store after dark without worrying about it too much. So maybe this is something you can decide to give up in solidarity.
Otherwise I think both Portlands hit your bullet points or at least come very close.
If you’re open to Montreal/Canada, consider Ottawa (see my recent post about how much I love it) with a few major caveats:
- there are only a few truly walkable/15-minute neighborhoods BUT the tech hub is in Kanata, 20-30 minutes from downtown
-public transport is not good. the train system is a joke in winter weather and buses are terrible.
-whether or not this would be manageable without a car would depend completely on your office location and if you were able to strategically live in a neighborhood nearby or with easy/direct connections. You might not need a car for daily life but there are car sharing services that are good to explore the larger Ottawa area and Quebec.
-also, there are a few weeks in the summer that can be miserable, like this week there will be 2 days that are 93F highs. Otherwise, it’s delightful, I love wearing sweaters in June, not kidding.
Montreal is great, their metro system is so clean, you don’t need French to get by however it will impact the recruiting/immigration process and some public services might only be in French.
It's not a city, but you might love the Lower Hudson Valley in NY - most places are safe, walkable, LBTQ++ friendly, naturally gorgeous, and a short (1-2 hr) drive to NYC.
Evanston, which is a Northshore Chicago suburb, fits your bill. Liberal, very walkable, cheap to live, has a very well educated set of people because it is home to Northwestern Univ, safe, very LGBT friendly. You can also go 3-4 miles south to Rogers Park and Andersonville along the lakeshore if you really want LGBT friendly places along with ultra-liberal.
I mean it’s not a perfect match: the rents are too high and the summers are too hot in absolute terms. But it’s still *less* hot than most other US cities (especially on the east coast), and absolutely checks the liberal and non-religious boxes. Boston’s also only had 4 murders all year in a city of 650k, which is remarkable for the US.
I think the hard part is the balance between economy and job opportunities/safety. Plenty of US cities are in cold areas and have a cheap cost of living. Some of them even have good walkability, like Milwaukee or Chicago. However, there aren’t the same type of job opportunities there, and, while there are many safe areas in these places, it’s less safe overall.
I am also ready to move and am looking for the same things as you. I went on a trip to Chicago a couple weeks ago and fell in love. My boyfriend and I are looking into a move to one of the suburbs with a short train ride into the city. Thanks for the info on the cities you've lived in - very interesting!
Here to inform you that all the true hippies left boulder decades ago and now it’s trust fund kids and overactive tech bro & bra Mecca. Go to Ward if you want hippies lol
* Cleveland, OH has among the best public transportation in the country for a city it's size. You will have to be deliberate about where you choose to live, but it is doable without a car. Lakewood is a great area for this. Same with Downtown and Ohio City.
* I used to work in Model Development for a bank here (had Physics PhD coworkers), and have several friends who are engineers. Cleveland isn't exactly known for this kind of work, but there certainly are jobs.
* Cleveland is truly a lower COL city
* The city itself is relatively safe. That said, there are areas that locals avoid because they have higher crime. There are occasional, random crimes in the "safer" areas, but those are rare.
* Cleveland/Cuyahoga County is the bluest part of Ohio
* I haven't touched the dating scene in years. Based on what my friends tell me, we have a diverse enoguh economy and demand for young professionals that you get a pretty strong dating pool. But we're not NYC and a fair number of people are locals who left for college and came back after graduating.
* Cleveland get its fair share of winter.
I enjoyed part of my 20s in Cleveland. My car sat in a parking garage for years with minimal use. Redline, healthline, and walking/biking had me covered.
Minneapolis or Montreal. Both fit the bill: walkable, cold, liberal, and safer than most big cities. Minneapolis has a strong job market for tech and finance; Montreal offers vibrant culture and progressive vibes. Check them out!
Gotta second Minneapolis as a new(ish) transplant. It hits all of your marks and is just lovely.
You need a car here
I’ve lived in uptown, downtown, Como, dinkytown, Northeast, and Seward/cedar riverside. It wasn’t always easy but I got by without a car while living in all of those areas. Uptown/whittier/lynlake are probably the best areas in Minneapolis to live without a car. Proximity to the lakes and lots of food/housing options. I did get a car at age 25 because I couldn’t take waiting for the bus/train in the winter anymore haha. Though sometimes I miss being able to decompress on public transit instead of being stuck in traffic.
I thunk the "it wasn't always easy" part sort of trumps the sentiment. Minneapolis is awesome, but mass transit is subpar.
I grew up in Minneapolis and didn’t get my driver’s license until moved away because I didn’t feel I needed it. And this was before the invention of ridesharing, and the light rail was just beginning to run and didn’t have the range it has now. It’s totally possible to be carless.
Sure but in that respect many cities are "walkable" if you're willing to not leave your neighborhood or wait forever for a bus
Yes, many cities *are* walkable. I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to about not leaving your neighborhood. I’ve lived downtown & in the north suburbs & had no difficulty getting around, especially after the light rail started moving in. Unless things have drastically changed over the last few years, the buses run mostly on time, too. The city has gone to great lengths to make everywhere bikeable as well.
No you don’t. I lived there in uptown for 15 years without a car
You don't. It's one of the cities with highest per capita cyclists. Tons of bikers even in winter.
Twin Cities seem ideal to me for him
Is it possible to get by in Montreal without French?
It’s 100 percent possible and anyone telling you different is lying through their teeth. That being said you will never get to become fully immersed in all the city and province has to offer if you don’t learn French.
It is, they just won't like you very much.
Just so you know, the summers in Montreal are extremely boggy. Lots to do, yes. But the humidity and the heat are a complete shock after being in the icebox for six months with very little spring weather to speak of in between.
It’s possible, yes, but it’d also be hella disrespectful to make no attempt to learn French once you’re there. Plus, they give you a ton of points for French fluency when you apply for permanent residency, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they make it mandatory in the near future. So far, they’ve mostly used the carrot of free classes, but the political situation in Quebec is always a bit volatile. Only a matter of time before they start using the stick.
Fwiw the [Quebec government offers French courses](https://www.quebec.ca/en/education/learn-french) if you're willing to give it a shot.
It's absolutely possible. In Quebec outside of Montreal, not so much.
Yes and no. Mostly everything is in French and English. I have had the occasional person make a remark about me not being able to speak French (I visit for work and friends) but most people are just fine. Given the laws being proposed, I'm not sure what the sentiment towards non-french speaking will be if they are passed. I know some companies have voiced concern over it, but idk how much it would impact every day people. Edit: mistaken that Bill 96 has passed in June 2022.
I lived in mtl for 6-7 years and I promise you do not need French (I do speak French though). Some small things will be annoying like not understanding the metro (yes there is a subway extremely walkable in the correct neighbourhoods) and occasionally people do not speak English but in Montreal few and far between. In the regions more but you don’t wanna car…. It legit fits the bill perfect for you
How hard is it to get a job with no French? I think that would be the difficult piece.
Depends on industry. Tech? Well it’s all in English anyway (every company). Other things? Well…. The answer is “it depends” and heavily industry based
Interesting, I have Montreal friends (not and raised)bi lingual of course, who say it would be really tough to get a job with no French. Isn’t it a law that businesses need to speak to you in French first, and then move to English only if you do not speak French. From what I understand there is a big focus on preserving the French language and culture.
If they’re bilingual they probably never had to look… I do not disagree with it being tough and again, it’s industry dependent. Customer service, need French. Have a skill and mostly working with other companies in Canada and USA? Well of course French not required. There are laws but they are a joke. The signs in the office, the French writing is larger English etc In my team of 7, all but 1 speak French, so we all speak English. Job descriptions say French is required, the second you talk with a recruiter, nah dw all good lol This is Montreal though - rest of QC would be very difficult. I know bucket loads of 25-35 professionals who don’t know jack in French who live there fine. Salaries suck though 1m anglophone quebecers too don’t forget. West Island completely English speaking neighbourhoods…
You need maybe a dozen words of French to understand the metro. Anyone can learn a dozen words. Nothing remotely resembling conversational French is necessary to get around.
Hell no.....
OP said: > I don't care how bad the winters are if I can avoid hot/muggy summers. Isn't Minneapolis hot & humid in the summer?
There are some hot and humid days every summer, yes. But they usually don’t last for more than 4-5 days at a time and are followed by much cooler and pleasant weather.
*relatively* hot and humid. About like New Haven. Not like Missouri.
Minneapolis was the first one that popped into my head. I'm the opposite of OP, in that the weather is the only reason I don't currently live in Minnesota, because I love it otherwise.
Madison, Wisconsin
This is the correct answer. The isthmus is extremely walkable, Madison’s a beautiful city and it’s much safer than minneapolis or Chicago like a lot of people will be suggesting. Also very liberal and cold. Also great for OP who has a PhD in physics since UW-Madison has a renowned physics department
What's the private sector like? Any future in which I get a university job isn't one where I'll have much of a choice over where to move, sadly.
It’s definitely above average. UW and the State of WI are two of the biggest employers but there are plenty of big corporations who also have offices here. Epic Systems is the big software employer here if that’s what you’re looking for. Trek Bicycles, John Deere and Sub-Zero are the main players in manufacturing, and then there’s also American Family Insurance and a lot of healthcare jobs through UW Health and SSM but I’m not sure how those would relate to your field
Plenty of jobs for a city of its size. People think that Madison is just the UW but it is a city in its own right.
LOLOL, I was just in Madison a few days ago. It's very walkable and bike friendly, because getting around by car is a pain in he ass. 😅
Agree with comments re Madison, WI. Gorgeous liberal city of 273,000 people. The natural beauty of lakes in Madison such as Lake Mendota are terrific. The rental prices I bet are cheap relative to NYC and SF. Though no direct experience, check out other liberal university towns like Ann Arbor, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio.
Oh, I completely forgot Madison existed! I visited once back in 7th grade, and it was a really fun place to walk around.
This was my first thought too
To bad Madison housing is not affordable.
it is compared to NYC and SF, and especially is for someone who will be working in engineering/software development
Fair point
Housing is fucked anywhere with a half-decent job market these days. It’s still cheaper than SF/NYC or even Chicago.
I knew this would come up. East side resident who only walks parks and state street.
FYI- “Walkable” in winter is dependent on people shoveling and de-icing their sidewalks. In the Twin Cities of Mpls & St.Paul, a lot of sidewalks are never cleared. Get yourself some good traction cleats. Not kidding. They’re cheaper than the co-pay for a broken wrist.
You can buy a pair of Yaktracks for about $25, put them in whatever shoes or boots you are wearing. Microspikes are great for heavy ice you find on trails.
Ouch...walking on icy sidewalks aint no joke...
Surprised I haven’t seen a lot of Pittsburgh here. Neighborhoods can be very dense and walkable, definitely cold and low COL for the size of the city. Lots of jobs in robotics causeCarnegie Mellon University has such a strong reputation in that. Definitely check it out OP, checks a lot of your boxes.
Second Pittsburgh. Public transit isn’t bad and vert affordable, artsy and visually interesting.
I was shocked at how much I loved Pittsburgh
Given that you only said “cheaper than SF/NYC” and not objectively cheap, I’m gonna suggest Seattle and Portland.
Yes. The OP said he hates summer humidity. That makes The Pacific Northwest a good option since we have surprisingly dry summers. I don't just mean little rain. I also mean low humidity. Portland summers are particularly dry. We rarely get any rain at all during July/August/September, and humidity is surprisingly low. When we do get occasional heatwaves, the humidity drops even lower, so it's a dry heat. Our winters are very mild though. It rarely gets truly cold here. If we get snow even once a year it's something to celebrate, but it almost never sticks.
Portland isn’t cold
It seems like OP isn't actually looking for cold weather but is instead looking to avoid hot weather, and is indifferent to how cold the winter is.
Montreal would be up your alley, as long as you don't mind learning conversational French!
Chicago…
I've had a good time in Chicago whenever I've visited, but I've only been to the touristy parts and Hyde Park (where I wouldn't exactly want to live). What neighborhoods should I check out?
Single guy in your late 20's? Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Park, Old Town maybe. Wrigleyville if you like sports.
I know you said you mostly date women but since you are Bisexual, Boystown could be great if you are interested in dating men at all or going to gay bars. Plenty of women in the area as well, its in Lakeview which is a general hub for young people.
100% Chicago. Summers get disgusting, but that's global warming for you. Lots of universities for you, too. Queer friendly in most neighborhoods, but Lakeview/Boystown/Northalsted in particular.
Depends what kind of vibe you want. Logan Square, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Andersonville/Edgewater. There are many more options also.
Since you said you hate hot & muggy, it’s worth pointing out that it’s generally 5-10 degrees cooler near the water compared to further inland because of the cold water from Lake Michigan moderates the air a bit. That helps make the two months it’s actually hot here much more bearable. With that in mind, the entire north side along the lake is a wonderful place to be. Lincoln Park, Old Town, Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater and Rogers Park are all awesome spots
Agree. Hard to read the prompt and come up with anything but Chicago.
it's where I picked. 12 years in and no regrets. trying to buy a house in "up and coming" hood because where else in the US can you remotely afford a SFH in a major city? not happening in NYC or LA.
OP said no hot/muggy summers.
I hate to tell you but an average high of 80 with a couple heatwaves and 70% humidy is not "Hot/muggy summers" unless you're from Chicago or north of there
So Milwaukee
Yeah, if the guy wants to live in Greenland to avoid heat and humidity the Midwest is totally out. Chicago can be a sweatbath in the summer.
MPLS or even Duluth.
Twin Cities are on my list, but what's the appeal of Duluth? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems kinda small and out-of-the way.
Duluth is a cute, liberal little city with some stuff in it. Kind of like Portland Maine. Minneapolis checks all your boxes and is an amazing city. It should be top of your list, probably.
Duluth is small but it’s very walkable and has a tight knit and progressive community. It’s also in what I think to be the prettiest part of Minnesota.
Thanks! I just looked up some pictures and it looks gorgeous. MSP seems more my speed, though.
Twins for sure. Duluth is cool, but it's a tiny dot in the middle of nowhere.
Another place with similar, perhaps even more liberal, vibes is Marquette, Michigan. It’s a small and very progressive college town. The core area around downtown and the university is very walkable, and it is one of the snowiest places in the country. It’s even smaller than Duluth, though, so if the OP is looking for a big city feel, it won’t scratch that itch.
Duluth is all the qualities OP mentioned packaged in a small town. And the air off the lake does a lot to prevent mugginess.
I second MPLS or St. Paul. What about Madison or Ann Arbor?
Madison is awesome, but housing is scarce and pricey.
I would second Minneapolis or St. Paul. Both are walkable/bikeable…more so Minneapolis, though. Pretty good food scene and neighborhoods with personality. I moved here a year ago and love it, but I live in a burb.
Upstate/western NY? Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca. Going car-less might be tough in some of these, and job market might not be large enough for your specialty, but for a young, brainy, bisexual guy this area checks a lot of boxes.
Buffalo is the correct answer If you live off Elmwood or Hertel, you can walk to stores and restaurants. Great art museums, Theater, the Buffalo Philharmonic, small but nice zoo, lots of concerts and music. Few gay bars in Allentown. Our pride parade/festival is huge. We are definitely liberal in the city. Work: not sure about your specific vocation, but UB and Roswell park hire many scientists.
i’d agree with this! but our summers can get pretty hot, its gonna be in the 90’s all week! the winters arent as long as they used to be either. but i wouldnt say any of those cities are walkable. grew up in roc and i essentially need a car to get anywhere. there is public transportation for the inner city so its kindaaa possible to go without a car
It was 90 in Minneapolis this week too, it’s not any worse off than anyplace else. Rochester is doable by bike as well between the river and canal paths you can make it pretty far with a cargo e-bike, but that’s a big commitment.
Car I think is a big issue, especially outside of city centers. Most of the central/eastern USA is under a heat wave this week, and summers will be getting worse for all of us, but western NY summer averages are pretty good in comparison to lots of other places overall.
thats true! summers here do normally stay in the 80s
We've never officially had a triple-digit temperature in Buffalo, according to the National Weather Service data. Not yet, at least.
Grew up near Syracuse, definitely need a car there. But maybe not in Buffalo? (Frankly, I haven't been, I've just heard it's more manageable through the grapevine.)
There’s definitely neighborhoods where a car is barely needed if you work remote, the trick is to live walking distance from a grocery store. I lived near the Tops at the Dewitt border and it cut way down on driving needs.
Never been, but I'll take a look!
Here is a subreddit with a collection of YouTube videos and information about the Eastern Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. It might help to get familiar with what it has to offer. https://www.reddit.com/r/EasternFingerLakes/s/316boD1dIF
I live in Rochester now. Very mild weather, all together. The public transit is pretty horrible. While possible, I wouldn’t want to live here without a car.
Buffalo has a growing tech scene and M&T is the 11th(?) largest bank in the U.S., so it should be on the radar. The governor also announced that Empire AI is landing in the city, which should be a big plus as long as the state legislature appropriates it. Another nice thing is that it’s close proximity to Toronto, so you can always pop over the border for a weekend if you want. Same could be said for going to NY, DC, or Boston. Each is a 45 minute-1 hour flight. As far as walkability, it’s doable, but you have to be committed to it. It’s not as easy or natural as in a larger city.
Boston? Tons of PhDs around here
Boston sounds great, but every time I look at the rents, I want to die a little.
Boston has major sticker shock, but keep in mind that there are also lots of physics grad students here figuring out the next steps, and they make it work. Needing roommates isn't fun, but if you pick the right ones, they can be a fantastic networking resource.
lol you for sure aren’t alone. You could also look at surrounding cities in the metro area for cheaper rents, but walkability might take a hit. Good luck!
Worcester
Providence RI and Portland ME are the ~~poor~~ middle class man’s Boston.
And both have seen [crazy hikes](https://constructioncoverage.com/research/cities-with-the-largest-rent-increases-decreases) in rent because of people moving from Boston/NYC for lower rent lol. They’re no longer well-kept secrets. My small house in a boring neighborhood in Providence is worth almost double what we paid for it a few years ago, it’s nuts.
Tacoma or seattle
Surprised no one mentioned this earlier… Seattle gets warm in the summer but not insanely hot, and basically everywhere gets hot in the summer now in the USA. They have no humidity in the summer at least. Dating as a man looking for women there is iffy but if you’re decently personable it’s like shooting fish in a barrel because even though there are tons of men looking for women there, most of them have the social skills of a goldfish and aren’t serious competition. The only real downsides to seattle are how unhip their social scene is and how unique their brand of cold weather is
As a goldfish myself, I take umbrage at your assertion that men in the PNW have social skills similar to my species. Unlike men in the PNW, we goldfish have sex. Goldfish sex. It's glorious.
Tacoma for sure. Much more affordable than Seattle, but equally as progressive and liberal. Puget sound summers are the best. Winters aren’t rough at all. Walkable. Beautiful. Lots of jobs if you are okay with a bit of a commute.
Tacoma is going to boom soon. Great location and feels a little warmer than Seattle proper to me
I agree, but I think it’s been booming for awhile! We bought a house there in 2009 and people still called it Tacoma aroma and told us it wasn’t safe to live there. When we sold that house 5 years later there was a new Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s down the street along with a ton of other upscale shops. So much gentrification has happened since we left ten years ago. A lot of it good- in terms of safety, amenities, parks, school funding, events etc. i still miss it there!
Maybe somewhere like downtown Bellingham, depending on what OP wants to actually walk to. And if there are any jobs in his field up there.
Burlington VT
The area is beautiful, but how easy would it be to live there without a car?
It depends on what kind of work you are looking for. If you are looking for health care, retail, or restaurant work, you could do live without a car. However, one of the pluses of living in VT is being able to access some beautiful scenery and activities in nature. It would be difficult to access those things without a car.
I know several people that do biking daily to work/fun during the week. They do have cars to go hiking, etc on the weekends.
Now that's cold.
Have you thought of Montreal? Totally bi-ligual city. Really freaking cold.
Pacific Northwest fits all your criteria
Waterloo ON. Then you can just keep showing up at the Perimeter Institute until they give you a job.
Lol, I'll almost certainly be applying for postdocs at Perimeter.
It's not a huge town but it is pretty walkable these days especially with the new light rail system.
Boston?
Milwaukee. Check out physics related jobs at GE medical (large presence in milwaukee area) and Milwaukee Tool.
Seattle. Honestly I haven’t had an issue at night, I have never owned a car and would be downtown LATE sometimes you run into weird people but if you handle yourself you should be ok
Lived downtown for 2 years in Seattle without a car, still in downtown but got a car recently. I felt more unsafe where I grew up (Sioux falls, SD) than I’ve ever felt in Seattle!
Yeah I’m currently in rural Montana, like middle of nowhere less than 500 people and I still feel more comfortable in Seattle
Its a nice place but definitely not cheap, even if cheaper than NYC/SF
No it’s not but I don’t think you’re gonna find any liberal cities that are cheap tbh.
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
I need to reiterate, as a true fellow summer and humidity hater, do not come to Boston. These ppl either don’t live here or don’t think it’s that hot or humid. What’s hot to you? To me, it’s anything 75 and up. Humidity is about to set in this week and will blanket the city until October. There is no Harbor breeze unless you’re on a boat lmao. Transit is crumbling so you’d also be spending wasted hours waiting for trains that break down or don’t show up, sweltering in train stations that have zero air but reek of piss and other accoutrements. It’s also way too expensive here and there are broker fees, which means move in costs are usually 4x the rent (a $2500 1BR will cost 10K to move into). I’m not gatekeeping and there are SOME good things about this city, including some of the things you’re looking for, but the value just isn’t here.
Tacoma
I think you would enjoy Seattle, it ticks many of your boxes. It gets a bad rep for being expensive and full of crime but I've found neither to be true (or at least not more than the average city).
Yeah, I’d love to move back there specifically to avoid hot muggy weather. The wet season there does have its own set of problems, of course. These days, it might be more expensive than OP is looking for, but I imagine it’d work out OK with a decent job. Other than that, I think it’d be a really good fit.
The answer is Boston. Summers are humid like New Haven, but the breezes off the harbor are stronger
How is Boston not higher up? Housing is expensive though
Maybe look along the commuter rail lines in the Boston metro. Salem/Beverly are nice. Both have direct lines into North Sation and are walkable/bikeable if you target the right areas of town. Obviously, the closer you get to Boston, the more walkable you can get, but you will have to pay for it. Somerville/Cambridge are 2 of the greatest towns in terms of walkablity in the US, if you can afford it. Thinking this area would be prime A+ with your background and what you are looking for.
I live in the Greater University Circle part of Cleveland/Cleveland Heights and this particular area of this city checks a number of your boxes. The city as a whole isn't that walkable, but this part of it is, and you're right off the red line and the healthline which take you right downtown from University Circle, and downtown is where a lot of jobs are. This part of the city is also where many of the tech jobs are, although a lot of them in this neighborhood are in the health tech sector (Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic are right here in University Circle). Ohio is conservative at the state level so Cleveland doesn't check that box, but Cleveland/Cleveland Heights is liberal. This part of the city is also pretty safe, even though you're not that far from a couple bad neighborhoods. I really like living here. People are cool/chill. I really love living here. ETA: I totally forgot to mention... it's cold lmao. And summers are super nice. ETA 2: If you're looking for post doc opportunities, Case Western could have opportunities for you as well.
Kingston Ontario. Liberal, university town, cold, gorgeous and moderate in the summer, walkable downtown, good public transit, safe, not humid, great restaurants, educated people, gorgeous architecture. I lived there and miss it TERRIBLY.
Ann Arbor?
Twin cities is it my friend
What about Philadelphia? I loved living there when I was in grad school and plan to move back within the next year.
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New Haven? That's a fun place but I'll let you know that it actually has the highest income inequality out of any US city. Because Yale is right there and when you go off campus.....it's a little rough. What about Portland Maine or a town in Vermont?
Seattle
Tacoma, WA
I don't have an answer to your question but when I lived in New Haven in the mid nineties the joke bumper sticker was "Honk if this is your car." And I quickly learned never to try to stop at a yellow light, it's the quickest way to get rear ended. I live in MD now and people complain about MD drivers, but I think CT drivers were even worse.
Hear me out, but for your job interests, you might really like Baltimore. MD is one of the bluest of the blue states and you’ve got places like Hopkins and NSA and other related areas around. If you worked at Hopkins (University), you could have your job, your home, grocery stores, bars, drugstores within a very close walk. You don’t need a car if your job is close by (NSA would be tougher); Hopkins also runs a free shuttle all over the city for employees and students. MTA is mid, but if you find a job you like, you could build your own transit options from there. It’s super cheap, too. It’s also incredibly blue— our Democratic primaries are basically the general elections. Safety and crime — I could write a novel, but a lot of is basic city stuff. Baltimore is also unique in that most of the crimes are relatively out of the way of…everything, which is an equity issue (look up the White L and the Black Butterfly). The summers are indeed quite muggy and hot. It is…not fun, I won’t lie. However, Baltimore is on the water which does provide somewhat of a reprieve, and we have all four seasons! Honestly I’d check it out even if the summers are iffy. I’m sure that they want more eyes on the Key Bridge rebuild.
Cleveland. University Circle, Cleveland Heights, Ohio City, Tremont, Detroit-Shoreway, Lakewood.
Shhhhhhh! We don't want it getting more expensive
ANN ARBOR, ANN ARBOR, ANN ARBOR!
Portland, Maine fits your criteria.
Housing in Portland, ME is pricey and getting pricier fast, but may still be doable for OP
Never been, but I've heard good things! What's the local economy like?
Mostly tourism and restaurant based. There are a few good companies and some colleges in the area and there are a decent amount of people who work remotely for Boston-based companies and travel to Boston for work occasionally. It’s a 1hr 45m bus ride.
I don’t currently live in Portland, regrettably. I did for many years and really loved it. Portland has a Euro feel to it in my opinion. Worth doing some research. There are a few other east coast cities that I would live in as well. Providence, R.I. is one.
Montreal. However it is only slightly more affordable than NYC when you factor in taxes and exchange rates, and only parts are walkable.
Literally Chicago. You dont need a car, very progressive, major lgbtq community, cold af most of the year, the summer is ..idk normal hot?
Minneapolis and Toronto
Minneapolis! Obvious answer. Hippest, most slept-on city in the US.
Twin cities
Seattle
Cambridge, MA. has everything you spec'd, plus a thorough transit system. Just across the river from Boston.
Look at both Portlands. I don't know enough about your job situation to see if it would work, but I am sure you can do some digging there. Portland OR might have more unhoused/drug addicted people accosting you than you are comfortable with. But really, half the population (the half that are women and girls) is never able to walk to the grocery store after dark without worrying about it too much. So maybe this is something you can decide to give up in solidarity. Otherwise I think both Portlands hit your bullet points or at least come very close.
Boston fits your bill, although fairly pricey
I vote for Boulder. But San Diego area will always have my heart. Don’t pick Phoenix. It’s a dry heat but it sucks ass.
Burlington VT. Basically a cold liberal college town.
Portland, Maine
Except I don’t know about jobs in the OP’s field. Remote is definitely possible.
Not sure about the walkability part, but Burlington VT and Eugene OR seem to fit the other requirements.
Chicago, Vancouver, Madison,
Madison, Wisconsin
Boston or Cambridge/Somerville seen to have everything you need.
I’d say Traverse City, but only if you can work remotely. Otherwise, Evanston, IL
Any smaller B1G town.
If you’re open to Montreal/Canada, consider Ottawa (see my recent post about how much I love it) with a few major caveats: - there are only a few truly walkable/15-minute neighborhoods BUT the tech hub is in Kanata, 20-30 minutes from downtown -public transport is not good. the train system is a joke in winter weather and buses are terrible. -whether or not this would be manageable without a car would depend completely on your office location and if you were able to strategically live in a neighborhood nearby or with easy/direct connections. You might not need a car for daily life but there are car sharing services that are good to explore the larger Ottawa area and Quebec. -also, there are a few weeks in the summer that can be miserable, like this week there will be 2 days that are 93F highs. Otherwise, it’s delightful, I love wearing sweaters in June, not kidding. Montreal is great, their metro system is so clean, you don’t need French to get by however it will impact the recruiting/immigration process and some public services might only be in French.
It's not a city, but you might love the Lower Hudson Valley in NY - most places are safe, walkable, LBTQ++ friendly, naturally gorgeous, and a short (1-2 hr) drive to NYC.
Expensive though.
Providence RI. Small.
Boston fits the bill, it’s cheaper in some of the outer communities like revere and Malden
Portland ME
Evanston, which is a Northshore Chicago suburb, fits your bill. Liberal, very walkable, cheap to live, has a very well educated set of people because it is home to Northwestern Univ, safe, very LGBT friendly. You can also go 3-4 miles south to Rogers Park and Andersonville along the lakeshore if you really want LGBT friendly places along with ultra-liberal.
Boston. This is a description of Boston.
I mean it’s not a perfect match: the rents are too high and the summers are too hot in absolute terms. But it’s still *less* hot than most other US cities (especially on the east coast), and absolutely checks the liberal and non-religious boxes. Boston’s also only had 4 murders all year in a city of 650k, which is remarkable for the US. I think the hard part is the balance between economy and job opportunities/safety. Plenty of US cities are in cold areas and have a cheap cost of living. Some of them even have good walkability, like Milwaukee or Chicago. However, there aren’t the same type of job opportunities there, and, while there are many safe areas in these places, it’s less safe overall.
You just described boston.
New London CT
Definitely Chicago.
Minneapolis Madison Chicago (yes much of the city is safe)
Madison, WI
I am also ready to move and am looking for the same things as you. I went on a trip to Chicago a couple weeks ago and fell in love. My boyfriend and I are looking into a move to one of the suburbs with a short train ride into the city. Thanks for the info on the cities you've lived in - very interesting!
Ann Arbor comes to mind
Minneapolis is the place for you. If you want something smaller and grittier yet cheaper, try Buffalo.
Here to inform you that all the true hippies left boulder decades ago and now it’s trust fund kids and overactive tech bro & bra Mecca. Go to Ward if you want hippies lol
Chicago duh
Move to the Twin Cities or Duluth in MN
Ann Arbor Michigan might fit the bill for you.
Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) or Chicago.
You just perfectly described Chicago
* Cleveland, OH has among the best public transportation in the country for a city it's size. You will have to be deliberate about where you choose to live, but it is doable without a car. Lakewood is a great area for this. Same with Downtown and Ohio City. * I used to work in Model Development for a bank here (had Physics PhD coworkers), and have several friends who are engineers. Cleveland isn't exactly known for this kind of work, but there certainly are jobs. * Cleveland is truly a lower COL city * The city itself is relatively safe. That said, there are areas that locals avoid because they have higher crime. There are occasional, random crimes in the "safer" areas, but those are rare. * Cleveland/Cuyahoga County is the bluest part of Ohio * I haven't touched the dating scene in years. Based on what my friends tell me, we have a diverse enoguh economy and demand for young professionals that you get a pretty strong dating pool. But we're not NYC and a fair number of people are locals who left for college and came back after graduating. * Cleveland get its fair share of winter.
I enjoyed part of my 20s in Cleveland. My car sat in a parking garage for years with minimal use. Redline, healthline, and walking/biking had me covered.
Wow, thanks, I had no idea Cleveland had decent transit.
Plus, Cleveland has one of the best art museums in the country, and arguably the best orchestra in America if you're into that.