You did not say where you live now. I think New York is the best place to live, and I do not think it needs any explanation.

New England: quick access to mountains, lakes, ocean; short trip in winter to the islands if you get sick of skiing; fairly affordable.

Best place for what?

Boston: Academics, seafood, sports, music, art, access to skiing, sailing, actual trees and ocean, many scenic areas. Downside: Long, dark, dreary winter, and the Big-Dig traffic. Expensive real estate.

New York: Theater, music, art, fashion, shopping, diverse cultures, restaurants. Downside: unearthly expense of housing, size, crowds, breathless pace. All signs of nature have wrought-iron fence around them. Narrow-minded parochial New Yorkers have no idea there's anywhere else in the world, let alone the country.

Philadelphia: Music and art, accessible size, home-town flavor, sports, easy access to New York and Washington, reasonable real estate. Lovely "exurbia." Downside: always being compared to NY and Wash.

Washington: Front-row politics and diplomacy, restaurants, entertaining as a competitive sport, sense of history in the making (for better or worse) and
climate. Downside: July and August torture-by-weather; watching politics is like watching sausage being made; everyone gets caught up in the status circus. They have no idea that life exists outside the Beltway, so they're constantly mystified by American people's opinions.

Chicago: Music, sports, art, home-town feeling, hub of east-west travel, affordable housing, beautiful lake. Downside: too hot in summer, too bitter cold in winter; racial antagonisms. Much prejudice about anywhere that isn't Chicago, particularly any place Out East. Lake isn't ocean, if you care about that.

Seattle: Scenic, scenic, scenic. Accessible size. Good coffee and fish, gentle easy people, near REAL nature, moderate climate. Easy to get to Vancouver. Downside: Cloudy, rainy moderate climate. Far from most everything else.

San Francisco: Scenic, accessible size, restaurants, cosmopolitan feel, heart of West Coast academics and culture. Downside: stratospheric real estate prices, no place for homophobes. The occasional earthquake.

Los Angeles: Hey, it's L. A., man. Downside: Hey, it's L. A., man.

For my money, you need to match your personality to a mid-sized city not on this list if you are even asking this kind of question. E.g., Savannah, Charleston, and Raleigh are lovely Southern cities -- if you aren't Southern, you might not be comfortable. Rochester, Pittsburgh, Worcester are lovely northern cities, but if you aren't a northerner, you might miss the South. Madison, Indianapolis, St. Louis have a lot to recommend them, but you might need to be a midwesterner to enjoy all they have to offer.

Actually, the biggest question after climate is probably: city, suburb, exurb, or rural?

My picks:
1. Minneapolis/St. Paul: Big cities (but not huge) with different flavors. Wonderful lakes and parks. The people are friendly. The cost of living is not astronomical (at least it wasn't when I lived there). Good school system. There's tons to do.

2. Chicago: This is where I live now and it has energy without being frenetic. The blues and jazz is great here. There are so many festivals and museums it's hard to get bored here. There's a lot of theater as well. And of course, don't forget what a great time it can be to go to a Cubs game. The cost of living is not necessarily low though.

Minneapolis area. Great quality of life, schools, medical, moderate costs, arts, corporate headquarters, philanthropy, etc. Winters can be tough if you're unaccustomed. Great place to live and raise a family. However, our philosophy is to live here for the relatively inexpensive quality of life, and then spend our free time traveling to the great destinations of the world!

Madison, WI. It has alot of natural beauty as well as architectural beauty. A smaller city with big city entertainment. Culturally & academically diversified in many aspects because of the university & state government. & if you are looking for a place that has a fantastic farmer's market, there are none better or bigger than in Madsion.
It can get cold & snowy in the winter, but if you like winter sports or sports any time of the year, Madison has it. I lived there for 18 years, & have not moved far from there(did not have much choice about moving away from Madison) but make sure I get back to Madison at various times of the year.

Here are a couple more :
1) New York - can't beat the atmosphere and cultural & entertainment options that are availiable here. But it's not for everybody, prices are borderline insane, distance are huge, and pace is furious.
2) Chicago - Also, a wide array of different things to do, the lake, the city is beautiful. Weather can be a pain, though.
3) For small-town fans out there, how about Williamsburg, VA ? Quiet, beatiful town. Due to the tourist area and a college nearby, you have a lot of food and entertainment options. Only an hour from Virginia Beach,2 from the outer banks and 2.5 hours from DC. Yeah, and Busch Gardens right nearby.

Depends on your requirements--so I would say a diverse place where you can find it all--Texas. Besides, we don't have a state income tax. We do have beaches, mountains, deserts, hills, forests, lakes, big cities, small towns, excellent shopping, rodeos, NASA, the Alamo, Hill Country, etc. Check www.traveltex.com and see why "Texas is a whole other country."

I've lived in many places, visited almost all 50 states and I still have to say there is no place like the Pacific NW. I personally prefer Portland over Seattle due mainly to the weather, less crowded, better downtown area. However, both are nice. Portland does not get as much rain as Seattle. Also, Portland has all that a big city has to offer plus it is safe and clean. If you don't wish to live in city limits there are lots of great suburbs just minutes from downtown Portland. If you have not visited...give it a try!

Place I would not live again ....New Orleans!

There are many wonderful places to live in the USA but I still love and miss Mpls./St. Paul and their suburbs. Quality of life is good, people are friendly and lots to see and do. I also miss the seasons. I live in Southern Ca. now and don't dislike it, but it is not like Mpls./St. Paul. The Midwest is a unique and wonderful place to live. I think many Midwest cities probably have a wonderful lifestyle.

I live in Nashua, NH, declared twice by Money Magazine to the be the "best place to live in America". I certainly agree. We're under an hour from Boston (in spite of the Big Dig) and all the historical and cultural attractions there, under two hours from the spectacular coast of Maine, an hour from the ocean and a variety of splendid seaport towns, an hour an a half from glorious Lake Winnipesaukee, under two hours from the beautiful White Mountains of NH, two hours from the Berkshires in MA, three hours from the Green Mountains of VT, about 5 hours from Montreal (where we go when we need a French/European "fix"), two-three hours from Cape Cod, and so on. We love the four seasons (each and every one), the people, the sense of community, and that there are no sales or income taxes (so far...).

Here is another voice from Southern New Hampshire. In addition to all the reason Donna mentioned above, we are near enough to everything, yet can still have that small town feeling. My town is 50 miles north of Boston, it has four apple orchards, rolling hills. Have had deer in my yard, and have seen racoons, fox, and moose a few miles away. No traffic, except on September weekends when people come from around the state and up from Mass. to pick the apples.

Christy,
The majority of the replies suggest living in a big city. I live in a small town in South Carolina located about 15 minutes from the Georgia state line. It's never to hot...and never too cold (at least not for long). We're 5 hours from the beach and 2 hours from the mountains. It just doesn't get any better than this. God's beauty is all around!

I've lived in the three major cities, (or suburbs of) and my folks/inlaws have lived in the Gulf coast and central Florida areas, and Houston. But I've been in DC (downtown above Dupont Circle when I was young and single) and Montgomery County MD since I married and had a family. It is close enough to the ocean or the mountains for family vacations. The cultural diversity is unmatched. Washington DC and Baltimore are both great cities.

I have lived in several areas of the USA and several foreign countries. My favorite place is where I live. San Diego, California is second to none. Great climate, beautiful city that is very liveable.

I have lived in several areas of the USA and several foreign countries. My favorite place is where I live. San Diego, California is second to none. Great climate, beautiful city that is very liveable.

I've lived in many big cities and small towns and no where have I been happier than the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which combines VA Beach, Portsmouth, Chespeake, etc. Lovely weather, friendly people, big but not too big, culture, wonderful boardwalk by the ocean, abundant housing, close to D.C. and so on.

Hi, Christy! How 'bout checking in and telling us what you think about what's already been written -- and tell us what you might think you're looking for. Also, check out the post "Narrowing down my search" re:a similar query, see what people have to say there.

I would check into Portland, Oregon,Vancouver, Washington(this is right next to Portland) Also check into the Reno area, Lake Tahoe is right by there. If you want by the ocean, try Astoria, Oregon.

Here are the places I have lived listed in order - first is the best !
1 - Cleveland, OH
2 - Wilmington, DE
3 - New Orleans, LA
4 - St. Louis, MO
5 - Buffalo, NY
6 - Toledo, OH
7 - Lima, Oh
8 - Chicago, IL

Ohmigosh!! I can't believe the response. I've been out of town for a bit and just had the oppty to check in. Thank you to everyone for their emails. They're awesome! At first glance, I'm drawn to Portland, Nashua, Baltimore, Hampton Roads and maybe Williamsburg. I guess I'm looking for a mid-size town, good arts/sports, slower pace of life, affordable housing & not more than an hour or two from the beach. I'm in north NJ right now, and its way too crowded. Thank you again. You guys are great!!!

New York - have lived in Phili, Boston, and LA . Been many times to Chicago, San Fran, New Orleans, DC. Nothing can compare - one hour from Manhattan you have the beaches or the mountains. Inside the food, museums, the pace keeps you young.

I go for college towns. Lots going on, fairly liberal. The best: Austin,Texas; Chapel Hill, NC; Charlottesville, VA; and the best of the best--Boston.

If you decide on a city, i recommend living in a suburb of that particular city. You get all the advantages of that city, plus a quiet place to live, and it's much safer.

Greenville SC is a wonderful community that has great views of the western NC mountains and a couple of beautiful lakes very close.
Residents are very friendly, lots of international investments like BMW, and #1 new housing market according to US News two years ago.
only 3 hours from Charleston coast and 50 minutes from Asheville NC Mountains.

Hi Christy. I have lived in Michigan (OK) and North Carolina (better), and now live in Washington DC and I love it! P.S. My boyfriend is from northern New Jersey like you and he loves Washington too, although actually he lives across the river in Arlington, Va.

Of the cities you listed, I like Baltimore best and Portland second.

I would not live in Williamsburg or Hampton Roads -- have spent a significant amount of time in that area (used to date someone who went to Wm. & Mary) -- Williamsburg in particular is overrun with tourists all the time.

Las Vegas: Real estate is very reasonable, the wheater is very pleasant year round, a straight shot to L.A. via Interstate 15, a lot of employment opportunities, and Las Vegas has a very low crime rate compared to oher cities like New York or Chicago. Downsides: Summer heat, it can get as hot as 115 degrees for several days in a row at least there is no humidity like the Midwest where I live, another downside is devastating flash floods.

San Diego, California. Best climate on earth. Lots to do. Clean and not as crowded as other large cities.

I'm glad to read all of these responses and not see Denver listed anywhere. That's because we don't want everyone to catch on to how wonderful it is here...we have too many people moving in already. It is a city that has everything going for it except access to the ocean but please tell everyone how bad it is...this way it can remain our Rocky Mountain secret.

I have lived in New Jersey (born & raised), Kansas, Missouri, New York, California, Indiana, Texas and South Carolina. I have also visited a total of 43 states. The best place for those who are empty nesters is Charleston, SC which is where I live now. Reasons are too numerous to mention. Unfortunately too many early retirees are discovering Charleston and are moving here in droves.

John, for college towns you left out Madison, WI, which to me is a larger more varied version of Chapel Hill, which I also love. Chapel Hill can be expensive though. I would rate these as two of the best places to live.

Thanks again for all the great responses. Madison, WI sounds great, as do soo many of them. Went down and explored Richmond and Charlotte, but neither seemed to "fit". My b-friend and I I think have narrowed it down to Baltimore or the DC/VA area. Sounds like like of opptys and variety of things to do, while kind of close to an ocean. Thanks again!!!

Enjoyed your posts and the replies...did note all of the responses were mentioning large cities...ie. Chicago, New York etc...none of which would be on my list. Give a a small town in any midwest area and I would name it number one...no congestion, lots of elbow room and clean air. That is paradise.

anywhere except nj- get out while you can. why is everyone moving to atlanta?

nj is great for us--we liked the east coast for jobs and great beaches, nj beaches are beautiful! And what beats the ny area for arts and entertainment? But I see that you feel its too crowded...if true, I suggest midwest or northern west coast.

People who think Jersey beaches are beautiful have never seen another beach!
They are seaweedy, dirty, crowded, and the water is no where near as pretty as the gulf. The beaches in NJ ARE pretty compared to everything else in NJ.

I can't believe all of the responses you've gotten. Since you seem to have narrowed it down to the MD/DC/VA area I will put in my 2 cents and say that there are lots of wonderful areas to live in this area.
Annapolis is great, too. We live in a very rural suburb that feels like the country but is 10 min to Annapolis (boating, Naval Academy, restraunts, bars, shopping) 20 minutes to Baltimore (restraunts, bars, sporting events) and 20 minutes to DC.(museums, the arts, politics, shopping) Just over 2 hours to the beach and the same for the mountains, local skiing, etc.
There are tons of employment opportunities in this vacinity, so depending on what you do...pick your new job and then your new address...traffic can be an issue if you're going to work downtown. Best of luck to you!

Dear Christy:
I think you are making a BIG mistake. I lived in Philadelphia (center city and the country) for 5 years (and also grew up in the midwest). There is NOTHING like the West Coast - especially Portland Oregon. The beaches don't even compare with the "shore". You MUST take a vacation out here and decide for yourself before making a huge mistake!

Chicago!

Chicago without a doubt! Beautiful city, lovely lake, cool museums, great food and nightlife!
Weather goes from one extreme to the other though!!!
I love it
Ali - Ex-Brit

Hi Christy, California is very different from the east coast, I can not tell you how we compare really all I can say is we live in Santa Clara county, I would recommend if you could afford it!!! 40 minutes to the beaches, 20 minutes to the redwoods, 4 hours to Lake Tahoe/Sierras, 3 hours to Big Sur and the Monterey coast, 3 hours to Napa wine country and one hour to San Fransisco, our weather is PERFECT.. and the jobs & Schooling IN ABUNDANCE! our only downfall is the housing costs, but if you could swing it, the best place I know and best turn around investment you'd every make..

Louisville, KY--we have arts, culture, and southern hospitality. Kentucky has the best state parks in the nation and beautiful, diverse scenery, from the mountains down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, plus more waterways, I believe, than any other state. Wonderful lakes and rivers and country living 45 minutes from the city. We also have all those horse farms near Lexington, not to mention the UK Wildcats.

I'm thinking about retiring in a few years, and am wondering about New Mexico. Also, have heard wonderful things about Austin. Any thoughts? Housing costs and weather are major considerations; prefer suburbs over city. Warm climate important. Am in So. Calif. now and have lived on the east coast. It's hard to go back to the humidity of the east after living here.

To Diane:
Considering NM for retirement? After the east coast and southern calif., albuquerque will disappoint on many levels. Santa Fe is not cheap...real estate is mighty pricey. Austin's worth checking into IMO....

Hi again,

Just spent 3 weeks in Austin, and it was beautiful. 105 degrees every day - but not at all humid like Chicago gets. Beautiful scenery, cheap to live there, tons of live music most nights, good bars, good food etc.
Doesn't get cold in the winter like Chicago either!!!
Ali

My favorite:

LARGE CITY:
1) NYC - the best in culture, arts, culinary arts, architecture

Mid-Small City:
Charleston, SC - still very cultural, however on a smaller scale. Sprawl is beginning to be a problem

Small town:
Woodstock, VT - perfect planning, beatuiful setting, lovely people

LEAST FAVORITE:

ATLANTA - The party's over...used to be lovely, now a soulless spawl of strip malls, billboards and endless traffic.

Hi Christy,
You may want to check out the smaller cities out aroud San Francisco...Mendocino, Carmel, Santa Rosa, Calistoga. The coast from the North end of Highway one all the way to Big Sur has some wonderful small towns.

The wine country is more populated, but the atmosphere is so wonderful. Just stay away from Napa!!!
There are lakes nearby and you are not too far from the Russian River. Only Three hours (give or take) to Shasta and Tahoe, not to mention the proximity to the ocean and one of the Greatest cities in the country, San Francisco.

Just my two cents,
Laurel

Hi christy, you might want to look into the Rio Grande valley in south Tx. We have great wheather, beaches near by, San Antonio,Houston, Corpus Christi, Mexico and more!! Its a great place to raise childern, Its a small area but big enough to give a taste of a big city without the traffic congestion or crime. People are usually real friendly

Personally, I think that Berkeley, CA is the best place to live. You can get around without a car. You never have to walk more than a few blocks to get to the store or places to eat (unless you buy an over-overpriced house way up in the hills above the city), and the transit systems is better than most places. The food is some of the best around. It's close to everything else in N Cali. The architecture is cool, too. Downside: everything costs too much

Hi Everyone,
Just read all these very interesting replies of the best places to live. I have done some traveling, but have not lived in any other place but here. I live in NH. I'm only one half hour from the picturesque Ogunquit Beach in Maine. I have been to beaches in Hi.,Va.Ma.Ca.,SC, and I think the Footbridge Beach in Ogunquit Maine is the most beautiful, clean beach I have ever been to.
I think it is really hard to say where the best place to live is. We're all individuals and we're all looking for something different. I love a warm climate also, these NE winters are getting to me as I age. I cannot live any further from the beach than I am now. I love good shopping, and I feel in NH, we do not have the choices close by like most cities do. This was brought home to me when this summer, we were in Baltimore, MD. and on this particular road, there were huge malls on every corner and they were crowded!
I could really live in a big city for a few yrs., then I would need to be quiet again!

In reference to the one who posted the most recent message : That strips you were talking about was York and Joppa Road in the Towson area. One blk S : Towson Commons. One blk above that is Towson Circle. And then there is the Towson TOwn Center. To the east is the Four Corners district and Towson Marketplace. But if you were talking about downtown, than Pratt St in the Inner Harbor was the area in question.
It has from West to East : The Bank Of America Convention Center Mall, Harbor Place and the Gallery, The Power Plant Center, and finally, the Brokerage.

Check out more on Baltimore by visiting
my website :
<a href=http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5920/picture5.html> The One On The Move : The Places to Be in Charm Ci

In reference to the one who posted the most recent message : That strips you were talking about was York and Joppa Road in the Towson area. One blk S : Towson Commons. One blk above that is Towson Circle. And then there is the Towson TOwn Center. To the east is the Four Corners district and Towson Marketplace. But if you were talking about downtown, than Pratt St in the Inner Harbor was the area in question.
It has from West to East : The Bank Of America Convention Center Mall, Harbor Place and the Gallery, The Power Plant Center, and finally, the Brokerage.

Check out more on Baltimore by visiting
my website :
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5920/picture5.html
The Places to Be in Charm City

Regarding the votes for San Diego, California - Boooo! I left there because of many factors. It's become very crowded and getting worse all the time. Traffic is a joke with more tourists and newcomers and no infrastructure to handle the growth. Homes, apartments, gasoline and general cost of living is very expensive. Weather and many of the people are "plastic"; everyone in a hurry and on cell phones. Good luck in your choice

Chralotte, NC... I live here now... have for 5 years. I have lived all over US amd I love it here. Lot of jobs, young people. Big city with small city feel. And best of all... lots of sun. today is Nov 6 and it is 73 degrees out. I love that!!

Christy,
I can tell you that the worst place to
live is in Ohio. I try to get out as
often as possible which seems to be
every month lately.

I am a native Virginian, born & lived my entire life here. Disadvantages: northern VA very crowded with lots of traffic. Potential Disadvantages: lots of history & folks who don't forget it. Advantages: Lots of history! lots of rural areas with reasonable commute to urban areas. hiking, camping at state parks. Beaches & mountains. Reasonable cost of living (except for northern VA, even there it is not as bad as NE US). People are generally friendly. Also 2 outstanding amusement parks if you like roller coasters: King's dominion & Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

There is only one choice and that is Boston. We offer it all. Four seasons, beautiful coast, beautiful mountains, art, culture, history, education, best of best restaurants, ettc and really it is full of warm wonderful people. I am so grateful to be living in New England. It is the best by far.......come visit!

Can I piggyback onto this query? I need suggestions for myself. I'm 41, single, female, and could move just about anywhere. Although I mention I am single, I am not looking to meet a mate. It's just that my ideal location doesn't depend on excellent schools, day care, or other childrens' activities. My ideal location would be the suburbs or a small city with low humidity and not too dreary a winter. I don't know much about adapting to frigid weather, as I have lived in northwest Florida all my life. I practice law, so I would have to be admitted to the Bar in the state I move to, but that's not relevant to selecting an ideal place. All suggestions welcome.

great question. no doubt about it. Pittsburgh is #1. above all, the people are the greatist. also, inexpensive, low crime, abundant culture,compact, lots of entertainment,beautiful terrain. etc. Go visit and you'll see why it's #1.

I have lived in most major and minor cities in the us and Canada and If you are considering "filthadelphia" then you are in for a rough time.
Philadelphia is just like a mini New York only Dirtier.
If you wan't something in the mid atlantic states I would say Deleware is the nicest state.
Most places are within an hour and a half from major cities like, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Norfolk. Wilmington is the Largest city in the state with about, 120,000 residents.
My favourite place is Texas. Everything under the sun is there, a mild climate, picturesque towns, Scenic Vistas, every type of landscape imaginable.
Just stay away from HOUSTON!!!
It is worse than Detroit.
Another great thing about Texas is It has the best economy in the us because of the oil so no matter where you work you will have high wages.
Harlingen is a nice city down in the south but if you don't like mexican than you wouldn't like it there.
San Antonio is Beautifull but I would have to say my favourite city in Texas is Corpus Christi because of the beach.
If you ever get a chance, take a visit.
Here is a list of the 10 best places to live from my point of view.
note: I have lived in them all
1:Victoria Canada
2:Eugene OR
3:Monterrey CA
4:Evansville IN
5:Tuscon AZ
6over DE
7:Harrisburg PA
8:Wilmington DE
9:Knoxville TN
10ittle Rock AR
Note: All of these places are great!
I hope this will be able to help you select a place to live
Lantell Star
9:

Born and raised in New England: beautiful fall weather; Berkshires; beautiful coast line; colonial and Revolutionary history everywhere; great corn, tomatoes, apples, strawberries and blueberries; steamers and quahoags and lobster to die for; Celtics, Bruins, Patriots and Red Sox; Downeasters; NOR'easters; out-of-this-world Fourth of July and St Patrick Day celebrations; past and present eccentrics, politicians, writers, artists and musicians. Downside: freeze-your-twillies-off winters.
So I moved to the Southwest: mouth-dropping sunsets and sunrises; the Rockies; Hopi, Navajo, Apache, etc. culture and people; tomatillos, jicama, 10 different kinds of fresh peppers; Thanksgiving dinner served poolside; saguaro cacti decorated in Christmas lights; never having rain dates; Cardinals, Coyotes, Diamondbacks and Suns; OK Corral; Barry Golwater; the Miranda who started it all. Downside: fry-your-twillies-off summers.

Almost anywhere in Minnesota would be good. You can't beat the quality of life
and low cost of living in the rural areas. We have plenty of lakes, trees and clean air! I live in the small town of Detroit Lakes. We have good schools and great community spirit. We are located 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis and 45 miles from east of Fargo, North Dakota which by the way is
a very nice city but no lakes. Good Luck!

I was born and raised in the Northeast,
traveled cross-country to Las Vegas and
lived there for three months. Currently
live in Atlanta.
Here's my scope on the three areas:

New England:
the best of everything( well, almost): food,weather,culture, beaches, history,
close proximity to neighboring states,
trees(I thought I would never miss 'em),
good water and clean air(something I
took for granted), skiing,diversity,did I say excellent cuisine?, education.
Downside:
Highly competitive area for jobs( big
reason why I moved), not
enough good paying jobs. Puritan
atmosphere makes it difficult to meet
genuine friends (people are too much in a rush) But for all it's worth, I still
call it my home.

Las Vegas:

Advantages: Casinos, Casinos, Casinos
(if your a gambler),live shows,dry
weather,diverse population, friendly
people, no state income tax

Disadvantages: Casinos, Casinos, Casinos
(if your not a gambler), intense heat
during summer(it was 120 degrees in
August), flash floods, lacking
educational feel, landscape, dirty,
high crime, radar traps everywhere
(max. speed limit is 45 in city), traffic, high prices in grocery stores,
aweful produce

Before I moved to las vegas, I read that
4,000 people a month were moving to the
area. Unfortunately, they don't tell you
how many of them move out.

Atlanta:

Advantages: friendly people(as long as
their not driving), low housing costs,
low airfares from Hartsfield to many
domestic and international destinations,
pleasant fall, winter, and spring temps.
excellent job opportunities

Disadvantages: The traffic (down here,
there are No rules of the road. People
speed excessively, pass you in the
emergency lane, and have absolutely no
patience when it comes to driving-
boaderline dangerous!!!), uncontrolled
growth(I don't think Georgia has any
zoning laws), everything too spread out,
smog days during summer months(extremely
unhealth!), quality of food outside of
the downtown Atlanta area is lacking
(A lot of southern fried everything, not
a good place if your into health food and a healthy environment), expensive
apartment rentals, income tax(why do they even have one in this state- you
even have to pay for your own garbage pick-up if your a homeowner), extremely
high crime,shooting,rapes,drive-bys,
and cars running over pedestrians,
lack of effective public transit to
outlying areas, lack of standarization,(
shelf tags missing in stores, products
out of stock for weeks sometimes months
at a time, many unknowlegeable clerks
whose favorite response is I don't know,
extremely frustrating environment if
your a conscious consumer)
These sentiments of living in Atlanta
are not my own, I have met people who
have moved here from the northeast and
west and feel the same way.

In a couple of years, I hope to check
our Austin or Denver...there has to be
a place that has friendly people, good
job opportunities, an educational feel,
a place where you don't have to wait
2 months for dental floss.

Couldn't help but reply to the ridiculous comment by Lantell Star "I have lived in most major and minor cities in the US and Canada....".
Huh?!?
You've lived in all 400 odd cities with populations over 75000?
If so, I'll bow down to your suggestions as being the last word on things. But Little Rock, Eugene, Evansville, and Wilmington, certainly with their own redeeming qualities, are curious Top 10 in North America choices. Hmmmmmmm.

California without a doubt. Many great cities ( large and small ) as well as many very desireable rural areas.

no one has mentioned long island, ny! if you are currently in north NJ, it is probably too similar to what you have now, but with the exception of high house prices, it's a great place to live. you can easily work and play in NYC, and come home to a town that no matter what is never more than 20 minutes from some of the best beaches, and don't laugh but we have great shopping here, as well as restaurants that rival NYC or other large cities and beat the pants off many small cities. i am partial to the north shore, but that's b/c i live on the sound.

I can't help but start off with Indianapolis...healthy economy, a well laid out town without many of the huge traffic snarls of bigger cities (this is starting to change, though). Other nice towns I've been to include Burlington Iowa, Eau Claire Wisconsin, Bowling Green Kentucky, and Holly Springs Mississippi.

Christy,

The best places to live are those
where you can grow palm trees outside all year.

Hey guys. Talking about living in the US, how's San Diego (particularly La Jolla) like? I've heard quite a bit about the great climate and places to see, but how's the place in terms of composition of the community and safety?

I live in San Diego but have also lived in many other places in the US as well as other countries. No, I am not in the military. I just have gotten around a bit. San Diego is home and this time we have been here for 15 years now.

We far prefer San Diego over any other place that we have been and we live here by choice. La Jolla is not a separate city but is part of San Diego. It is quite nice, though fairly congested and expensive. San Diego is the safest large city in the US. It has the best weather with a large variety of recreational activities available.

Seriously folks!

The San Francisco bay area is rated
by a number of Magazines to be the
best all around place to live in the
United States.We have the best economy
( Silicon Valley ).We have the most
scenic places in the United States.
Here are just a few listed.
The Golden Gate bridge,Napa Valley,
Lake Tahoe,Yosemite and Monterey bay.
We also have some of the best Weather next to Hawaii and San Diego in the
United States.This is why we have the
most expensive real estate in the
United States.We have too many people
who want to live here,unfortunatley.



Sincerly, Edward Strine

For the person moving to Oregon soon. I have lived in many places in the U.S but this is the best. Look at my Oregon website and this should help you? If you need anything else please feel free to email me.

PLEEEASE do not move to Austin. We are friendly and we love you, but the encroaching growth is destroying (as in so many other places) the very things that make this city unique. In a few years it won't be at all beautiful or livable; it certainly isn't cheap anymore...

Moving this up for Vinícius.

I lived most of my life in the NYC area and have spent the last 7 years in Southern California. I love to visit NY but the lifestyle in California can't be beat, weather is spectacular and there is so much to do. Of course I miss the cultural advantages of NY but an occassional visit takes care of that.

Up up & away!

Wow! All the places recommended are to me large town! I like in a small town in southern MN. No traffic lights, 900 people, everyone knows you and helps you out if you need it, close to Rochester and easily withing driving of the Twin Cities cultural items. I travel and see the traffic the "big" towns have and I wouldn't trade my small town for a large town anyday!!

Those of you who are so happy with where you live are very blessed.

Oh my, does anybody have ANYTHING nice to say about Atlanta? I currently live in Chicago (downtown) and love it, have lived here for about 10 years. My husband just took a huge job in Atlanta. We just bought a house in Morningside...I know it's not Chicago but does anyone have positive things to say about the city???? ughhh

'Chicago, Chicago..that wonderful town.."

Chicago is a wonderful town, Noah, but it's actually "....that toddlin' town".

For Linda Davis...I, personally, like Atlanta very much (having lived in Chicago as well). It has lots of pluses, not the least of which are a vibrant, booming economy; considerable diversity in its 'people mix' as many corporations have HQ's or major sites there; better weather than Chicago (despite the fact that I HATE humidity); great airport connectability (much like ORD, not quite as nice); close to coastal destinations like Gulf, Miami, Charleston; close to Virginia/NC/DC for weekend getaways; plenty o' major sports and national entertainment. OVerall, I think it's a good place to be, and certainly has some advantages over Chicago....(but doesn't have quite the same character as Chicago, can't compete restaurant-wise). Always keep in mind: life is a series of small moves....I doubt this will be the last move in your life if you've been in Chicago 10 yrs and your husband is in transfer mode.
Enjoy it for its good points and look at it as a 'step along the way' not like it has to be the perfect final destination!

Bellingham, Washington, of course. Nothing ever happens here, and you can grow palm trees outside all year (Med. fan, and Chinese windmill).
And you can dig clams in the mud and pick oysters off the rocks.

Dillingham? isn't that in Alaska? palm trees? no way! grisslies, maybe. too cold and wet in winter, two many muskitoes in summer.

Best places I've lived are: Colorado, Hawaii and the Bay Area (actually east bay with better weather than SF). I agreed with a previous post, Chicago is the pits. I'm here now and I find few redeeming qualities. Drive for 8 hours in any direction and it's still flat, barren and no forests, mountains or ocean of course. Dreary cold in the winter and stinking hot & humid in the summer. This is definitely an indoor city where eating is paramount. Good restaurants. But if you want to walk anyplace, it's you risk your life crossing the street, as drivers won't stop at stop signs and barely slow down at lights. Honking here is a proud pass-time. So, move here if you like flat, noisy, dirty, extreme heat and cold.

..and to think that Oprah, with all that money, still lives in Chicago!

I also can't understand why Bill Gates stays in Seattle! If I had that kind of money I'd just pay all of my employees enough to relocate to Hawaii with their families. If I had to, I could pay the schools where the employees kid attended to relocate as well.

With over 100 Billion, I think it could be done.

Then again, maybe he likes a place where it's always raining. Who knows?

I found this question by accident, doing a search on Oklahoma. Thought to myself, "Who on earth would rank any place in Oklahoma as one of the best places to live?" Turns out this came up because a couple of people typed OK. Mystery solved! Thank you for playing!

Places I would like to live (in no particular order):
Bloomington, IN
somewhere in North Carolina
Portland, OR or thereabouts
Vancouver
Austin, TX

I live here because I was looking for that rare combination of high property taxes, legal medical marijuana, assisted suicide and no self-serve gas. The fact that I haven't seen the sun in 12 years is just an added plus. That should assure that you "enjoy your visit, but please don't move here".

Now, who is spreading the rumour that it always rains in Seattle and the rest of western Washington? Nuts! Seattle gets less annual precipitation that NYC (and a LOT LESS snow).
Right now, the sun is shining, the camellias, plums, forsythias, daffodils, and crocuses are blooming. The figs and kiwis are budding out. It's the best climate in the U.S. for gardening--the only climate anywhere in North America similar to that of southern England!

Don't be fooled by some of our overzealous promoters of Seattle's weather. Comparing annual rainfall with other areas is very misleading. There are actually folks that try to imply that Seattle is sunnier than Miami because the annual rainfall is less. Do NOT fall for this baloney. There is a big difference in how the rain falls. Here it drizzles, rains, drizzles, rains, etc for days on end. It is very depressing not to see the sun for several days. Miami in the other hand doesn't foll around. When it rains it pours but it is very rare not to have the sun shine almost every day. By the way, this is not an endorsement of Miami or Florida. I have lived there also and do NOT recommend it.

As far as gardening goes, California is far better as it's climate allows one to grow a much greater variety of plant life.

I am anxiously awaiting the day that we leave this soggy part of the world and return to California. Only 3 weeks more and counting.

My preferences for living are:

1. San Francisco Bay Area

2. San Diego, CA

3. No other place compares to the first two.

Comment on No. 3: WRONG.
Bellingham, WA does.
As to gardening, I've gardened in both Southern and Northern California, and I know from experience that you cannot beat Western Washington for gardening. Heck, I even grow PALM TREES, pomegranates, almonds, peaches, apricots, grapes, passionfruit, figs, and kiwi fruit. I admit my orange tree has to go inside during cold winter days and nights, but it's thriving anyway. Right now, it has flower buds that are about to bloom.

IF I CAN'T LIVE AT ANNINI BEACH ON KAUAI THEN WATTSAMATTA WITH SACRAMENTO? RIVERLIFE...1HR TO NAPA/SONOMA...2 TO S.F...1 TO THE SIERRAS..2 To TAHOE RENO...4 TO MONTERAY OR YOSEMITE...HOT IN THE SUMMER BUT LOW HUMIDITY AND COOL EVENING DELTA BREEZES...STILL CHEAP HOUSING...DECENT AIRPORT AND THE SACTO KINGS.....DOWNSIDE..TOO MANY STATEWORKERS, IE THE LEGISLATURE AND GRAY DAVIS ! S.F. SUCKS SINCE HIZ disHONOR DA MAYOR WILLIE BROWN TOOK OVER...TOO MANY BUMS AND THAT SMELL..OOOO WEEEEEEEEEEEE...AU DE TOILETTE !

We who live in SEattle do NOT promote it (the Lesser Seattle Society) for fear of the word getting out and it becoming even more crowded that it is. As with every city, the more it expands, the less the quality of life, if you like the forest and out of doors. Still, this is the city of my choice, and I have lived in many cities, both in USA and abroad.

christy I personally like the whole ozark mountain area of southern missouri & northern arkansas in particular the mountain home area where I hope to retire someday (I now live in the chicago suburbs & its ok but is getting worse all the time as far as the city itself you can have it)

I live in Arlington, Virginia, and find it to be a great place. Always something to do, within range of New England and the South for driving vacations, plenty of job opportunities. One thing that surprised me reading the above was people touting beaches in Oregon and Washington - walking, yes - swimming nooo! Too cold!

christy
The prettiest place in Alabama is the Daphne/Fairhope area! This place is the best I have ever seen. Friendly people, clean streets, hardly any crime, beautiful views of Mobile Bay, and only one hour from the gulf coast. Average income over 60K. Check it out, I bet you will want to go!

FLORIDA..anywhere North of Palm Beach up to St. Augustine on the East Coast.
Tampa is nice, as is St. Pete. Naples and Ft. Myers peaceful. S. Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, nice people. friendly and helpful.
Salt Lake City, UT...gorgeous.

NYC...the best..
Boston....gorgeous especially in the fall.

good luck!

since everyone is giving recommendations, i have a question. i am looking for a quaint, country-like town to call home for about 6 months. i'm looking into towns in vermont, maine, northern calif., oregon, montana and wyoming. any suggestions are quite welcome. many thanks.

i live in chicago now and love it. totally disagree with a previous message. it is flat and cold, but the people are friendly. it's relatively safe if your wise.

jennifer

christy, it all really depends on the person where they should live. but i live in west virginia and i think its the most beautiful place i have ever lived, first off the mountains at anytime of the years is breath taking. from the time the leaves turn green til they turn all shdes of reds oranges and browns. the rafting here is awsome and there is at least 10 companys to go with with different price ranges for all kinds of people. and the people, i meet more people from other places here then any other place i have lived. now the only down point to living here is the snow! but even that is breath taking when you stand in the middle of a back road and it look like it goes forever. very serene, peaceful place . as you can tell i live in a small town. but im from the city and there is nothing quite like it.

Boston is the best - I've lived all over
the east coast, abroad, and a bunch of the other places mentioned (mnever seattle though). Boston has everything and its the worlds biggest college town. Only two downsides - winter (though not as bad as often claimed) and expense. After boston it would be San Francisco.

Most overrated city is Denver - not a wretched place, but the people who think its special are out of their mind!! (I'm currently typing this in the Denver Library - Cherry Creek)

STATEN ISLAND! Close to the city -- fabulous views -- interesting smells -- and lots of hair!!!!!

Northern New England college town - as in Hanover NH, Middlebury VT. , Brunswick Maine. Beautiful countryside, lots of cultural events, low crime, nice people, minimal mall sprawl. One drawback - ya gotta love winter!

i have to say that cleveland is the best location in the nation. its has the 4 seasons the great lakes and ohio is a melting pot of culture. we have the rock hall, football hall, sea world, six flags and kings island and the #1 rated amusement park cedar point. there are beautiful townships like chagrin falls. many great universities and people speak proper english. but if you enjoy a southern accent just travel a hour south of cleveland. and it is a huge sports town.

Seems like everyone is wanting to find a large city, a medium city, a small town, etc.
Most people for big cities are talking NYC, Chicago, Boston, Seattle.
Well here's a suggestion:
Looking for a clean, green city, with beautiful landscape and a wonderful climate?
Or a business friendly city with major banking firms that dominate the city's excellent skyline? Restaruants that continue to win national awards?
A Major Airline hub for the nation's sixth largest carrier. An improving traffic situation with the construction of it's outer belt?
A population well over half a million people with all the friendliness in the world? A professional attitude about being a new city.
A growing city with positive influences...the nation's 21st largest school system with all the high schools in the nation's top 500. Looking for a city with arts? We have the nation's NUMBER ONE arts council funding drive that presents our new musem of history, a theater district with national shows year round, and a symphony orchestra who continues to reign in their level.
Sports- we have a major basketball team, a major football team, a minor league hockey team, a minor league baseball team (with talks of a pro), and one of the nation's largest NASCAR facilities.
Looking for living spaces, we have new buildings going up every month around our city.
Our average of living costs are lower than the national average.
We have places to go and things to do in our ideal location at the intersection of two interstates, many highways, two major railway lines, five major bus lines, and the largest USAir hub in the nation.
Are you wondering what are city is yet??
If you haven't guessed it yet - it;s
CHARLOTTE, NC
Big City feel, with a little city heart.
Haven't heard of us, thats because were new and coming in by storm.
Look us up, we are the BEST place to live in the South, and in the nation for that matter!

I love San Diego, it is the best place for me. During the week I work in an office 8-5 & my goal on the weekends is to be outdoors riding my horse,Harley or working in the yard. Out of 52 weekends a year there is rarely a time I can not enjoy the great outdoors and do the things I love.

It depends on the person. My favorite place to live is where I live-Austin, Texas.

Here's why:

1. Much cheaper than West Coast or East Coast;
2. Warm most of the year and wonderfully hot much of the time (some would consider a minus)
3. great Mountain biking and hiking trails
4. Neat movie theaters like Alamo drafthouse where you can have dinner and eat
5. Hills wonderful big green hills---just shy of mountain size
6. friendly people
7. liberal culture---but with plenty of conservatives and moderates to keep the conversation going
8. Colorful people
9. Live music capital of the world
10. Capital of Texas
11. Goldilocks size-not too big not to small
12. Great running trails
13. great running activities
14. Wide variety of restaurants and bars
15. Ethnically diverse-
16. Culturally diverse---people from all over the world-very international city
17. Economically diverse
18. Highly educated populace---multi-university town
19. great architecture
20. beautiful clear blue lakes and rivers for swimming, boating, kayaking
21. traffic not as bad as many big cities
22. Pollution not as bad as many big cities
23. still get to be my Texan self here
24. low crime rate
25. great places to shop-wide range
26. lots of businesses open 24 hours
27. my friends are here
28. plant life---beautiful cactus---wildflowers in spring-xeriscaped flowers everywhere almost year round
29. wildlife---outside of city-deer, coyotes, foxes, racoons, birds
30. tons of organizations, sports groups, and classes that you can join or take
31. lots of jobs normally---not great the moment for those of us working for the state
32. great place for vegetable garden

I would have to say if you're looking for peace and quiet,spectacular scenery and the great outdoors--it would have to be the Seeley/Swan Valley region of Northwest Montana.

My favorite cities to live in on the West Coast are San Diego, and Portland. San Diego is only a short distance from other big cities, and Portland's only a few hours from Seattle, so you get the best of the cities. Plus, Portland has a really friendly atmosphere, except for the occasional gothic cross-dressers downtown.

I am so confused. I live in Scottsdale, AZ & yeah, it's beautiful & the winters are nice but I am a Southerner from VA, I dont golf & am lookin to get out of here soon. VA Beach, Naples,FL, Austin,TX are my top choices but I have to visit all 3 first.Been here 10 years, I am looking to meet a man & have, at least, a relationship.Now with all this input I dont know where to go. Austin this, Austin that. I hear nothing but good about that town.I miss 4 seasons & all here seem to forget the rest of the country that exists! I love the beach, 4 seasons, Southern men..no manners out here at all. Help!

AZ - You'll find pros and cons just about any place you go to. You may just have to sit down and think about what is really important to you - weather, economy, cost of living, education, etc. Not only whether its a place you may meet someone - which can happen anywhere! (Heck, try www.match.com or www.matchmaker.com from your very own home)

Have you checked out www.findyourspot.com? Of course it's not scientific, but it's fun.

Austin:Austin!See! Austin again!How come you arent encouraging me to come in your direction?thanks for the input.Of course I have considered all of that. I am not that desperate to meet someone so I wont go to strangers. I am what you guys call hot.I am not saying that I think I am but am told that quite often. I know it is Scottsdale;I never had this kind of trouble back East.My prob is each area I mentioned has all that I want. FL-beaches, VA Beach-Beach, is home, & 4 seasons, Austin-well, dont know yet but have heard great things about it.I guess jobs will be the determing factor. I have been told Austin is in a slump.

Austin IS a great place to live - but it's not for everyone. (Personally, when my daughter leaves the nest, we'll be leaving as well) It just too darn hot here. And the traffic sux. And the once environmentally friendly city that encourages Smart Growth is being over-developed. I got here 20 years ago when the population was about 350K. It's more than twice that now.

I think if you are trying to decide on a place to live you need to visit it for at least a week if you can. (Come to Austin in the summer - Acutally, Summer here starts around April 1 and goes till about Oct. 1....) Visit potential employers, see the sights, check out the neighborhoods. You would probably love it. I think it's especially great for those between the ages of 20 - 35.

Did this post really start in 1999?? Living in Florida and watching the trees fall as thousands move here daily I wonder why so few people mentioned the Sunshine State? The best place to live is near my family!!

Cnetreville, MD on the Eastern shore was named recently in the top 100 places to live in the U.S.

This post is popular because you can search just about any major city and it pops up, and people love to wax philosophical on the places they call home. It still gets major kudos lasting since 1999. What I don't get is how some of the posters can claim to offer expertise on up to 17 different cities (see either the 1st or 2nd reply). If you plan on offering advice to someone on where to live, shouldn't you have lived there yourself for a significant amount of time? Just a thought.

By the way, I choose Baltimore. It's a big city with a small town attitude. Affordable, easily accessible to Philly music scene, New York City and all that implies, and D.C. cultural events; and full of interesting, intelligent, and very down to earth people. The mayor even has his own Celtic rock band. The city is ranked as the #1 place for singles by many publications and websites, but seems to cater to families in every aspect (National Aquarium, Port Discovery, Maryland Science Center and IMAX). I haven't always lived here, but it certainly feels like home!

I've lived in D.C., Baltimore and my hometown just west of Pittsburgh, PA (where I live now) and I'd say living where most of your family/relatives are is the best. No one cares about you like your family.

I'm jealous! Someone swap with me. I'll swap Dublin (Ireland) for SF or New England. Any takers?

I totally agree with Stephanie. I live in Upstate NY and my husband and I have lots of family and long time friends in the area. We have considered relocated many times for different reasons (personal and professional) and have so far always decided to stay when considering everything that's important in our lives at this time ... all the cultural and recreational opportunities don't replace the personal relationships and support system that your family and friends provide. Things may change in the future, and you never know when a career situation really doesn't leave you options other than relocating, but for now we're glad we've been able to remain here. We love traveling (of course) and visiting other cities and locales, but are always glad to return to our hometown.

Organic Living Magazine just put out a list of the top 125 places in the country using environmental criteria. I was dismayed to find out that Washington DC ranked so low on scale, but I guess I should have figured. What's really scary is that if you look at the topographical map, it's color-coded to show the healthiest/unhealthiest regions of the country. The entire east coast is a yucky brown-green, which the magazine says is due to all of the industrial pollution created on the east coast, as well as pushed our way by the jet stream. Honolulu, HI is #1 environmentally -- I want to move there!

http://organicstyle.com/thisissue/healthycities.html

I think the best place to live is Austin, Texas. It is absolutely beatiful and it's a good mix of the north and south all together. What do you guys think?

I think that there is no single city that will met everyone's varied criteria for "liveability". Some people value natural beauty and peace and quiet. Others value hustle, bustle and the culture of a large city. Others hold on to the faded glory of their hometowns and simply stay. Others constantly seek out greener pastures and constantly find disappointment.

Bottom line: The best place to live in the world (not just the US) is going to be a place whose culture and environment engage you, interest you, fill you with enthusiasm. The people around you (family and friends and acquaintances) will energize you, and you will respond with generosity of spirit and a lack of judgmentalism. You will wake up every day seeing only infinite possibilities. You could be in Manhattan or Nebraska-- doesn't matter. I'm happy where I live, so for me, it's the best place to live in the world. The point is: YOU need to make some effort to make yourself happy. If you're an unhappy person, you'll be unhappy wherever you are.

Cats Eyes - I'll trade you if you live in Malahide or Portmarnock. I live in a small New England town north of Boston complete with white church steeples and town common. I love it but my mom was raised in Dublin and my dad was raised on the Dingle Pennisula. Ireland feels like home to me and my siblings. Maybe that why my brother and two first cousins have all moved back.

We have lived in Napa,Ca. for about 34 years. It is great except when the tourists come. Wouldn't live anywhere else.

Check out: http://houseandhome.msn.com/Move/BestPlacestoLive2003.aspx
Since it's from Microsoft, you know it has to be right!!

Top 5:

1. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill
2. Denver
3. San Diego
4. Punta Gorda
5. Tucson

Go figger.

If your thinking about Texas it is a great diverse state but it's also huge.
I live in the dead center of Texas and any major city Austin, San Antonio, Dallas is no less than 2-3 hours drive away the beach is a 5 1/2 to 6 hour drive be it Galvestion or Corpus Christi. And it gots HOT! but I love the heat and winters are fairly mild no matter where you live compared to the northern states. You need to visit in winter and in AUGUST, before you decide.

I grew up in San Diego and my family still lives there, so I visit a lot. I think San Diego is one of those cities that looks really great to outsiders, but isn't so fabulous once you actually live there. It's very beautiful, yes. But the traffic in San Diego County has gotten so bad that it's really impossible to get anywhere. The gridlock is beyond frustrating. I live in L.A. now, and I think San Diego freeways are actually worse than L.A.

The other thing that really bothers me about San Diego is their terrible newspaper (written by monkeys with crayons, I swear!) and overall lack of intellectualism. I'm not saying people in S.D. are dumb. Not at all. They're just very conservative (this area is a MAJOR Republican Party, born again Christian, military stronghold) and people don't seem to enjoy open discussions about culture, art, current events, etc... I've never understood it. But it's enough to make me never live there again.

I'm not saying L.A. is perfect, but it has a lot of advantages over San Diego. There's definitely a greater diversity of people and cultures here. Not to mention access to world class museums, restaurants, theatres, etc... People here are generally accepting of new ideas and are (despite the image we get on TV) well eduated and at least semi-cultured. It's close to everything (beach, mountains, desert... all nearby). Of course, there's the downsides: traffic, smog and the outrageous cost of living (you can't buy a house here for under half a million. And half a million buys you a 2 bedroom "fixer").

I do think San Francisco is definitely the city to live in if you want to be in California, though. It's an amazing place, full of interesting people. I aspire to move there in a few years. the housing market is insane there, too-- but it's a great city.

I've also lived several years in Boston and can't say enough good things about that city and the surrounding areas. The people of New England are wonderful. The city of Boston is one of my favorites in the world. Out of all the places I've lived, this would be the place I'd most like to raise children.

Hi Erin. I agree with you about San Diego. We moved here from L.A. 12 years ago and the freeways are terrible. We live inland and have to take the freeway almost everywhere. If we want to eat at a decent restaurant, we have to drive to the gaslamp district which we rarely do b/c of the traffic and parking problems once we get downtown. It's also hot as the dickens in inland N. County San Diego. I loved to visit San Diego when I lived in L.A., but I wish we could move back. I also agree with you about The Union Tribune!!

We live just outside Baltimore, I'm from Philly originally (not going back) and he's from Niagara (canadian side)(maybe we'll go there eventually.) The following are places I could work next year and hopefully stay for some time:

Palm Beach, FL - mostly at NSU-COM
Chapel Hill, NC - mostly at UNC-CH
Columbia, SC - mostly at USC
Denver, CO - mostly at UCHSH
San Diego, CA - mostly at SDSU

Our hobbies are road cycling (avid rider), golf, amateur ice hockey.

See the next post for why I don't want to stay in Baltimore.

So, priorities are great weather, a city that I feel safe walking around, maybe even at night if that actually exists, non-annoying commute, oh, and a place where my dog can run around a lot pretty regularly would be great (i.e. big backyard or trails close by where she could be off leash safely)
Affordability (real estate) would be a very very high next priority if possible.

No illusions I'll get all these things. Any info welcome! Thank you!

By the way - if you don't have to commute to the city or, especially DC, I HIGHLY recommend Maryland. Literally 10-15 minutes from the city and you are in gorgous countryside. Very affordable, close to everything and I do mean EVERYTHING, Can't say enough wonderful things. Just can't stand living here when I would have to be driving in Balto. every day. And, trust me, I know EVERY way to get out of the city without going on 695, 95, or 83. STILL have to deal with drivers who freak out if it is less than 100% visibility or, heaven forbid, it drizzles. Very unsafe driving conditions b/c they are inconsistent, timid and unskilled and have no idea how to slow down on the highways by releasing the gas pedal and gauging (sp) flow of traffic. Nope, they just slam on the brakes. And forget about it if there's snow. City shuts down. Had to vent.
It's a small city that's grown too quickly I guess. They're working on expanding the major arteries but I still wonder if they teach driver's ed differently here. (i.e. speed up on the downhills, slow down on the uphills and the curves and freak out if you see any cones or construction because maybe they forgot people were driving here and ended a lane abruptly and didn't tell anyone. So slow down and cause a traffic jam!!!)

OK, done venting.

Ok. I feel like I should my 2cents in this very long, very old post.

I love Atlanta. I love Chicago. Atlantas weather is amazing... fall is gorgeous, winter is mild, summer is warm but there's AC everywhere so it's not too bad. People are so friendly in Atlanta... I think it's the nice weather that makes people so nice. And the restaurants are good too. And like a poster way above said, so close to water and mountain getaways.
Chicago is great because of the diversity of cultures. Horrible spring, fall, and winters. Actually summer isn't too great either. traffic is a nightmare... worse than atlanta. Bt the fact that you can go to an amazing art, science, natural history museum and then grab excellent italian, chinese, indian, german, or greek food...thats a big plus for chicago. And the downtown area is wonderful.

I agree about Upstate NY. I live in Albany and love it. I lived in Boston years ago and dealt with all the traffic nightmares. Yes, our winters are dreary but I like our calm lifestyle.

Why do so many people consider only "liberal places" good places to live? I've seen that mentioned in other posts that discuss places to live. Many ex-Californians may not agree with that assesment. I think the healthy mix of ideas is better - no
one group knows how to "run" everything.

Palo Alto, California!

Portland, ME, it's the best place in the US. I love it!!! You don't know what you're missin'!!!!!

God's Country is DENVER,COLORADO!!!!
I never want to leave here! I have lived alot of places but this beats them all hands down!No one has a clue.
Everyone thinks we have the worst weather. The weather is the best all year round. The only thing that is missing is my family and the ocean, but I will take the mountains over the ocean anytime. Trying to get family here
I have friends for life and the best times are here in COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH!
Rocky Mountain High for Life!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree that San Diego is getting way too crowded. We've lived here for 10 years and are getting out next spring. Where are we going? America's best kept secret: Tulsa, Oklahoma. If you liked Austin ten years ago, you'd love Tulsa.

Another vote for San Diego. Unfortunatly, it is really getting overcrowded here but then I remember it was a small city with lots of open spaces. The cost of housing can be prohibative for new comers, (average house runs over $450,000) It does get rather hot in the inland areas, so it's best to live west of the 805, after all it is a desert. The weather is nearly perfect, except for August and September, it's miserably hot. While it is true that the newspaper is a joke, one can always read newspapers on-line. When we walk our dogs on the beach each morning we believe we are blessed.

Andrea, eliminate Columbia, SC from your list. Summers are hotter than hell and miserable.

For the person who said Atlanta has great weather and the summers are warm, you've obviously never been to Atlanta in the summer.

I have lived in central Massachusetts my entire life (30 years). My husband and I are not looking to move down south. Boston does have a lot of history, but the culture is fairly dated. We tend to take our children to Providence for things to do. Winter here is horrible. We like to ski, but there are almost six months of freezing cold and snow. Too long for us to enjoy year after year. House prices towards Boston are high, and even furthur inland home prices have jumped. We are considering Atlanta, a city we love to visit. Yes summers are hot and humid, but with a pool and AC we'll enjoy it. We travel to San Diego once a year, but would never move there because of the high cost of living and the traffic. Atlanta has a lot of traffic, but at least we could afford a nice home and there are plenty of jobs outside of the city.

Oops....we are now looking to move down south.

I know this is an old thread, but it has some great information in it for anyone thinking of relocating.

Can anyone update us on just how crowded the San Diego area has become? El Cajon, which is close to San Diego, came up as an "ideal" place to live at a website I visited recently. Also, does anyone know if there are any legal jobs in or near Eugene, Oregon? Thanks.

I wonder if the person who called El Cajon an "ideal place to live" has ever been there, especially during the summer. Most of the city is in a valley that tends to collect smog and smoke from the area fires and gets stifling hot in the summer. There is a small amount of new construction on the outskirts of town in the hills, but the rest of the city is, in my opinion, pretty dumpy, perhaps with the exception of Fletcher Hills. The areas with new construction, over by Rancho San Diego and Jamul, would be a hefty commute to downtown SD (doesn't matter if your job is nearby) and would still be pricey, although not as bad as the coastal cities. As an alternative, I'd look at La Mesa, just west of El Cajon. The weather's a little cooler, the city's a little nicer and safer, and it's still quite a bit cheaper than the coastal areas or even the I-15 corridor.

I'd definitely go make a visit before you make any commitments.

I would look at Charlotte, Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Savannah, and Jacksonville before I'd go to Atlanta.

I certainly agree that San Diego, LaJolla, and Austin are "has beens".
I hate winter and snow. Humidity is awful, so... lots of suggestions are void.
Given the approaching demographic sunami and "our" elected local and national rep's' approach to governmental fiscal "restraint", I vote for saving lots, retiring early, and living out of the US.
M

Thanks so much for the replies. Trying to decide where to live sure isn't an easy decision, is it? Any thoughts on buying an RV and living in it while we tour the country to decide where to live...?

J1,
In an RV, you may "follow" the weather and avoid most property taxes - not a bad life if you can handle the "roads".
M

Luckily most of you know very little about the Southwest. I've lived in Washington, DC, Virginia, Paris, France, Germany, Boston, and now Albuquerque. We have blue skies, clean air, 4 seasons, little/no pollution, still affordable housing, low humidity, Santa Fe opera (one of the top in the world). I live in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains--I can go out my door and hike to the top of Sandia crest (11,000 ft). One hour to skiing in Santa Fe. Great restaurants and galleries in Santa Fe. I do miss the shore/ocean/beach, but its a short plane trip to Mexico resorts. But, like Denver (which is another city I really like--but its getting very large, too much traffic, and costly housing), let's keep it our secret.

weaverm,
More than a few NA's in San Miguel de Allende used to live in Santa Fe/Taos, but left seeking the very things you mentioned.
M

KAL,
Just saw your ancient post.
Lady "L" and I have pretty much given up on beach property here in MX.
We are having some serious negotiations re: Annini, Kauai, etc.
Small world, mi amigo!
M

...I haven't found it yet, but I enjoy exploring !

San Francisco- In my opinion is the most beautiful city I have ever been to. It is like no other city in the U.S., and would be my number one choice if I could afford it. I don't think it's possible to go to SF and not fall in love with it.

Los Angeles- As someone born and raised here, I would not recommend it at all. It's ridiculously overpriced and the air is so dirty it's a wonder you can even breathe. As soon as I became an adult, I left LA and never looked back.

San Diego- This is where I moved after LA. It is a million times nicer. Beautiful, great weather, lots to do, safe. Especially fun if you are a young adult, due to the very large amount of college students. The only drawbacks are that it is extremely expensive, and due to 3 large universities there is a very large number of highly educated people. Sounds good, but it makes the job market extremely competitive. You can find 30 college grads all competing to get the same $13.00 an hour job- which certainly doesn't go far in a city where a one bedroom apartment can cost $1000 a month or much more.

Basically although California is beautiful, I would ony recommend it if you are pretty well off. Personally I am looking forward to getting out of CA and moving somewhere where I can actually afford to buy property some day.

Las Vegas- I spent some time living here and found it to be equal on the pros and cons. It is a fun, exciting city with a low cost of living and extremely good job opportunities, even for those without college degrees. I have a friend who makes 50k a year doing valet. But it is called Sin City for a reason, and you will definitely run into more shady people here than you ever have before. Every other person you meet is a hooker, pimp, stripper, drug addict, or drug dealer. People tend to move in and out of Vegas often b/c it's just not the type of city you want to settle down in.

New York- I find to be very overated. Besides being so very expensive, it is crowded, loud, and dirty. An ok place to visit, but I don't understand why so many people are willing to pay so much money to live there. Even though I have always lived in big cities, New York is too much.I would go crazy living in all that chaos.

My personal favorite is the Midwest. I am hoping to move somewhere over there in the next year or so. The people are so friendly, the air is clean, the sky is blue, the cost of living is low, and there is so much open space. It felt so wonderfully peaceful to me compared with other places, that after my first time visiting I made up my mind that I would move to the Midwest as soon as possible.

Boston is great, but if I could live anywhere in the US, it would be Madison, WI. Lots of big city comforts with midWest comfort. I haven't been there in 5 years, and miss it.

This previous post has it mostly right.... everyone would do well to heed the advice given.
Author: rjw_lgb_ca
Date: 08/26/2003, 12:23 pm
However, I must say that there is nothing wrong with looking for greener pastures either, and that certainly doesn't mean one is always going to be dissatisfied. To some, it just means changing things up to spur new learning in their lives.
Places I've lived:
Somerset KY: A small lake community with plenty of recreation but not much more.
Maysville KY: A small river community with plenty of recreation but not much more.
Lexington KY: A mid-sized metro area with good universities. More money is here than one would think. Very nice location in the mid-south, seems to be two hours from everywhere.
Arlington TX: Right between Dalas and Fort worth, it was a great place to live with all the diversions a large metroplex has to offer. Downsides were hot summers, boring geography - no hills or forests, Texas-sized attitudes and pride.
Cortland NY: A small town in mid-state near Syracuse. The clouds come here to die all winter long. Brutal snowfalls. Seems a thousand miles from nowhere. For loners.
St Louis MO: Clique-ish lower midwest hub. Friendly. Bad drivers. Worse roads. Resistant to change. Quiet downtown. Culturally rich for a city of this size. Central to many places. Diverse geography. Scenic riverways. Sports crazy. Soccer capitol of the USA. Great universities. Four seasons.

None of the places I have lived were ideal. Only Arlington and St Louis were big enough for my liking. But, I was happy in all of the places while I was there. I am looking to move at this point. Time to shake things up.

Favorite places to visit [whether this determines livability is HIGHLY debatable]:
San Francisco
Chicago
Santa Fe
Boston

Midlothian VA : just west of Richmond VA 2 hours to the ocean, 1 hour and a half to the mountains, 1 hour and a half to major city DC. It is reasonably priced to live here. It is a southern city without being overly southern. It is a city with manners and old faishoned values and it is still somewhat hip. It has great public schools. I have lived here for about 7 years and I moved from my hometown in NJ. Midlothian is the NJ town that I grew up in 30 years ago. I am happy to raise my kids here. Oh and the weather is okay. The fall is the best season we have because it usually is pleasant here until Christmas and then it gets cold and snows alittle, but not enough to shut you in. The summers are alittle humid.

I'm an East Coast person and have lived outside of Philadelphia, in DC and MD, Columbia,SC, Beaufort,SC and now Asheville, NC. Asheville is the best of all. Seldom do we get those miserable winters and ice storms that we had in PA/DC/MD w/ gray days and treacherous roads. Usually the snow melts by noon. We are over 2000ft so summers are not gross and humid like Columbia, SC and Beaufort SC. Lots of art and cultural offerings and of course hiking, biking etc in the mountains and parks nearby. We are in the South but I would not call it a Southern town with a conservative mindset...lots of liberals which I like. I only wish we were a little closer to the ocean. We are about 4 hrs and 2 would be more to my liking. But don't move here as everyone has figured out what a great place it is and our housing is getting ridiculous.

RECENTLY, A PANEL OF INTERNATIONAL JUDGES PRESENTED HONOLULU WITH THE FIRST PLACE GOLD AWARD AS THE MOST LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE LARGE CITY IN THE WORLD. THIS AWARD, ENDORSED BY THE
UNITED NATIONS, IS BASED ON A GLOBAL COMPETITION FOCUSING ON BEST PRACTICES IN MANAGING CITIES.

There are no good places to live in the US. Try Canada - Vancouver or Montreal to name two larger cities.

My best place is SW PA. A vast majority of my immediate and extended family live here and since family will always mean more to me than a beach or more sunshine, this is the place I find ideal.

I can't believe I'm putting my plug in for Chicago just it is starting to get cold (the winter is a bit of a drawback), but I grew up here and love it (living in both city and burbs). For a large city it is clean, affordable (compared to the other big cities), friendly, and I have the world at my fingertips. I moved away once to Bloomington, IN for school and couldn't wait to get back (and that was six years ago and I'm still here). Now if I could only afford to buy an apartment, this place would be perfect.

that being said, I have a serious soft spot for the smaller towns dotting the northern east coast, I could easily find myself wanting to move to a Nashua or Portsmouth if I became tired of the city pace (not that I think chicago even moves all that fast we're a pretty laid back bunch here in my opinion).

I just had to respond regarding an earlier post about Las Vegas. The housing market has gone up 50% in the past few years. A starter home will now cost over 200k. Good paying casino jobs are very hard to come by now, you have to know someone to get in. There are plenty of opportunities for jobs with degree holders. I have not met a prostitute or other unsavory underworld character in more than 10 years. I don't know when the op lived in Las Vegas, but it was not any time within the past decade.

I think she's moved by now.

I would have to agree with WEAVERM 8/10 concerning New Mexico. I have lived in many places. When my family moved to Albuquerque back in 1979 I was in high school and hated it. Then I grew up and have lived on both coasts, Tex OK and in the Midwest. The Mountains here are really beautiful and the sunsets are extraordinary. The mountains in Albuquerque are called the Sandias which means watermelon. They are named that because when the sun hits them in the evening they turn to an unbelievable pinkish color, as the sun sets they turn purple and then blue. In town, the weather is mild year round. We were still running around in shorts late October and have barely started wearing sweaters now. The Rio Grande river runs through the middle of town. Golf Courses, casinos (Las Vegas style),Artist Haven and out door sparts galore. Come on out to NM. I'll but ya a margarita!

Pake, while I'm sure Honolulu is lovely, no one can afford to actually buy a home there.

Kansas City (including Johnson County, Kansas)

Progressive without explosive growth
Civilized, industrious people
Beautifully landscaped boulevards
Top-ranked schools
Barbecue; chili; steaks
Kansas City Symphony
Nelson-Atkins Gallery
Seasonal climate variation

I live in the absolute best place on the planet........we've all taken an oath....can't give it up, sorry.

TV news just now reported that North Beach, SF, CA is the #3 place to live on the planet.

Go Travel, there are many homeowners here in Hawaii. The price of housing has to do with so many people wanting to be in the best place to live in the United States.
You know, the old supply and demand thing.

I'm still looking for a good place. Thought Denver was the place, but getting too big and crowded!!! And the food isn't that great (can't get good wonton soup!!!) People seem nice, but traffic sux - and more "ants" are moving in!!! I love New England, but Boston is very expensive. I lived briefly in San Francisco about 20 years
ago and was OK, but crowded and too
"city-esque"!!! Nice weather, good restaurants, and very scenic!!! Haven't really checked out Baltimore area, so not sure how that area is. Madison, WI was OK - but no mountains!!! The NW is beautiful, but cloudy/rainy and sinister hobo spiders are prevalent!!!
I currently live on Long Island, NY - crowded, expensive, materialistic, and
not much to do (not a big city or beach person) The comments on here are very interesting!!!

Well since we've traveled the US in an RV for over 25 years. I feel somewhat qualified to answer this.

We live in San Diego and love it. I hate to say this but the perfect weather has played a large factor in making it my favorite place. You can't imagine the joy of having good weather all or most of the time. The sunshine has a lot to do with my mental state...

San Diego has much physical beauty too and because the weather is so perfect, one can appreciate it.

I never appreciate it as much as when we do our yearly cross-country rv trip and we face rain,cold, humidity,sweltering heat, and as we did last November. 6 inches of snow in Amarillo.

Having said that..we have traveled so much in the US. we have favorite places...if our weather were there..would we move?...maybe.

Boston and the whole New England area
Virginia and the whole Smoky Mountain area

I live in the Austin metro area-Georgetown and we love it. Where you enjoy living has to do with your interests, climate, and family ties. While there are many places that would be great to live, we are about 2.5 hours from family in Austin. We love the live music and we really like the climate. It gets hot in the summer (you are in Texas afterall, but it is drier than other parts of Texas so you can tolerate it pretty well. Sometimes traffic is crappy because we really lack good infrastructure, but other than that it is a great place to live.

what an interesting string!! ok, let me lay it down for you. I have lived in a few different places in the WS and visited a ton of cities. here is my opinion:

1. NJ. I was born and raised in central NJ so I have to give it a plug. I know we get a bad rap but whenever someone sys something bad about jersey, I hold up my hand and give them 5 simple reasons why NJ is so awesome: NEW YORK, THE BEACH, THE MOUNTAINS, PHILLY, ATLANTIC CITY. all within driving distance. need I say more?

2. CHICAGO! I live here now. damn, this is a fine city. clean and friendly. tons to do. the lake. the museums. the nightlife. i could go on forever.

3. NEW YORK CITY. its expensive, but man is it fun. endless things to do.

Just throwing another question in to this thread. For retirement in several years, I'm looking for a place where the people are friendly and have time to meet for lunch or shopping, which is not the case where I live in frenetic, "call me back in a month" southern New Jersey. I am a married lady but I can't drag hubby out all the time. Are there any places out there where it would be easier to make friends? Thanks so much.

mikie, you do need to say more.

It looks like you're recommending a place because it's close to 5 places you'd rather be. I don't get that.

I live on a golf course 30 miles outside Phlly. Its private, great schools,and historic surroundings.... If we get hungry for the best food in the world we drive into Philly. CHEESESTEAKS N HOAGIES

I would have to say the best place for me is Albuquerque. I grew up in Philly, then lived in Northern Virginia, moved to Albuquerque and now I'm back in Arlington, VA. The housing costs in VA is unbearable and I don't make enough to get into the housing market. Plus, the traffic just keeps getting worse every year and the metro keeps getting more and more crowded, especially if you live along the orange line. If I was to live on the East Coast though, I'd pick Northern Virginia. As I get older, I feel less of a need to be in a big city. The weather in Abq is great...sunny, mild, rarely ever snow, but it is the desert, so you won't see lots of trees, shrubery, or much green in general. Housing is cheap, but jobs are not plentiful...you will see poverty. People will knock on your door asking if you need any yard, automotive, roofing work done. I've never seen this anywhere else I've lived. But if you can make $28,000, you can afford to buy a single house with a yard without having to resort to interest only loans. That will never happen in the DC area or many other places.
That being said, if money was no option, here is my list of places
1) San Diego
2) Seattle
4) Arlington, VA
5) Albuquerque (not Santa Fe)

Unbelievable...this thread has been going since summer of 1999!!

Huntington Beach, California.

Ah, life and living - so transient.
Clearly, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
M

Not many votes for Middlewestern cities. So I'll recommend Springfield, MO. Want some nearby hills, lakes, caves, trout streams, plus lower cost of living? We have these. Of course, I hve enjoyed certain places where family have lived, like Toronto, CA, Newburyport, MA, San Francisco, CA, Poughkeepsie, NY, Madison, WI, and I do like returning to Chicago my birthplace. Lots of places have charm or culture to offer.

But I commend to you a smaller city in Mid America where you can easily get around and enjoy the arts, several universities, nature. One thing not mentioned is where in a city you choose to live...some don't mind driving, but our Mall is 5 minutes away and we are home in 20 min from a symphony concert.

Ozarks Bill

I live in New Jersey in a town called Spring Lake. Jersey get a bad reputation, but you should not rule it out. It is the richest state in the country, and certain towns on the Jersey Shore (Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Cape May) are some of the most beautiful in the country (and I have been all over). The beaches in Spring Lake are much nicer than the beaches in say, a place like Hilton Head. Also, a place like Princeton, can stand up to any town in America in terms of beauty and culture. You are an hour outside of New York and Philly and less than an hour from the Shore.
One of the problems is that New Jersey is so expensive. A small, 3 bedroom in Spring Lake can run over a million dollars- and Northern New Jersey- forget about it. There are still some bargains to be found though...

I live in Eugene Oregon- it has several times been voted as one of the best places to live- small, university town,
1 1/2 to the coast/ hour to the closest ski area/ 1 1/2hrs to Portland- lots of cultural events/ has a lot of good restaurants for its size/ bike lanes connecting to all parts of the city.

There is article about it in Sunset Magazine this month.
I love Portland but if you are looking for a smaller city- this is great.

There is so much to see and do in this area you could spend every weekend for years doing something different -
Of course its a little rainy in the winter- but many times if you drive over to the mountains its sunny - and airfare to Hawaii is pretty reasonable
if you just gotta get out -

I suppose casual readers would find this a wonderful thread. However, I really have serious doubts that christy ever would just pick up and move to any spot in the U.S. Either Christy has stumbled upon a way to get an interesting dialogue going, or she really is simply fishing. There is no one, including Christy, who is completely open to a move based on a suggestion rather than her/his own needs and interests.

Now, Christy, you have heard from one of the "actual people," and I can tell you that I think you have stretched the subject a bit by your question.

Honolulu, Honolulu, Honolulu

They have come from all over the world!

uuhhhh Wayne...... christy started this thread almost 6 years ago...

Philadelpia:
-Lots of museums and art galleries. The NJ state aquarium is just across the river.
-Culture: China town and South
Philly (Italian).
- Food:Tons of good restaurants and cheese steaks!
-You can take a day trip to the shore, the mountians or Lancater (Amish).
-Theater and Music (Philadephia singers and Philadelphia Orchestra)

Crete Illinois is a great place to live.Thirty miles from Chicago and great people.The only thing bad about Crete is once you move in you cant move out because thet'll call you an Ex Creatian.

Hampton Roads, VA (southside)- Including the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk.

This growing city is one of the few affordable places left to live on the east coast. But, that is changing quickly with housing prices on the rise. The upside - a home is a great investment here. Compared to other cities of its size on a coast, housing is very affordable.

The area offers beaches, a growing number of excellent restaurants, an outstanding opera company, lighthouses, a strong medical community, several venues for all types of entertainment. The area offers southern hospitality, without being "too southern".

Hampton Roads has several military bases. Many retired military personnel have fallen in love with the area and stayed. For this reason, the area is a melting pot of transplants eager to welcome new neighbors.

Weather is Hampton Roads is very mild. We have an occasional day of snow in the winter, beautiful blooms in the spring, and gorgeous foliage in the fall. If the weather has a downside, summers tend to be quite hot and humid.

Another positive of the area is its proximity to other desirable destinations. Within a one hours drive is Colonial Williamsburg, 2 hours drive to the Outer Banks of NC or Richmond, VA, and about 4 hours to Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.

Shari

no other place like New York City. yes, cost of living is high, real estate has gone mad, but it's NYC and there are tons of job opportunities. the diverse culture here makes restaurant businesses so competitive that u can get a good meal for under $10. I love New York.

I was born in Chicago and have lived in:
Fort Wayne, IN
Bloomington, IN
Boston, MA
San Diego, CA

After all was said and done I ended up back in sweet home Chicago. I prefer larger cities with a more urban feel.

San Diego to me is just one big nightmare of suburban sprawl. Plastic-town with plastic people describe it perfectly.

I enjoyed Boston, but the traffic was maddening and the cost of living is too high.

If I were forced to move tomorrow though I would choose Toronto or Vancouver.

Let's dig deep into America!
So many wonderful places have yet to be mentioned! For those who love peacefulness and wilderness: Ely, MN; (On the edge of civilization, possibly the last, coolest boundry town you'll ever find, water everywhere, Loons!, fish jump in your boat, serenity that you'll never find anywhere else!) Sedona, AZ;(spiritual, beautiful, but expensive!) Mendicino, CA (Beer & buds, the best buzz & beauty in the land); coastal Main (Lobster for breakfast, anyone?)!
For those that dig cities; Minneapolis (A shimmering, frozen, miracle of good planning & people; Milwaukee (the best small-town city anywhere, with Summerfest...when the whole city shuts down & parties for 10 days!); Chicago!!! no other city compares. Fresh water and great beaches, Countless Festivals, Magnificant Snowstorms (it's all about your perspective!) Blues, Jazz, U2 6 times in 2005, Dylan twice usually, so much cultural and culinary diversity, & of course,...The IRISH pubs! I invite the world to stand beneath or just behold the BIG Kidney Bean ("cloudscape") sculpture in millennium park, share the joy of the symphony or fireworks on the lakefront, or just marvel at the multitude enjoying this wonderful city. Remarkably, a city of gardens.

I live in NWI (Northwest Indiana) ...not yet mentioned...only 20 minutes from Chicago, Lake Michigan beaches and Dunes, near Cubbies, The spectacular Michigan beaches (with fantastic sunsets!) only minutes away, good schools, NO crime, NO traffic, 3000 sq ft homes for $120,000, and the most down-to-earth, friendly neighbors anyone could ever ask for. Yes, I've travelled. I love to come home. Jim

ceilitwirl, this thread has been going for nearly 6 years and when I decide to post, you post almost exactly the same thing just prior.

Chicago is also getting harder to buy into, and more competitive in the job market, but it is still a city with everything that is best about America and neighborhoods to embrace you as well. If I had to raise children again I would probably be moving further into the city center, maybe the Western or Southwestern close suburbs, if I couldn't afford NW city itself. But as I age I feel the perks of a big city are needed only in smaller doses. After helping at least 5 different individuals or families to move back "home" from the West and the South in the last 5 or 6 years, I have decided that the Midwest is where I will stay. There are some almost unknown gems out there, especially in Minnesota, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana- and Madison WI is one as well. But I am lucky enough to have found one of the best in Michigan. The beauty of the lakes, wetlands, density of traffic etc. coupled with high educational levels and other quality of life issues, are a huge secret hidden mainly by the difficulties of accessability from the major big cities. If Michigan was not buffered by the baricades of the Great Lakes and dense industrial zones, it would be "found" much more readily. And yet I am lucky enough to have gotten there before the pack.

One time Go Travel detailed how if you lived by the ocean you can never go back. Well, I lived by an ocean for a semester in mid-life and I think it is absolutely wonderful and there is a quality that IS hard to convey. But on small inland lakes of over 600 to 1000 acres that are spring fed and with full seasons- AND with no traffic locally, good schools, great libraries, and good hospitals, diversity in not just origin/race or religion, but in politics also. I think as beautiful as lake living is- the people of lake living Michigan are even more beautiful. The "me" entitlement belief system is still looked upon as selfishness there, which it is. And the sunsets, rain upon the water, troll motoring to go visit your neighbor, Sunday Church mid-lake if you want it, room for individuals to grow regardless of their looks or IQ levels- just general acceptance of the good things in life are almost a constant 10. Weather in winter is beautiful but can be difficult, but if you are sturdy and I am- it's my best place to live.

wow, this is an old thread. BUT, i think that Portland, ME has to be one of the greatest, little cities in the Northeast. Everything you can ask for and quite reasonable!!! Plus right on the ocean!!!

I'm not sure if this thread is still active since it has been a month since the last post...
A few thoughts on places to live--
Minnesota (2 yrs) beautiful, clean air, culture and transportation, mild summers, too cold in winter.

Omaha, NE (4 yrs) a nice-sized city with friendly folks, very good medical school, not on the cutting edge so you feel a few years behind the trends, great steaks, summers can be hot, but not unbearably so, winters can be too long sometimes although the snow doesn't bother me, it is the gloominess that seems to last too long, beautiful spring and fall.

Columbia, MO (10 yrs) college town, rolling hills, four seasons and the winters are more mild, summers can be hot and humid but don't last so long, quickly coming up with better stores and restaurants, friendly people and natural beauty, although it is a couple hours from major airports.

Austin, TX (4 yrs) beautiful little city, rolling hills, 4 seasons, though winter is mild, summer is hot but not as humid as it could be, lakes, trees, great music, culture, education and politics, great food, great BBQ, is now becoming more expensive to live and has succumbed to the influx of people which has brought more traffic, nice small airport.

San Antonio, TX (3 yrs) More desert-like, dry with less trees, the hills are covered with scrub oak and cactus, pretty in a wild way, but I need more green around me. Great sports, several universities, river walk and tourism, amusement parks, and fabulous Mexican food. Hot, but drier, summers, no winter to speak of.

Houston, TX (14 yrs) Very green due to much rain --4 feet annual rainfall--flowers year round, looking from an airplane, the city is carpeted in many areas with trees, mostly live oaks, which do not change colors or ever appear to lose their leaves since new ones force old ones off the branch. Two seasons, mild (covers winter, spring, and fall) and unbearably hot and humid (usually from May to October). 5,000 restaurants covering every nationality and culture. Approximately 4 million inhabitants comprised of 100 nationalities, over 90 languages spoken. An excellent example of an international city with rich diversity without ethnic unrest. 2 major hub airports, unusually flat city (the highway overpasses serve as hills). 1 and 1/2 hours from the hill country, an hour from Galveston and the Gulf Coast, although the water is brown, excellent museums and theater district, world-class shopping. Bad traffic, and the city has just realized it needs public transit and has started with a short 7-mile light-rail system which will hopefully expand across the city. Everything is air conditioned most of the year.

Not offering opinions here, just impartial observations. Hope it helps.

One of the best places to live in the US is with the parents - when everything is free.
Another one is away while at college - when there's little supervision and every experience is new.
Far and away the best place to live is at 10 and 2, between the 2nd and 7th.

Amherst, MA
5 colleges area,
beautiful Western MA,
Northampton next door,
Boston and beaches within 2 hours

For a big city: Cleveland, OH area (suburbs) - 4 seasons – winter is a bit rough; great medical care; beaches of the clean fresh water Lake Erie (zebra mussels have been cleaning the lake for years); cost of living is relatively low; excellent culture; college town – CWRU, JCU, BW; large airport; major sports nba, wnba, mlb, nfl, soccer; miles and miles of park – Emerald necklace; great orchestra; fabulous & diverse theater; music, concerts, restaurants of all ethnicity; comfortable neighborhoods; easy commutes to work; easy access to city or country; walleye, hunting and fishing in easy reach.

For a small town: Lancaster, PA – Wholesome; great climate – moderate summer, moderate winter (schools are cancel if weather forecast suggests snow); good theater; very low cost of living; Amish – horse and buggy; pace of life is calm; good hospitals; close to big cities – B’more, Philly, NYC; close to mountains; close to shore; close to Penn State (?); beautiful women!; fabulous shopping; low taxes; great public schools; chocolate; fresh locally grown organic fruits and veggies; no traffic jams – 3 cars and a school bus at a red light is a traffic jam!; shoofly-pie;

I was sorta amused by the earlier competition on this thread by someone from Raleigh and someone from Colorado. There's a website that lets you compare cities head to head on a number of rankings, from crime to medical care to education. It's at:
http://www.bestplaces.net/

It seems that the Raleigh chamber of commerce has done a good job of compiling lots of honors for the city. I'm sure it's a great place to live; we were considering it for retirement in about 10 years. However, Diana has mentioned rapid growth, which makes it seem less attractive. We've lived in several cities over the years, with our main experiences in Chicago, Seattle, and Boston. No city is perfect; they all have good and bad qualities. Did you know that Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate? Or that New England students have the highest SAT scores? So there are lots of ways to rate a place.
Right now, we're thinking southern Oregon is the place to retire.

hi folks,

this is why i think cape town is the best city in the world:

http://www.best-places-in-capetown.com

cheers
gernes

Live in Northern NJ (all my life) and still can't afford to buy a home. Very depressing, but found this post to be quite informative on other desirable places to live. Problem is, my entire family lives in Northern NJ and not so sure I'd want to move someplace new where I have no relatives to visit.
Tough choices....

Southwestern PA!

I spent the last ten years looking for the best place to live. SLO,Cal. was my first pick. How could my kids ever aford to live near me. Will they couldn't and then our midwest roots would be so far from extened family. So we have the 4 seasons, safety no need to lock my car or house.I live on 3 acers next to a 168 acre city lake with my own dock and wave runner.This was bought three years ago for $170K. Our services start with great school #1 UMKC, JCCC,and with University of Kansas only 30 miles away. Go KU< good medical & low cost of living. Has the greatest people and history with a mix of cultures. easy to get around and great family values with out the religious guilt trip. This place is right in the middle of this country and has the best BBQ And Jazz
Called the city of fountains.My town Kansas City. WE are the Heart of this Nation and have the sprit and pride to prove it just watch a KC.foot ball or my favorite KU Basketball.

I live in Kennesaw, which is a city/suburb of Atlanta, and I am absolutely fed up with this area. The traffic is ludicrous, the drivers use their turn signals once a year, our summer temperatures are constantly rising up into the 90s, the people here all dress the same, and development is eating up all of the forested lots.
I am a native to this area, and it makes me sick to see what has happened to my hometown within the past 5 or 6 years. Smog is a daily fact of life here, and we have more code orange and yellow days than the city of Chicago!!!
I am thinking about New Hampshire, Maine, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or central/northern Michigan, because I want clean air, cooler temperatures, less traffic, and friendly people who aren't all part of the yuppie club. I am also still in college, but I don't really think I can take any more of Atlanta. What should I do?

I currently live in San Diego. Upside-perfect weather, rolling terain, beaches, and lots of things to see and do - I never get bored. But, we usually can't afford it, because we are sinking most of our paycheck into our mortgage. Downside - cost of living-(gas, groceries, just everything in general is just a little bit higher than LA), and tough to secure a job. We were able to squeeze into a small condo in a sketchy neighborhood for what would be considered a pretty decent combined income. Is it all worth it? Well, we moved here 5 years ago from 45 minutes north of Boston, and it was fun here while it lasted. But, now we are looking at some other places to land in a couple of years. Everytime I read about another city, I am comparing it to San Diego - I get disappointed. I definately do not want to move back to Nashua, NH. Too damn cold, and so are the people. Well, just wanted to vent. I know that Christy is not reading this post anymore, but maybe other people looking to relocate can benefit from our input.

anywhere in Hawaii, cuz there are NO SNAKES. i dont care how much the cost of living is, it's worth it. PARADISE and NO SNAKES. cant wait to move. and yes i know how tough it is to make ends meet there-my family lives on Kauai.

I live in the Pacific Northwest in Washington state. Moved here almost five years ago just outside Seattle from New Jersey. Washington has very diverse areas offering a variety of beautiful places to see. It's a great place to raise a family and venture out on many nature trips within the state as well as being close to a major city and Seattle has much to offer with it's museums, theaters, great restaurants, ect. for a more cultural experience. HOWEVER.. I miss the beaches TRUMENDOUSLY (Pacific ocean is too cold and too rough for me). Even though Washington has become my home, I will still love my little state of New Jersey for different reasons and I will always remain a New York Yankee fan.

I am from philly and really like the city, but now want to explore the west coast. San Diego was at first at the top of my list, but the more I researched it I found out that it has alot of traffic. So I am looking for a more affordable and less traffic option on the west coast. I prefer to live in a city that has enough to do culture wise and nightlife wise. Also I city that has good weather, not too cold winters, not too hot summers. I prefer to live in a city that has a university nearby also. Lower cost of living is a plus but not a necessity. I have done some research on Portland and it sounds great but I don't know about the rain. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Fil

Definitely the best place to live is Arizona. It has more mountains than Switzerland, more sunshine than Hawaii, more golf courses than Florida and less people than the city of Los Angeles. Oh, and one more thing. You don't have to shovel sunshine.

If you're thinking of Asheville, NC...better think twice. Most of the data in articles and on the web is out of date. I know, I moved her almost a year ago and nothing is as reported.

There are dozens of applicants for every job. Wealthy seniors are moving here in droves driving the prices up . Gasoline is the highest in the mid-Atlantic region.

The area is evolving into rich versus poor and increasingly dependent on tourism.

An article in yesterday's newspaper reported the property valuations for tax purposes are increasing 45%.

Yes, the scenery is spectacular, but if you're looking for a place to start over, I quote what one community leader told me..."bring lots of money."

I currently live in Washington DC and would NOT recommend it, especially if you have/are planning to raise children. Kennedy summed it up when he said that Washington is a city with Southern efficiency and Northern charm. The city is very segregated, both racially and socially. Crime is also very bad. I hope to leave Washington before I develop 'Too Much Time Inside the Beltway' syndrome.

That said, I prefer West Coast cities to East Coast ones, although I like Boston and Philadelphia is experiencing quite a revitalization.

I think Portland OR would be the best place to live. Oregon's land-development laws have ensured that the natural beauty of the Pacific NW is kept in harmonious co-existence with growth. Portland is a very pleasant city with friendly people. A disadvantage would be the high cost of living (it IS the West Coast, after all) but even then I find Portland to be cheaper than any other major Pacific Coast city.

Also, if you're a liberal, you'll fit right in.

Brownstone Brooklyn -- for all the reasons everyone recommended New York City, with less of the New York City downsides. It's becoming a hot spot for families and people looking for a small(er) town take on the NYC experience. And when you're in the Brownstone section of Bklyn, it's historic, gorgeous and a 20 minute ride by subway to NYC, and that much closer to the Long Island beaches by car. Now it's ridiculously expensive and as I'm typing this, it's getting more so.... Ahhh, there is no perfection is there?

Here's my top list:
San Jose, CA (I live there)
Auburn, CA
San Francisco
San Diego
Portland, OR
Austin, TX
Too many things to say why!

Rancho Santa Fe just outside of San Diego is my first choice and my second choice would be Montecito outside of Santa Barbara..
International would be Moorea, French Polynesia and of course Paris!

Aaahh, we are building lists now

1 Scottsdale
2 Kauai (my daughter said so)
3 Oahu

This is relative to your age, family situation, work situation, health etc. so much more than this thread details. Not just because peoples' wants/needs are subjective, but also because different things may be important during different phases of life for the same person or family over time. Or the economics of living expense have changed at a faster pace.

For instance, the part of the country I live in is rated well and has excellent schools, good health care, etc. But at my age I am being property tax out of my house- absolutely. There is a quality of life beyond the weather etc. also- if you are too poor after being so heavily taxed at so many levels; reducing your other life "choices" with travel being the least of the worries.

There is no frozen tax on property for anyone where I live, nothing is regulated upon any time scale of ownership etc. There are also state income taxes and large sales taxes, beyond the regular Federal taxes covering all of the USA.

When you are over 59 years old, most of the "best" places mentioned would be negative for some or all of the taxing criteria above as well. And might be also for young families with children to education, as some of them have poor schools, where private school tuitions would probably have to be factored into that "best" category.

Palisade, Colorado.
Short winters but close to great skiing without having to deal with Denver traffic. Beautiful fall and spring, the desert to explore when you don't feel like snow. A fledgling wine industry, fresh fruit and veggies. No stoplights. The worlds best mountain biking in any direction.
Great hunting.

If you are an outdoors person it can't be beat. Anywhere but a big city, you can always visit one.

Beanman

Hey, im from London England, and am looking to move to the States within the next few years. We're looking for somewhere near the coast, not too hot or humid because we're obviously not used to that being in sunny old england!Looking for a small town to get away from the hustle and bustle of things, but plenty of young people, we've been looking along the east coast and a few places look nice but dont have much of a clue where to visit to be honest....any advice would be great...thanx alot xx

The eastern seaboard is very hot and humid in the summer. I would think that climatewise, the pacific northwest would be closer to that of the UK. Cities like Portland, OR and Seattle, WA have a large young population , and you could probably live in the suburbs to avoid the hustle and bustle, though neither Seattle nor Portland are as busy as London.

Thanx Loki, much appreciated, i will look into that

Do Brits emigrating to the US really want to live in the same climate as they left behind in Blighty? I'd think they'd jump at the chance to live somewhere warm and dry. Every other London shop window seems to be advertising a package to Majorca or Nice.

Look at the desert southwest. The winter temperatures bottom out around 40F, and between seasons are in the 70s and 80s. It's 54 today, and we haven't seen any precipitation for almost four months.

Yes, it gets hot in the summer. But it's actually comfortable well over 100 due to the typical single-digit humidity.

Whatever you decide to do, I recommend renting for a year to satisfy yourself it's really what you want. Perhaps a rent-to-buy scheme if you find a really appealing house. Good luck.

Philadelphia:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/features/philly0510/philly.html

LOL you're right ole chap! It was just the humidity we were a bit wary of, but iv heard that you dont get that in the west. Well it's 10 degrees here today which is actualy a good day for us lol so yes we would enjoy some heat! So are you talking about colarado or california or where is the south west.....dont laugh lol

Just about anywhere below 2000' elevation in Arizona, New Mexico, or Nevada, and California east of the coastal basins.

Cool thread. DC/MD/VA is definitely the place to be. Good mix of everything here - also includes easy access to NY, Phila, WV (outdoor activies), MD/DE beaches. The other major plus here is that you truly experience ALL 4 seasons. Good luck!

Arlingtonian at Heart.

Thanks, it takes ages to look up which initials mean which states lol you seem to have a bit of everything in America its pretty cool, a friend loves life in California and another wouldnt be anywhere but Oklahoma, but thinks we would love Virgina and surroundings, i guess you just gota look around and see which place best suits you....better get saving eh!

My fiancee and I are considering moving to La Mesa Ca in San Diego does anyone know about the area and if it is affordable?

I'm not very familiar with east San Diego county communities. However, La Mesa ZIP code 91942 has a median home price at 12/31/2005 of some $401K-- which leads me to thing it's less than highly desirable. La Mesa ZIP code 91941 has a median home price of around $539K.

California in general is expensive-- coastal communities much more so. One of the cheapest is in my hometown of Long Beach-- Belmont Shore; and its median home price is $850K (Menhattan Beach is $1.6 million).

San Diego in general is pricey. But I would never consider living there if I couldn't be less than five miles from the beach. That's my only hard requirement for living in California.

No one seems to mention fabulous people!! There is no place like TULSA
for great people. I can visit scenery but I want to LIVE where the livin' is easy.

Tulsa people are FABULOUS (I married one, so I should know).

But do Yale and Sheridan and Memorial still turn into parking lots for two hours every weekday morning and afternoon?

Dear readers:

One great place to live that most people forget or do not realize it's a part of the United States is the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Part of the United States, great services, best medical care on the Caribbean, no real estate taxes and great weather all year round. For those that want a place to retire on the water with a true island feel with still all the amenities and services as in the United States Puerto Rico is for you.

I lived there for 14 years, not I am living in the USA. My husband an american could not believe how much he really felt like in the USA but with much better weather and all the beautiful beaches. We are still considering moving there and most definately retiring there.

Here are some websites with great local info on attractios and things to do on our favorite places in Puerto Rico that are still affordable, Cabo Rojo more than Vieques.

Go to http://www.viequestravelguide.com and http://www.caborojopr.com/