Liberal Cities
 

Hi, there! I moved from Portland to Minneapolis three years ago, and while they are both nice cities, Minneapolis has proven a challenge: I have Reynaud's syndrome and I'm quite miserable in the cold weather. I had hoped to move back to Portland, but in my time away the housing costs in PDX have skyrocketed. So I've decided to open my search to other cities that are liberal, environmentally conscious, friendly...and I'm obviously looking for somewhere warmer than Minneapolis, although the cost of living here is pretty low (which has been great). I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Ha, when I saw your title, my first thought was Minneapolis! We lived just south of there for a few years, it's still the most liberal place we ever lived, and we loved it :-)

But yeah, it's cold.

Austin comes to mind...I haven't lived there, but we lived in West Texas, and you'd be on an island of liberalism in an otherwise very conservative state.

What size city do you require? Would smaller places within, say, 100 miles of a city qualify? Particular requirements would help, such as a university, strong arts community, anything you consider essential.

Come back to Oregon and try Corvallis or Eugene depending on your favorite school (U of O or Oregon State).
If you choose Eugene you can ride an Amtrak bus or train to Portland for not too much money.

Most cities are liberal. More so than their suburban and exurban surroundings. This is true for Denver, Seattle, and even those in the South like Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, and even Birmingham; also true for those in the Rust Belt like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Cincy. Liberal means different things to different people because voting records are different from policies. If you're looking for another dose of Portlandia, Austin probably works but it's about 250 square miles of LA in Texas.

There are a lot of liberal cities that are too expensive versus Minneapolis (SF, LA, NYC, Boston, Chicago), that are patronage mills (Washington DC, Philly, Baltimore, most of the preceding) or dumps (Detroit, Oakland, St. Louis, Camden, Wilmington [DE, not NC]). Caveat emptor.

All that said - if you're looking for general livability and good quality of life, try for a major college town like a mid-Atlantic or Southern version of Madison. Like Boulder, Tucson, Athens, or similar.

I prefer mid-size cities, such as Portland, Minneapolis, which have art communities and universities and farmers markets. : ) I do prioritize a place that has an active outdoors community. I love to kayak, camp, hike. And I love an active music and art scene. But I also prefer something a little more laid back and smaller than a big city like LA.

Austin would be great, but I've heard many people say the same as you have about it being an island in Texas. Its the same with Arizona. I love AZ (what a beautiful state), but I can only take so much of the politics.

I've wondered about North Carolina, which sounds beautiful and temperate.

Great suggestions, everyone!!! Much appreciated! (and cities like Eugene or Corvallis sound lovely to me, as well)

I live about an hour into the hills from Sacramento, CA and we have everything you mention except a university. Grass Valley/Nevada City. Reasonably priced housing, lively arts community with proximity to much more in Sacramento and San Francisco for special events. Mild climate, convenient to a good-sized airport.

It sounds to me like you may need a road trip to get the feel of some places that may be the one. Or which may not be, depending on the priorities of those making the suggestions. The "feel" of a place is an intangible and needs to be felt in person.

I should add that the communities I mention are not mid-sized cities, but 2 towns 4 miles apart surrounded by outdoor activity opportunities and have remarkable resources of every kind for the size of the population. I think it's because of the number of city people who have relocated here and want the best of the city without the disadvantages of city life.

I absolutely agree, MmePerdu! That is great advice. I have fallen in love with cities just by visiting for a few days, and travel is my favorite thing.

I've considered Sacramento, and I have spent some time in that area. Love the mild weather.

If you decide to venture this way, I'll show you my towns. I confess, though, I don't really know Sacramento. I like where I am so much I don't often leave, everything I need is here. But I can point you to people there with enough lead time.

Much appreciated! That would be great.

Do you have a car to drive back to the west coast or would you consider taking the Amtrak Empire Builder back to Portland (or Seattle) from MSP?

Surprisingly - Sacramento would fit. The city (as in the 'central city area') is very liberal. The rest of the county not so much.

There is a major university 12 miles away in Davis, a large State college IN the city, two community colleges a vibrant arts community, a very active LGBT community, two rivers and the 24 mile American River Parkway (bike/hiking/walking trail). It is close to Lake Tahoe and to San Francisco, in the middle of several wine regions, a massive (and growing) local craft beer industry, . . . and never any snow and almost never below 32°F

@tomfuller: I have a car, so I would be driving and moving myself wherever I end up. I've enjoyed many trips on Amtrak in the past, however. : ) It was especially lovely through Montana.

>>The city (as in the 'central city area') is very liberal. <<

What I meant to say is the 'City of Sacramento' . . . not just the 'central' city. Sacramento is a large city in a larger county. The entire city is liberal (all nine city council members/Mayor are liberal Democrats where as the county government is majority moderate/conservative/Republican). And Davis just across the causeway - its nickname is the Peoples Republic of Davis ;) As liberal as any place in the SF Bay Area.

@janisj How is housing in the Sacramento area? I've heard horror stories of dual-income households not being able to afford to live in SF, but perhaps that doesn't extend to Sacramento...hopefully not....

I think "liberal" is very much in the eye of the beholder. It depends on how liberal not just in your city but also the whole state - since state laws will control many issues.

For instance, I would never touch any place in Texas with a barge pole. Nor would I consider Atlanta liberal - but I come from a place where the Reps sometimes don't bother to field a candidate.

Think about Albuquerque -- has lots of what you are looking for- outdoors, art, farmer's markets, university, reasonable housing and cost of living. We get a bit of snow that doesn't last long and winter temps that feel warmer than thermometer reads due to abundant sunshine. While we are a Republican state by elected officials now, it is quite liberal in the live and let live arena.

New Mexico is a beautiful place, particularly the north, but having had an inside glimpse into state politics, a relative by marriage in the top ranks, unless things have changed enormously in the last years, it does indeed swing right. But it's also an interesting mix and, having spent visits in Santa Fe & Taos, it is quite a mix, with enough of the left to balance the right in some communities and, of course, the very visible artist community.