Relocating Tips - Mild Weather, Good Schools, Low Cost of Living
Jul 23rd, 2014, 01:37 PM
#21
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Colorado was my first thought too. As long as you aren't way up in the mountains, the winters are pretty mild. I've spent quite a bit of time in the Denver area in the winter - a week here, a couple weeks there, a few days here - spread out over the last 10-15 years. Speaking of a Californian who grew up on the beach, I don't find the winters to be that bad - and my frame of reference is for VERY mild winters. It does snow in Denver, but the snow melts quickly for the most part. It gets cold, but not that bone-chilling cold you get in the mid west. And even when it gets cold, it doesn't stay cold - the sun comes out, the temperatures warm up. Its pretty nice. And the sun is almost always shining.
Jul 23rd, 2014, 02:05 PM
#23
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Since we have lived here for 34 years have not paid much attention to the cost of living index. We always thought it was pretty reasonable here but no basis for comparison. The internet has everything. Found this
http://www.metrodenver.org/cost-living.aspx
If I am reading it correctly, slightly less than Twin cities.
http://www.metrodenver.org/cost-living.aspx
If I am reading it correctly, slightly less than Twin cities.
Jul 23rd, 2014, 02:48 PM
#24
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Denver metro area or Colorado Springs.
I live in Minneapolis and Denver winters are most definitely mild compared to Minnesota. There is just no comparison. I believe the average high in January is 25 degrees warmer in Denver than Minneapolis.
I live in Minneapolis and Denver winters are most definitely mild compared to Minnesota. There is just no comparison. I believe the average high in January is 25 degrees warmer in Denver than Minneapolis.
Jul 23rd, 2014, 09:10 PM
#25
Average highs in January:
Denver 44.5
Mpls 23.7
Average lows
Denver 17.5
Mpls 7.5
Avg Rel humidtiy
Denver 54.3
Mpls 71.7
If yours is a respiratory issue, then consider:
Altitude
Denver 5,280 feet
C Springs 6,035
Mpls 841
Denver 44.5
Mpls 23.7
Average lows
Denver 17.5
Mpls 7.5
Avg Rel humidtiy
Denver 54.3
Mpls 71.7
If yours is a respiratory issue, then consider:
Altitude
Denver 5,280 feet
C Springs 6,035
Mpls 841
Jul 23rd, 2014, 09:10 PM
#26
Jul 24th, 2014, 08:06 AM
#28
I don't know much about the cost of living there but The area within 30 miles of Wilmington Delaware is quite mild for the winter and has great schools including colleges and universities.
Delaware has no sales tax. My deep sea fishing adventures started from the dock in Lewes.
Delaware has no sales tax. My deep sea fishing adventures started from the dock in Lewes.
Jul 24th, 2014, 08:38 AM
#29
While Southern California obviously has the weather, the bigger hurdles are a combination of good school district and housing prices. Although salaries are higher, whether you could find a house large enough in a good school district would depend on the size of your down payment. Not impossible, but difficult.
Doing so probably means a long commute to the major employment centers.
Doing so probably means a long commute to the major employment centers.
Jul 25th, 2014, 08:08 PM
#30
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Mr. Wunrfl beat me to mentioning the altitude in Denver. That can be an issue for people with respiratory problems.
I have lived in just about every region of the US (Air Force kid), including in Cheyenne, 100 miles from Denver, and I have to say that, granted, winters in Denver are not as totally frigid as some parts of the US, but they're colder than a lot of other parts of the US too! I personally would consider Denver a mildly cold winter climate.
Still if that climate seems OK to you, you might want to consider places like Bend, Oregon - a slightly warmer climate profile than Denver, dry, not as high - only about 3000 feet elevation, absolutely beautiful area of the country. Also has the advantage of being within daytrip distance of the ocean, if a change from being land-locked appeals to you.
Parts of eastern Washington might work too.
Re: temps in the Southwest, don't forget the effects of altitude there also. Places at a couple of thousand feet in Arizona and New Mexico are not necessarily blazing hot.
There are lots of places in California that have good weather and aren't as expensive as SF, LA, SD, etc. For instance some places in the Sierra foothills - just one example would be Grass Valley, which is only about 2 1/2 hours northeast of San Francisco. It has a lovely dry climate, elevation about 2400 feet,
avg. Jan temps: high: 51 low: 31
avg. July temps: high: 88 low: 52
and many more ...
I have lived in just about every region of the US (Air Force kid), including in Cheyenne, 100 miles from Denver, and I have to say that, granted, winters in Denver are not as totally frigid as some parts of the US, but they're colder than a lot of other parts of the US too! I personally would consider Denver a mildly cold winter climate.
Still if that climate seems OK to you, you might want to consider places like Bend, Oregon - a slightly warmer climate profile than Denver, dry, not as high - only about 3000 feet elevation, absolutely beautiful area of the country. Also has the advantage of being within daytrip distance of the ocean, if a change from being land-locked appeals to you.
Parts of eastern Washington might work too.
Re: temps in the Southwest, don't forget the effects of altitude there also. Places at a couple of thousand feet in Arizona and New Mexico are not necessarily blazing hot.
There are lots of places in California that have good weather and aren't as expensive as SF, LA, SD, etc. For instance some places in the Sierra foothills - just one example would be Grass Valley, which is only about 2 1/2 hours northeast of San Francisco. It has a lovely dry climate, elevation about 2400 feet,
avg. Jan temps: high: 51 low: 31
avg. July temps: high: 88 low: 52
and many more ...
Jul 25th, 2014, 09:07 PM
#31
Funny - as I was reading through the responses I thought of the Nevada City/Grass Valley/Auburn/hwy 49 corridor and Bend OR areas. And there they were in NorCalif's post.
While I like Denver -- if I had any sort of respiratory issues and wanted to avoid heavy snow -- it would not be my first choice. The altitude would scare me away.
the CA foothills have virtually no snow (the occasional storm but not like Denver or MN) Close to Sacramento/the state Capitol w/ lots of employment possibilities, 2-2.5 hours to SF, 2-2.5 hrs to Napa/Sonoma, 1.5 hrs to Lake Tahoe, 4 hrs to Yosemite.
And Bend - 3 hrs to Portland, and maybe 3.5 hrs to the coast.
While I like Denver -- if I had any sort of respiratory issues and wanted to avoid heavy snow -- it would not be my first choice. The altitude would scare me away.
the CA foothills have virtually no snow (the occasional storm but not like Denver or MN) Close to Sacramento/the state Capitol w/ lots of employment possibilities, 2-2.5 hours to SF, 2-2.5 hrs to Napa/Sonoma, 1.5 hrs to Lake Tahoe, 4 hrs to Yosemite.
And Bend - 3 hrs to Portland, and maybe 3.5 hrs to the coast.
Jul 26th, 2014, 05:40 AM
#32
If you're looking for a climate in Oregon milder than Bend, look at Beaverton or Newburg.
I live 50 miles south of Bend and remember to well that we had 5 nights last winter where the temp got to -20*F or lower. I hate driving the roundabouts in bend when there is snow and ice on them.
Bend does have good schools including Mountain View HS where the local hero Ashton Eaton graduated. (Olympic Decathlon Champ)
Drew Breese (former QB) built a nice home in Bend so his kids could go to school there.
The reason I suggested Delaware was the low elevation where it rarely gets below zero with little snowfall.
In late April I snowshoed from the lodge at Crater Lake.
I live 50 miles south of Bend and remember to well that we had 5 nights last winter where the temp got to -20*F or lower. I hate driving the roundabouts in bend when there is snow and ice on them.
Bend does have good schools including Mountain View HS where the local hero Ashton Eaton graduated. (Olympic Decathlon Champ)
Drew Breese (former QB) built a nice home in Bend so his kids could go to school there.
The reason I suggested Delaware was the low elevation where it rarely gets below zero with little snowfall.
In late April I snowshoed from the lodge at Crater Lake.
Jul 26th, 2014, 01:30 PM
#33
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How about Northwest Arkansas. The Bentonville/Rogers area is beautiful. The schools are good, cost of living is low, and the weather isn't bad either. The area has a small town feel with big city amenities. Lakes, mountains, golf, sporting events, concerts, and museums are available within a 30 mile radius. Wal-Mart and its vendors have made this a much desired area in which to live.
Jul 26th, 2014, 01:37 PM
#34
If you do consider the California foothills (and many places in the western US), do take into account the fire danger.
We are in a long term drought and I can't tell you how many friends who bought in the suburban hillsides (or in towns near Auburn) have had multiple evacuations and in one case actually lost two (2!) homes to fire.
We are in a long term drought and I can't tell you how many friends who bought in the suburban hillsides (or in towns near Auburn) have had multiple evacuations and in one case actually lost two (2!) homes to fire.
Jul 26th, 2014, 03:02 PM
#35
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I used to live in California a long time and I would imagine there has to be many places in Southern California to live that are not expensive. Small towns in the middle of nowhere, for example. I couldn't pick a place out for you, but if job opportunities are of no importance, I'm sure there are many. I bet Barstow and Twentynine Palms are pretty cheap. There are cheaper areas in San Bernardino, also. Now I don't know anything about schools in these areas.
Here's an interesting article
http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/famil...es-california/
I knew someone who lived in Chico and liked it a lot, it has a college there. Again, it depends what one means by moderate climate. To me, that is moderate (certainly compared to MN) in the winter since the avg high is mid-50s and avg low mid-30s in December. It would be a great location for recreational opportunities like skiing (not a bad drive to Tahoe) and the Sierras and parks. Murietta near San Diego doesn't look that expensive to me, but I'm used to a very expensive housing market, and that median housing cost is lower than Folsom.
Here's an interesting article
http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/famil...es-california/
I knew someone who lived in Chico and liked it a lot, it has a college there. Again, it depends what one means by moderate climate. To me, that is moderate (certainly compared to MN) in the winter since the avg high is mid-50s and avg low mid-30s in December. It would be a great location for recreational opportunities like skiing (not a bad drive to Tahoe) and the Sierras and parks. Murietta near San Diego doesn't look that expensive to me, but I'm used to a very expensive housing market, and that median housing cost is lower than Folsom.
Jul 28th, 2014, 05:18 PM
#38
Joe and Jill Biden proudly call Wilmington home. Dr. Jill is a prof at the University. They named the Amtrak station for Joe.
Many parts of Oregon hit 100 today. I was in Newberg on Saturday afternoon for the Newberg Old Fashioned Festival.
The shaved ice vendor was doing a brisk business.
Many parts of Oregon hit 100 today. I was in Newberg on Saturday afternoon for the Newberg Old Fashioned Festival.
The shaved ice vendor was doing a brisk business.
Jul 29th, 2014, 01:02 PM
#39
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We lived in Morro Bay/SLO the last few years, and while the cost of living isn't particularly cheap, it's not outrageously expensive like most of Southern California. No major traffic, it's right on the ocean so air quality isn't an issue, and the weather there is something out of a Twilight Zone episode. In summer it rarely got over 80F, while the entire rest of the state (sometimes most of the country) was baking in 100+ heat. Winters were mild as well.
Downsides to the area are its municipal water quality (awful) and lack of infrastructure (e.g. good restaurants, shopping etc). If you like mediocre you'll love it there.
Downsides to the area are its municipal water quality (awful) and lack of infrastructure (e.g. good restaurants, shopping etc). If you like mediocre you'll love it there.
Jul 30th, 2014, 04:54 AM
#40
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No one suggested the OP live in Wilmington. Someone made a perfectly demonstrable statement about the area within 30 miles of Wilmington. Much of the area is quite nice. One town is so wonderful that I won't even mention it on here for fear of invasion by yahoos. Great non-highway transportation north and south, good beaches, beautiful farmland, museums, the Brandywine Valley just over the border.
