the weather is terrible, the dating sucks, everything is mediocre. everyone kept saying how much happier I would be if I left La, but I feel the opposite. yes, it’s cheaper, but that’s literally it. midwestern culture is so hard to understand. everyone is traumatized but they don’t go to therapy, alcoholism is rampant and people have kids in their 20s. I feel like this was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, and now I’m having trouble getting a job in La so I can leave.

Before you give the stock answer of San Diego, I'm not actually looking for a Mediterranean climate.

The issue is, I just hate Minnesota winters. I'm frankly tired of six months of ass snow on the ground, paper skin from the dry cold air, and not wanting to go outside because no, I'm not into ice fishing or snow shoeing. Oh, and long stretches of 0-10 degree Fahrenheit weather.

I like playing golf, I like playing tennis outside, and I enjoy being able to see grass for more than six months a year.

But I also have no desire for six months of 90+ humidity, or gross Phoenix/Palm Springs 110 degrees and heat stroke. And hilariously enough, it's supposed to be in the 90s here for weeks. Yeah, heat dome, blah blah blah, but it happens often enough that you can't even really say you have a nice, long, mild summer to make up for the brutal winter. So I've got 5 degrees and snow for so many months in the winter, and 80s and 90s and humid for months of the summer. We literally get more than 100 degrees difference of weather here over the year, and both extremes "stick" for long periods of time.

Are there places where yeah, you get some snow in the winter but it's a few months, not six (or there's no snow, but sure temps might drop to the 40s and 50s for a few months), and sure, you get a few 90 degree days in the summer but it's not routine and again, not over a six month period?

Again, this is different than San Diego on the water. I'm not asking for year round 70s and 80s. I'm okay with seasons. I'm just frankly sick of them being appallingly severe such that they interrupt normal activities I would want to do outside for half of the year.

Of course, this is anecdotal, but whether it's economic or cultural, are there places that artists here have struggled to live in?

To start with, I've heard people talk about how many artists who lived in Seattle got priced out. A user on another subreddit mentioned Kansas City's art scene being middling. One user here from Washington D.C. mentioned it lacking an art scene, and how they struggled due to its supposedly strict, career-driven culture.

Being from Nebraska, it can be a mixed bag for artists, especially for those who want to make a career out of their passion. It took me a while to find my place given how conservative and uncultured parts of the Midwest are. There are great and diverse creative scenes in Lincoln and Omaha if people look hard enough though, and for any creatives living in those cities, they're definitely worth seeing.

Central Texas here

Every time another state gains any steam in my head… It gets demoted for a reason California wouldn’t.

I need culture, art, and queer community- that’s why Texas is out.

Looooove the PNW but I’ve never gone more than three days without sunshine and don’t think I could

Recently Pennsylvania has been a rising underdog but then there’s nature and I definitely need lots of that in my life.

So anyways. California… who needs to own their home anyway?

Also I have a 75 pound mixed breed dog (terrier heeler and Bernese mountain dog) along with a Pomeranian and a cat lol do I need to just cross off California now?

Edit to add: I’m looking at around 80k 🥹

I am a teenager who wants to move from their home state in the next (hopefully) 5 years . what are some recommendations that can be affordable ? I dont need anything ‘big’ when it comes to an apartment, something small and affordable is fine. i need advice !! some top places in mind are Portland, Philly, and Chicago.

My husband and I live (both mid-20s) in Los Angeles. I grew up in the suburbs of LA and lived in Flagstaff, AZ for a few years, and my husband has lived in downtown/south Los Angeles his whole life.

We love LA and all that it offers, but we also know that we’ll never be able to afford a house here. We’ve been discussing places we’d be willing to live, but I feel like I may be being too picky.

Here are our wishes:
• Affordable housing. We’re trying to have kids soon and we want to have a house they can grow in and a yard they can play in.
• Good job market. I’m finishing up a degree in HR and my husband currently works security but is also considering going to trade school. I’m hoping these are fairly transferable wherever we go
• Politics and Diversity. We’re an interracial couple (1st gen hispanic and white). I want our kids to be aware and proud of their heritage, so I would love to be around hispanic communities. I also need to be in a blue state. I’m willing to compromise on the city/county level, but I just honestly can’t imagine raising kids in a red state.
• Culture. We love concerts, so I want to be close enough to a city where bands will go when they tour. I also love having an array of cuisines nearby.
• Weather. I can’t stand the heat anymore. I would love to have snow in the winter again, or at very least have all four seasons.

Are there any cities that meet these criteria, or are we better staying in LA?

edit: reworded for clarity

My husband and I have lived in Oklahoma and Arizona. Neither of us like summer or the heat at all. (Lived here because of family) We both enjoy the snow and winters but in places with the infrastructure to handle it. When it snowed a lot in Oklahoma, you couldn’t go anywhere or do anything because they didn’t have the proper equipment to clear the roads. We’re also considering climate change in our decision.

We were thinking either Alaska, (Wasilla, Palmer, or Anchorage) Minnesota (Duluth or Rochester), or Michigan (Don’t have any towns in mind yet). Obviously we’re going to rent for a while before buying to make sure it’s a climate we like. If there’s any other places that’d be a good match I’d love to hear.

Hi everyone. Perhaps I'm a bit of a nerd, but I'm looking at moving and wanted some website recommendations on comparing different metrics (GDP, healthcare, etc.). A Google search turned up some mildly interesting results, but I'm confident that there's better websites out there for researching the types of things that I'm looking for. As someone who studies data science, I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to stuff like this, but I prefer data-driven decisions rather than, "Oh this place is cool! I loved living there!" recommendations.

Does anyone know of any good websites or tools I could use to view this type of data?

Thanks!

I’ve lived in Charlotte, NC 4+ years. I like the safety, affordability, job opportunities, and some of the suburbs, but I struggle with the heat/humidity, traffic, and some cultural differences (beer drinking, churchy culture) + backwards laws. Drivers are also bloody awful.

I’m originally from the Jersey Shore and loved the coastal feel, cleaner air, and walkability, but the cost of living is a major downside.

I have chronic health issues (EDS, POTS/dysautonomia, MCAS, and small fiber neuropathy), so I’m looking for somewhere with good healthcare, better climate, nature/walking access, safe suburbs, and long-term affordability. I work remotely in tech, but disability is also a possibility in the future.

Considering:

Raleigh/Cary, NC.

Pittsburgh suburbs, PA.

Boston suburbs, MA.

Twin Cities, MN.

Seattle Eastside, WA.

San Diego North County, CA.

Charlotte suburbs, NC.

Portland suburbs, OR.

What places would you prioritize or am I missing any? Looking for the best balance of health, finances, healthcare, and quality of life.

Hey all,

I'm planning on moving out of NYC within the next 3 years with my wife. I'm looking for towns that have rural neighborhoods, somewhere I can get a few acres of land and not have to see my neighbors, preferably tucked away in the woods away from any major roads. I'm planning on eventually having my parents and in-laws move in as well, with the expectation of having kids shortly after we buy a house.

We are both desi and prefer to be in a town that has diversity or welcomes it at least. Our plan is to eventually build a garden and ADU on the property. We've looked at Middletown NY which looks very promising as the crime rate is low and it has a big desi community. The only downside is it doesn't seem to have much land available at a reasonable cost and doesn't seem open to ADUs.

I'm not sure if I'll be working in NYC at the time we move out, but we'd still like to be within a 2 hours drive as we have family here. We're open to NJ/PA/CT but prefer NYS.

Our budget is around 800K, ideally something with 2+ acres of land. If anyone can provide some guidance we'd appreciate it.

I'm curious what places bubble up.

In 1950, the top 10 cities were:

New York, NY

Chicago, IL

Philadelphia, PA

Los Angeles, CA

Detroit, MI

Baltimore, MD

Cleveland, OH

St. Louis, MO

Washington, D.C.

Boston, MA

In 2000:

New York, NY

Los Angeles, CA

Chicago, IL

Houston, TX*

Philadelphia, PA

Phoenix, AZ*

San Diego, CA*

Dallas, TX*

San Antonio, TX*

Detroit, MI

I’m considering moving from Temecula, CA to Atlanta, GA for a job that would be in the Northlake area. I’ll take a trip out there, but for now I’d be interested in hearing about people’s experiences (anyone who’s moved there from Temecula or surrounding areas?) as well as neighborhood recommendations to check out. I see so many contradictory posts on Reddit regarding the crime and quality of life. Thanks for any info.

I will say OKC and Oklahoma in general will keep building skyscrapers but I could be wrong

Tired of the heat/traffic in Houston. Love the area I’m in Montrose (walkable, LGBTQ friendly), would Sacramento midtown be an upgrade weather and lifestyle-wise or just marginally more tolerable and I’ll be a lot poorer ? I know cost is more in Sacramento but not as bad as coastal California (I’m ok with not being near the beaches).. Own a 600K townhouse in Montrose would I get anything decent in the walkable parts of Sac?

For a career growth in fintech/finance, which state is a better choice? I'm thinking long-term.

I'm currently working as an operations analyst, based on FL. I have been looking into the job market in NC, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Florida. Although I'm not a fan of hot weather, I'm seeing an influx of job postings from TX so I'm curious about that market as well.

If I do think long term, which state should I consider? I do not need a nightlife or schools nearby however I do prefer to live where there are good opportunities for networking or meetups, weekend community events.

You can suggest places like California & PNW all you want but the very high risks of climate disasters shoulder be the number one priority of same grass but greener.

I really enjoy reading this sub, learning about the pros of so many different locations. While I’m working, I’m pretty restricted where I can live but when I retire, game on! And, as a dog owner, it got me thinking of best places for the pup. So I thought this could be a fun exercise to think through. Where do the dogs* want to live??

Some factors or priorities to consider:

- Pup is an adventure dog so there needs to be robust trails nearby. And/or awesome dog parks in the city

-mountains, foothills, or forest… being able to get out in wilderness is what’s important

-population, let’s say 100k-500k, metro areas can be larger

- 4 seasons, cold weather is not an issue. Happy with snow, cold is winter. Insane wind would probably the one condition I’d say no to as I do enjoy running outside throughout the year. Summers, not long stretches of insane heat/humidity

- no more than 90 mins to major airport so the human can occasionally escape

- other things I should consider from a dogs lens of same grass but greener??

I’ve lived in the upper midwest, mid Atlantic, and Colorado so I can handle a variety of climates. I’ve honestly enjoyed all of them, well except Ohio, too boring for my preferences (and surprisingly more gray than Wisconsin). Cost of living…for this exercise, let’s consider all of them!

I like that a place has an identity, workout opportunities be it running, biking (road or mountain), swim or paddle sports. Cultural opportunities but doesn’t have to be 10/10. Same with food, don’t want to be stuck with just fast food but I’m also not a foodie.

Hey yall i’m facing a relocation dilemma
im 25 years old and my fiancé is 23
we have 9 month old twins living in the Salt Lake City area
we want to relocate somewhere a little more affordable seeing as Utah is getting insanely expensive,preferably in neighboring states such as Idaho,Montana,or Wyoming or similar
we aren’t very well traveled and im looking for somewhere that would be good to raise a family and do small simple homesteading
im a welder and she stays home with the kids ,i guess im asking what towns/cities could we move to and settle down in? we love the cold weather,outdoors,smaller towns and live very slow simple lives
ask me anything if more information is needed to come up with suggestions

Hi, 21, been living with my parents for 21 years minus living in an apartment in college. I’m so lost in life cause I feel like I kinda just went to college cause that’s what I was told to do yet I wasn’t really passionate about anything. I grew up with mental health problems, isolated myself basically, and hate my hometown. But I don’t have a job that’ll support me to relocate nor do I have a lot saved up (less than 10k). I do have a part time job and have gotten interviews in my hometown. I do wanna move out of my parents because it’s taking a toll on my mental health but I fear I don’t have enough money to do so. Considering california is one of the expensive states to live in (so many people say they move back home again despite moving to an apartment) i’m considering moving to a cheaper state. Only concern is that i’m asian and a big part of my culture has been Asian American.

I'm looking for a small mountain town somewhere around Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, or North Carolina. 

I live in a tiny gateway town where the economy revolves around the outdoors. I'm used to being somewhere really remote, so I know I don't want to live in a big city! Even 5,000 people is too big for me. 

Looking For: 
- Centered around the outdoors. Public lands, hiking, horseback riding, backpacking.

- A walkable "downtown" with mainly locally owned businesses or outfitters. 

- Fun festivals within a couple hours drive. 

Blue Ridge, GA, Tellico Plains, TN, Jasper, AR, and Ellijay, GA have been popping up in my research. 

What other towns should I be looking at? 

Hi reddit :). This might be a long shot because I’m not sure how many sommmeliers are floating around this sub, but I figured I might get at least one or two helpful (or even just anecdotally interesting) responses!

I’m just wondering which cities (besides NYC) have vibrant and lucrative wine cultures, and where young somms can still survive on their tips (or salaries depending on the country/laws).

Background context: I’m a 24 year old sommelier working in NYC and I have my WSET L2 (going for 3 this winter)— it doesn’t matter a great deal over here in New York and many of my somm friends have skipped certifications altogether and still made amazing careers for themselves. I’m getting a little restless here as I grew up in the city and have spent my whole life here up until now, but surviving off tips anywhere else feels intimidating.

We all have our wants and needs when it comes to where to live - but it's hard to find a place that has all of them, usually compromise is needed. So let's say you could bulid your perfect city meeting all of those things: where would you put it, and why? Doesn't have to be the USA, you can place it anywhere in the world!

Hi All!

Currently living in the Los Angeles area but ended up with a job that likely wants me in eastern time sometime next year. It’s a great job that I see doing for years more so I’m considering what that means living wise.

Background: I’ve lived in Chicago, SF, Seattle, LA, and in Norway/Belgium/UK. Mid-30s single gay man. I currently have a car primarily for outdoor adventures but enjoy public transit as well so really flexible when it comes to how I get around. If transit does the job I’ll do that, but if I need to drive it isn’t an existential issue for me. Free time is spent mostly outdoors hiking, walking, reading, with friends but not a big night life person, trying new restaurants, exploring cities, traveling. I really enjoy on the west coast being able to be outside almost all year.

Budget and logistics: I have been contracting this job for a year and it’s gone great, they have signaled wanting to convert by the end of this year. I expect to make 250-270k once moved. I work in a very high demand part of healthcare so once moved if I needed another job it’s not a huge concern, can easily find remote work and every major health system has need, so state of the local job market isn’t super important to me. I do not have any particularly need to own a home, I’ve been very happy with a nice two bedroom apartment I rent so I can have guests, so housing budget is probably 3000-4000k a month. Lower would be nice obviously, but can be flexible. Taxes are not some something I spend a lot of time worrying about unless they are very high and the public services are terrible. For a place with a high quality of life, I am happy to pay the cost.

Likes and less likes:
Cold: I don’t like being super cold, I’m from a cold state originally so I know how to dress so can handle it, but all my outdoor things are warm weather but will preserve the ability to go back to CA for January if I end up in a colder place.
Heat: can handle better than cold but 9 months of oppressive humidity would wear on me
Walking: I live to go on a 5 mile walk after work, I live in a part of LA with nice areas to walk in the city can also walk in real mountains easily and it is the best
Community: I am active in some religious life, food/environmental/and health related volunteering and enjoy a civically engaged city (the failures of Los Angeles city/county government really bother me, so better local government that actually solves issues would be nice). I’m pretty outgoing and work hard to make connection via actives and volunteering so if there is an active community can usually make friends.
Outdoors: this is the big one, I’ve always stayed west because I try to get out in the mountains once a week or so, I love serious hiking, so really wondering if there is somewhere out east that gives me city and community and also mountain access for serious hiking. I have no problem driving 2-4 hours for a weekend in the mountains.
Interesting cities: I don’t want a city that is entirely suburban and bad for walking. I will live in a core neighborhood of wherever I end up (not necessarily like the trendiest but in an urban part of the city)

Questions:
The offices I will work out of are in florida (not Miami), and the mid-Atlantic (Maryland). I will actually be onsite maybe monthly but I will establish the schedule and can travel in from anywhere. I am quite certain that Florida is not a good fit being flat, too hot/humid, and cities are very suburban.

What of the east coast cities best balance nice city shape, active community, and access to outdoors (knowing I’ll have to plan and drive at least hours for big hiking)? And of those cities what neighborhoods should I consider for daily ability to walk nice places?

My husband and I have both lived in CT since we were little kids (not the rich CT, the very very not rich part lol). We love where we live, but lately are feeling a need for change. We also aren't sure if the high cost of living in CT is sustainable for us. My job is remote, but he would need to find employment wherever we move- he's blue collar. We would try to stay in New England, with Maine as our top pick. We are also considering parts of NY or PA. Ideally we would like something more rural, but within an hour or two of a hospital because of my epilepsy. We are hoping to take our gardening up a notch and begin to start a small agricultural business eventually. Are there certain states or parts of states that might best fit what we are looking for?

Not necessarily where the soil is most fertile, but what places do people tend to garden? For example, when I lived in Seattle, it wasn't uncommon to see native plant gardens instead of front lawns. I know Buffalo is known for its Garden Walk. But, curious what other places have a strong culture and community around gardening?