What do you think of Athens,OH, Oberlin, OH and Yellow Springs, OH?

Already mentioned above, but there are places in New England that might work. If you could agree about the snow thing :-) But seems that you'd need a large town or small city to have the kind of employment you are seeking?

If you are open to many places, I would take a look at a list of states with the lowest income tax to get started. No harm in starting there.

Most cities are all the same, with an allowance for up to 3 major things that make each them unique. Most all have the same problem and lots of opportunities. Some just have more sports teams, worse weather, better entertainment, better recreation opps etc.

The last time I did a big move, I papered every major city on the east coast with my resume, picked the one with the most promising responses.

I strongly disagree that all cities are the same. But for these two young women I don't think any city is going to work because of the budget.

Washington State has no state income tax. Instead we have very high taxes on every day items. So that doesn't hold either.

I agree it wouldn't hurt to scope out job opportunities after you pick a few top places to research.

Good luck!

Stay where you are for now, take advantage of your lower-than-market rent and use the next two or three years to build up your savings in anticipation of a future move.

And take some weekend two or three night trips to various cities where you can have some fun and enjoy some good dining. Get to know a little bit more of the country before just up and deciding to move. You might just decide that you're fine where you are and just need to get out and travel more to break the monotony of small town living.

Very wise, sensible advice from Clark !

College towns can combine affordability with access to culture, events, music, and excitement. You have so many choices. DC is considered expensive as the population is highly educated and there are a ton of well-paying jobs that are not dependant on the vagaries of the economy. There are also a ton of free things to do here that will not stress your budget. Not everyone is interested in taking advantage of those opportunities, however.

I live in a college town and agree. That's why I was recommending Charlottesville, VA.

I agree with both the college town recommendation and the stay put for now and build up savings rec.

Make a wish list (financial and non financial) of the things you'd like to have most in your big move and prioritize. How much more would you pay for better amenities? What's your preferred town/city size? What do you NOT want with your move (other than sky high prices). If a state leaned strongly conservative politically would it bother you? (OR ditto for a state that leaned strongly to the left) How do you like to spend your free time? Sports, museums, live music? When you figure out your short "most wanted" list, check out the websites that describe the pros and cons of the communities you have in mind. Including the job market.

When we were your age, we moved from Philadelphia to the Pacific NW (first Eugene, OR, then Vancouver, WA, and a brief but very pleasurable stint in Port Townsend, WA). We almost made Port Townsend our permanent home, but we had always wanted to move to Europe, so decided to concentrate on making that dream a reality. Which we did, and are very happy with our choice -- although if we had an unlimited budget we'd give some serious thought to eventually moving to Princeton, NJ. .

Of course SLO is not even in the realm of possibility. You'd have to go somewhere with really hot summers to get near your budget in California.

If you could stand the summers, Tucson Arizona would be an option. A lot of young Californians have departed for Arizona because they are priced out of California. Some of my friends and relatives tried it, but moved back because of the weather.

You might also look at some of the Nevada cities with better weather than Las Vegas, like Reno.

Minneapolis might be a possibility. A two-bedroom runs a little over $2k per month, but if you are willing to start with a smaller (1 bedroom) apartment, it would still be over your budget but not by much. And it's a nice city (at least, we think so) with a lot of things to do. Winters are cold, obviously, but we are snow and cold-weather lovers, so for us, that's a plus, not a minus. OTOH, for us, Arizona would be a living nightmare. YMMV

My neighbors in NYC moved to Greenville, SC and are very happy.
A few of the workers in my NYC apartment building have moved to various parts of inland South Carolina.
Bluffton prices have risen like crazy but inland from Bluffton still offers good value, access to beaches and upland areas, lakes, good food, friendly people....look at Ridgeland.

If it were me I would also take a look at western North Carolina near the border with Tennessee. My cousin just moved from Fairfield Country, CT to a suburb on the edge of Nashville and is very pleased. But he has the big bucks!!!

I like the area around Lafayette, Louisiana......
San Angelo Texas.....

Lots of interest now in parts of Arkansas......as well as parts of Alabama and Mississippi, especially around Oxford, Ms.

If it were me looking, I would investigate Akansas in a big way........andparts of eastern Tennessee....outside Knoxville.

Take a look at the HGTV program HOUSE HUNTERS...give you a decent idea of what you can get for your budget in various areas of the US.

Good luck to you both!!!!!!!!

Check out Omaha, NE. An 1100 sq ft, 2 BR, 2 ba just a few blocks from the Blackstone & Midtown Crossing entertainment districts rents for $1195. Lots of entertainment options; college sports, concerts large & small. A trolley system is in the works that runs from close to that apt to downtown for access to the Old Market & Riverfront areas. Very diverse population.

Would be nice if the OP got back to us…

I was thinking the same thing.