Want to relocate out of Houston and maybe Texas. To NC or TN
 

Hello . I am 31 and work from home. I moved to Houston Four years ago from Huntsville,AL and I'm ready to leave. I was thinking about TN or North Carolina cities like Ashville,NC and Nashville,TN . I miss the hills and mountains of Alabama . In Houston I feel like the weather traffic trash pollution and flat geography are just not sutable for my lifestyle. We have beaches but the water in Galveston is brown and smells funny . I don't like homeless people following me in and out of stores and walking up to my car window at red lights . Austin is nice but it's not diverse enough and is so far away from everything . Any suggestions for places in TN and NC for outdoor enthusiasts that want to live in a diverse community .

Nashville is a great city but too far from the kind of outdoor activities you want.

Asheville is in the mountains but pricing itself out of reach. It also has a "cooler than thou" reputation that makes it off-putting.

I would look at the Boone, NC, area and at Greenville, SC. Boone has Appalachian State University and all sorts of outdoor activities like rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking. Greenville has a great downtown, a diverse music scene, and well-supported minor league baseball. You can see the mountains from the center of the city and get to them easily. It has a good economy as well and is +/- 3 hours from the beach.

The problem with both these places -- and Knoxville and Asheville -- if you have to visit clients is that they are all a pain to fly from.

Knoxville.

Athens, Georgia maybe?

What means "diverse community"?

I couldn't live in Houston and I'm a carpetbagger who moved to Texas from the Northeast. That city is a sprawling mess.

Then I'll throw Charlotte into it. Great town-2 hours to the mountains and 3+ to the beach. Young communities throughout. Nice enough hiking etc. opportunities nearby in the Uwharrie and the SC mountains.

Lived in Houston last year, now back in the Carolinas. Asheville: Tis expensive...you will still see homeless though I don't find them as agressive as when we were in Houston.

Diverse? What's your definition? I don't find Asheville all that diverse--unless you count the diversity of the tattoos. KIDDING. Someone likened Asheville to California in the 60's. No clue if true or not.

But Asheville is visually a spectacular place-- mountains and sunsets. Wow!

Have you been to either town? I would suggest visits before listening to strangers on the web! HA! And since you work from home, better check out internet providers!

Good luck!

"Cooler than thou?" I suppose is a lot better than being on some island where it is "richer than thou."