Where to live in the USA?
 

I know this is the 'Europe' forum but I have gotten such good advice from here before. I am a Canadian from Toronto marrying an American from Seattle. We will be living in the States and he wants me to pick where so we both can have a new start. What is, in your opinion, the best City to live in the US?

Wow, that's one that requires some thought. I can only give you tidbits of advice based on U.S. cities where I've traveled. Although I live in Houston, Texas, I personally would not recommend settling here by choice. If I had my way, I would live in either San Francisco or Boston because I love the weather and the culture.

Eva - <BR> <BR>Chicago of course!! I have to say that being that I live here! <BR> <BR>No, really, it is a wonderful city with great museums, incredible food, a wonderful culture, Michigan Avenue shopping, and some of the nicest people you'll find anywhere. There is nothing better than a summer day along the lake front or a stroll down Michigan Avenue. <BR>OK, winter can be quite a challenge, but it is still a great town. <BR> <BR>If I had to move away, I would choose Denver for myself. I've visited a few times on business and found it to be very welcoming. <BR> <BR>Beth

Northern California! Of course you'll want a condo in Florida for January and February when the fog here permeates the very marrow in your bones. But seriously, relatively low crime, reasonable housing prices, high-tech jobs popping up all over the place, plus San Francisco, the wine country, Tahoe, etc. How can you go wrong?

Hi, <BR>I am a Wisconsinite, and think Chicago is great. If I didn't have children I would probably live there. If you plan on having children you don't want to live in the city of Chicago, but the Chicago suburbs are wonderful places to raise a family, and your still close enough to all the great things that Chicago has to offer. I vacationed in Toronto for the first time last summer(great city), and it reminded me a lot of Chicago. If you like Toronto, you'll like Chicago. As far as the weather in the windy city is concerned you should be more then used to our winters since your from Toronto.

What kind of weather would you like. I live in So Cal and love the weather here. It's great pretty much all year round. I'm origionally from New England and having been in 47 of the states, I'd have to say that its the most beautiful area, but you definitly get seasons. Not as dreary as the Northwest although when sunny the Seattle area is very pretty (not Seattle itself.) <BR>

I'd move to Northern California in a New York Minute. But is it REALLY expensive (and I've lived in NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC) Actually, the DC area is fantastic, so since I can't afford to pick it all up and move, I'm really happy to be here!

For the four season weather, Boston. Warmer weather most of the time, Phoenix.

No question about it Eva - Long Island, New York. You're close enough for the city life - great - and it is a beautiful place to be with lots of different areas to choose from. We have a friend that lived in Greenvale, she was VERY happy and we visited Oyster Bay a few weeks ago, but for living Greenvale won over OB. Hope this helps! Esme and Gytha (now seasoned travellers and Fodorites!!!)

I will put in my recommendation to move to Boston. Yes, there is a cold winter there, but I think it is really worth it. Good luck finding a place. <BR> <BR>Sue <BR>http://europe2001.cjb.net <BR>Priceless Travel Knowledge

Why would you want to leave Seattle?

Go to "best places" site at money.com Do a search for it . You put in your credentials and it does a search . Its fun--You can choose housing ,heath, weather, and culture,airports etc.

I think everyone should live in NYC (proper - below 34 street) for a few years - the energy is incredible, so much at your doorstep (both good and bad). I've lived here for 10 years and still really enjoy it. Yes, my apartment is the size of a shoe box but the upside is that I keep material things to a minimum - not a lot of clutter - my life is very streamlined. I am very seriously considering moving to Brooklyn - mainly because I need more (breathing) space and little less of a hectic pace. I was studying architecture in grad school (in Florida - very car dependent) when I first visited NYC, and knew this is where life was. NYC really demands a lot of a person - while we have crime (what place doesn't) we are one of the safest cities in the world. One of my main reasons for living here: I can walk almost anywhere I need to go in (with in reason) and not be stuck in traffic wasting time, and thus my life.

Why is this question here instead of on the US forum? Did you double-post or is Fodor's server having melt-down again?

it's also posted on the US forum where I was confused by the part that mentioned that he can't work in Canada but she will seek work in the US

I've lived in several cities in the U.S. (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Columbus (Ohio), and New York). San Francisco is a wonderful city with a lot of personality. I currently live in Chicago and love it here. The city and surrounding areas have so much to offer. It is a great part of the U.S. to raise a family. My vote is for Chicago.

What a stupid question. <BR> <BR>You're going to let a bunch of strangers make that all important decision for you ?? <BR> <BR>With absolutely no input from you or your husband about your: <BR> <BR>desired lifestyle? <BR>the weather you both prefer? <BR>the work he/you do? <BR>plan to have children soon? <BR>and on <BR>and on <BR>and on <BR>

And he wants to leave Seattle? Why?

I have to tell you, I grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and it is THE BEST place to raise kids. The climate is temperate, but perhaps unlike the rest of the South, Huntsville is quite an international city. The space industry has a base there, where rockets and stuff are made, and there is also an army base. During the 70's (?) a lot of German scientists emigrated to Huntsville. People all over the country tend to move to Huntsville in droves because they're engineers or are civilians working for the Army (the most recent group of people came from St. Louis; before that, Michigan). There are a fair number of blacks and Asians also in Huntsville. It's small enough to have a very low crime rate but large enough to have a nice Saturday night out. The most attractive thing about Huntsville, I think, is the schools. Huntsville has GREAT schools. The high school I graduated from was the best in the state in 1999; my fellow classmates went to Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Notre Dame, Swarthmore, Westpoint...the list really goes on. In general, Huntsville is upper middle class and like I said, tends to be atypical of cities in the South. I will be more than willing to tell you more!

Portland, Oregon...the most beautiful place on earth! And the #1 pick by Money Magazine for the best place to live in the USA. They must know something. Mountains, desert, coastline, all within an hour from the city. The rain is NOT THAT BAD.

You-can't-be, is that really you Enuf?? Leave her alone, decisons like this require input from as many people as you feel you need to listen to, until you hear the answer you were looking for all along and never even told yourself! xx

Beth, if the school in Hunstville are so great, to whom should we credit your "Westpoint" instead of West Point? <BR> <BR>I'd been to Huntsville and it's all one long, commercial strip. Nothing to brag about....

Eva, <BR>Not Vermont! <BR>(Too many are doing so already!) <BR>But Boston is a very cool place. <BR>nancy

I have lived in four places. <BR> <BR>Norfolk, VA <BR>Northern VA outside of Washington DC <BR>Huntsville, AL <BR>suburbs outside of Atlanta GA <BR> <BR>For a family, the best of small town living and big city amenities, plus reasonable cost of housing, I would recommend Huntsville, AL . It is an island of hi-tech professionals in a sea of deep south culture. Not much night life though. <BR> <BR>For four season climate, beach nearby, water sports, reasonable cost of living, try the Norfolk, Virginia Beach , basically southeast corner of Virginia. <BR> <BR>Northern Virginia has expensive housing but there is plenty to do there. <BR> <BR>Atlanta where we currently live has a reasonable cost of living, a great economy, but is not a terribly exciting place to live. Of course we are old fart suburbanites now, there are sections of atlanta where gen x and gen y 's hang out. <BR>

Chicago is too damn cold. <BR> <BR>NYC is an incredible place to live. It, too, can get awfully cold, but not as bad as Chicago, and not for nearly as long. <BR> <BR>Washington, D.C., (where I live) is simply a spectacular city, particularly if you have enough sense not to live in the suburbs. The only people I know who live around here and don't like D.C. stupidly live in the outer suburbs. So of course their lives are miserable. The job market here is amazing, and the presence of the federal government does make the D.C. area somewhat recession proof. Housing prices are high, but really not any more so than any other major city (and not anywhere near as bad as San Francisco). <BR> <BR>I would also vote for St. Paul, Minnesota, if it also weren't so damn cold.