Best Places to Live

[Tarkus]

I recently began thinking about getting out of the big city (LA) and moving to a place in which I could raise my kids in a safe, warm, and friendly environment where the cost of living did not go through the ceiling (where you could buy a very nice 2,500 square foot house for around $300K). Does anyone know of any places that might meet those criteria? Thanks for any inputs.

Tarkus

[Craptacular]

Madison, WI

edit: If you want, I can give you lots of info and show you the MLS website for the area. Housing is more expensive around Madison than most of the rest of the state, but you can get a 2500 sq ft house for 300K.

[Fritz]

Tarkus, there are some good list on the web. No links handy but a google of "Best places to live" should give you good results.

One city that always rates well is Knoxville. Good cost of living, good economy, etc...

I have my eye on Wilmington NC as a place to live for the reasons you list.

[Craptacular]

And Tarkus, it's fun to be a conservative in this bastion of liberals.

[Ksyrup]

Tallahassee is warm, safe, and very friendly, especially when considering South Florida standards. And you can get a 4 bedroom/3 bath, 2500+ sq. ft. house for under $300K.

Edit: by South Florida standards, I don't mean Tally is in SF, but the difference between North Florida and South Florida is like night and day.

[AgPete]

Texas

low cost of living
tough on crime
low taxes, no state income tax
little cold weather
cheap and prestigious state universities
big cities or small towns
mountains, beaches, plains, you name it, Texas has it all
always growing
conservative, strict alcohol and gambling laws, good for the kids
high-tech industry
if you're a Republican, Texas is the place to be
great road system
beautiful women
one of few states you can actually vaction inside of the state and see new things
best steak houses of the 50 states and great BBQ
Tex-Mex culture and food
friendly and relaxed Texans, especially in more rural areas
Texan pride, hard for the smaller states to understand that one
and most important....the Dallas Cowboys

[Anrhydeddu]

A 2500 sq ft house for $300k seems high except for more upscale neighborhoods in most parts of the country. Fwiw, my wife and I are starting to make plans to move out of the city and into a small NH village (in about 4-5 years). Going out of LA, most places would seem small but a lot of folks are going to real rural areas (like Idaho, Wyoming, rural Arizona as well as NH), esp. with the advent of internet and better transportation.

[Fritz]

there are gazillion towns along the coast of NE that would give good access to work and fantastic place to raise a kid. Too bad they are communists up there.

[Anrhydeddu]

Except for NH, Fritz. There it's anti-Vermont and "Live Free or Die".

[albionmoonlight]

Chapel Hill, NC. Close to Raleigh and Durham and the Research Triangle--so more jobs are there than in the typical college town. It has a great cheap public university in state. The public schools are really good (almost too good. I know a guy who pulled his kids out because the pressure was too high.) It is beautiful and temperate. The BBQ is great. You can also get a farm house if you are willing to live 15+ minutes out of town.

And--if you are willing to live in a dangerous, warm, and friendly environment, then New Orleans is pretty good, too.

[Ksyrup]

Oh yeah, and in Florida - no income tax!

[Radii]

I would second Chapel Hill. The north suburbs of Raleigh also are very nice, the area is still expanding like crazy. UNC/Duke/NC State 20 minutes apart, there are tons of museums and stuff in the general area, the "night life" isn't the greatest IMO but I'm not sure how that factors into your decision. The RTP area is changing quickly though so I don't know what it's going to be like 5 years from now... I grew up in a little town called Wake Forest about a half hour north of raleigh(15 minutes or so from Durham). Growing up it was a nice little rural town with one shopping center and 2 stoplights, but not too far from Raleigh and the malls and stuff to be too out of the way. Now, it's a @#$$# Suburb. There's traffic, and there are like 5 shopping centers on the outskirts of town it seems... that whole area is booming, I still love it there though when I go back home

[Anrhydeddu]

That was what I consulted with Swaggs. Since I also lived in Chapel Hill (back in the 1980s), he asked about the RTP area and I basically told him the same thing as Radii. He will likely get a job around Raleigh so while anywhere in the area would be a fairly easy commute, it's a little less pricier in the newer subdivisions of Raleigh, as oppose to the older/trendier areas of Chapel Hill and Durham.

[tucker342]

Iowa City, Iowa. For $300,000, you could find a damn good house. Plus it has two of the top high schools in the nation.

[SunDancer]

What is it like to live in Houston?

[Franklinnoble]

Phoenix, AZ

It's like L.A., except without the gangs.

Better schools, better government, lower cost of living, solid job market, good freeways.

[ColtCrazy]

Madison, Indiana. Small town wedged in the middle of the Indianapolis, Louisville, and Cincinnati triangle. historic, extremely low crime, and decent schools. For 300K, you could probably get one of the historic houses in the old town.

Southern Indiana has a very low cost of living, low crime rate, but the economy here isn't the best, unless you are relatively close to one of the 3 cities above.

I like it because it is a good place to raise a family, work, and live.

Outside of here, I'd have to say Tennessee. At least away from Memphis and Nashville.

[ice4277]

Best place to live = not Detroit

[Schmidty]

Even though it's not warm here year-round, there's no where I'd rather live than West Michigan. It's a safe, family-friendly, growing area with lots to do, especially if you enjoy outdoor activities. The cost of living is pretty low as well.

Although I'm biased, I love it here.

[John Galt]

Originally posted by tucker342
Iowa City, Iowa. For $300,000, you could find a damn good house. Plus it has two of the top high schools in the nation.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Iowa City is one of the most wonderful places on Earth and the cost of living is dirt cheap. The major drawback is the horrible winters. Some also may be put off by the extreme leftist local politics, but they really don't hurt anyone. The people are the nicest in the world, the schools are great, the university is good, the ped mall is wonderful, and almost everything is within walking distance. Someday, I will retire in Iowa City.

[The Afoci]

Originally posted by John Galt
I agree with this wholeheartedly. Iowa City is one of the most wonderful places on Earth and the cost of living is dirt cheap. The major drawback is the horrible winters.

The horrible winters. HA. Try Fargo ND baby. We go weeks at a time below 0. Cost of living low. Housing cheap. Three colleges, lots of chicks and bars. Life is good. Except it is Fargo ND.

[ice4277]

Originally posted by Schmidty
Even though it's not warm here year-round, there's no where I'd rather live than West Michigan. It's a safe, family-friendly, growing area with lots to do, especially if you enjoy outdoor activities. The cost of living is pretty low as well.

Although I'm biased, I love it here.

I have never lived in Grand Rapids but I can confirm that the west side of Michigan is indeed very nice; I enjoy visiting K-Zoo and G.R. whenever I can. Too much snow in the winter though.

[SunDancer]

What's it like to live in Tennessee?

[ice4277]

Originally posted by SunDancer
What's it like to live in Tennessee?

"Deliverance"














I'M ONLY JOKING PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Qwikshot]

All of that is great and all, but I work for a drug company, I need to go somewhere that has a high pharmaceutical job area...anyone anyone...I've even applied overseas...(Australia, god, there is paradise).

[Schmidty]

Originally posted by Qwikshot
All of that is great and all, but I work for a drug company, I need to go somewhere that has a high pharmaceutical job area...anyone anyone...I've even applied overseas...(Australia, god, there is paradise).

Kalamazoo is the U.S. headquarters for Phamacia-Upjohn, which is a huge drug company.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by SunDancer
What's it like to live in Tennessee?

depends on where. Tennessee is a big place. I am partial to East TN. Plenty of work, affordable housing, lowish crime, plenty to do.

The roads are hell in the Fall when the world turns orange, but other than that...

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by SunDancer
What is it like to live in Houston?

I liked Houston- but like any big city, it's all about where you live there. I grew up in an 1800 square foot home that is worth less than $100K and then my parents moved to a nice suburban home I can only imagine ran $200-250K (basically because the figured building equity in a home is better than most investments currently).

Originally posted by Tarkus a place in which I could raise my kids in a safe, warm, and friendly environment where the cost of living did not go through the ceiling (where you could buy a very nice 2,500 square foot house for around $300K)

Where in the heck can't you get a 2500 square foot home for $300K?!? Anyways, the one thing I will say for "safe, warm, friendly" (read: suburban environment) is that children raised in an environment like this end up spoiled, discipline-deprived, cliqueish, and racist. I know that's a blanket generality, which isn't fair. But, in general, these are the people who have everything handed to them.

I grew up in a neighborhood where the only reason the land values were low was because there were *gasp* minorties living there (a mentality I've never understood). I never found it any less safe or warm because my friends were black, hispanic, and asian along with white. But the people who grew up in the top half of our school district grew up resentful and acted like assholes towards most of the others based on skin color and social status (our district was essentially tree-shaped with the rich people at the top, us at the bottom, and a small corridor between the two). I've found this to be very true in college as well- people who had that rich, white neighborhood standard of living when growing up turn have a much higher chance of being jerks.

SI

[Arles]

I agree with Phoenix. I moved from the St. Louis, MO area to Arizona and it has been like night and day (literally). Instead of one nice month (October) and 11 crappy ones, you get 9 beautiful months and three hot ones.

Real Estate is at a good value (Just bought a 2000+ square foot house in one of the top school districts in the state for 190K). There are great bars/party scene in Tempe, but you can live out in East and have a nice, quiet neighborhood with little crime. For the value, job market, taxes, weather and total package, I'd be hardpressed to top Phoenix.

Arlie

[GrantDawg]

If your going to live in Tennessee, it has to be in Nashville. Nashville is one of the nicest cities I've ever seen. Employment is good and the land value isn't bad.

Another nice town down south is Huntsville. Birmingham isn't too bad either, and has a great music scene.

[Bee]

Originally posted by sterlingice

Where in the heck can't you get a 2500 square foot home for $300K?!?

You'd be hard pressed to find a new townhouse around here for 300k. The SF homes in my neighborhood are around 3000 sf and one sold a couple weeks ago for $950k.

[3ric]

Originally posted by Qwikshot
All of that is great and all, but I work for a drug company, I need to go somewhere that has a high pharmaceutical job area...anyone anyone...I've even applied overseas...(Australia, god, there is paradise).

I work in a pharmaceutical company, our US divisions are in Wilmington and Boston. PM me if you want a link to the job postings.

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by Bee
You'd be hard pressed to find a new townhouse around here for 300k. The SF homes in my neighborhood are around 3000 sf and one sold a couple weeks ago for $950k.

I suppose I should have clarified: Where can't you find that size home for under $300K that isn't in the interior of a major city or in California?

SI

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by Bee
You'd be hard pressed to find a new townhouse around here for 300k. The SF homes in my neighborhood are around 3000 sf and one sold a couple weeks ago for $950k.

Whoa, they've gotten that high in Fairfax? Frederick is downright cheap compared to that, though the water situation/building restrictions are helping our home values Not a bad place to be, if you don't mind wind. Not too far from DC (it keeps creeping closer), or Baltimore for that matter. Lots of open land nearby, at least for the time being. A more conservative area in an otherwise liberal state. A good amount of parks nearby. And we have our own minor league team (ok, as an Orioles affiliate the Keys stink, but they have a nice little stadium).

Now if I could only get DSL or a cable modem (damned Adelphia! )

[Qwikshot]

Originally posted by 3ric
I work in a pharmaceutical company, our US divisions are in Wilmington and Boston. PM me if you want a link to the job postings.

Wilmington, Deleware?

[3ric]

Yeah, that's the one.

[wbonnell]

I think Austin is high on most lists:

-affluent
-low cost of living (2500sq ft house ~200k)
-high tech workforce
-major university
-capital
-no state income tax
-low crime
-"small town" city
-blah, blah, blah

The biggest negative, however, is that it is also known as the "allergy capital of the US". I don't what it is about the ecology here, but apparently it's a petri dish for mold, pollens, and such...

[lynchjm24]

Originally posted by sterlingice
I suppose I should have clarified: Where can't you find that size home for under $300K that isn't in the interior of a major city or in California?

SI

Fairfield County.

I also spent a few years living in North Raleigh. A great place.

[lynchjm24]

Originally posted by sterlingice
I suppose I should have clarified: Where can't you find that size home for under $300K that isn't in the interior of a major city or in California?

SI

Fairfield County.

[Brillig]

Originally posted by AgPete
Texas

tough on crime

....the Dallas Cowboys

Ok, how come I'm the only one laughing at this...

[ahbrady]

Chattanooga is a great town. It's not too far from Nashville or Atlanta if you need some bigger entertainment, and Chattanooga is a beautiful city.

I also like NW Arkansas, up around Fayetteville. I love living in Little Rock too, but I know that won't be a popular choice. Most people think we're all dumb rednecks. There are plenty of those, but there are plenty of decent people too.

[Scholes]

Big up my hometown my territory my state....

I figured out there ain't much to brag about, well, Prince lives here and we got 10,000 lakes.

The women are beautiful, well, to me they are, and we're not infested with pretentious moviestars...

Then it hit me.... Minnesota is dope
If only simply, for not what we have but what we don't

I love New York and Cali, but I'm not movin'
Too overpopulated saturated with humans

And I'm not big on rappers, actors or models,
If I had to leave, I'd probably skip to Chicago

None of this is to diss noone, nowhere
Like damn, I'm from Minnesota land of the cold air

Too many mosquitoes and a fair share of egos
But like my man Sabi says, that's where my mommy stays...

So if the people laugh and giggle when you tell them where you live... say shhhhhhhhh.....

And if you know this is where you want to raise your kids say shhhhhhhh....

If you're from the midwest and it doesn't matter where say shhhhhhhh...

If you can drink tap water and breathe the air say shhhhhh......

Got trees and vegetation in the city I stay
The rent's in the mail, and I can always find a parking space

The women outnumber the men 2 to 1
Got parks and zoos, and things to do with your son

The nightlife ain't all that but that's okay
I don't need to be distracted by the devil everyday

(Repeat chorus)

-----Slug from Atmosphere Shhhhhh....

That pretty much sums it up for me

Big up Minneappleseed!

Ski U Mah!

Big up Minnesnowta!

[jander]

Originally posted by tucker342
Iowa City, Iowa. For $300,000, you could find a damn good house. Plus it has two of the top high schools in the nation.

Actually Iowa City/Coralville, IA is a great choice. I know recently in one of those magazine poll things Iowa City was in the top 10 for sure of cities it's size.

Also, just north of Iowa City is my place, Cedar Rapids, IA or the Quad Cities which are Davenport, IA....Bettendorf, IA....Moline, IL....and Rock Island, IL (although I think the crime is a bit higher...but of course nothing like LA).

I will also agree on Madison. If I ever moved back to Wisconsin I think it would be Madison (or Milwaukee..don't know why though).

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by Qwikshot
All of that is great and all, but I work for a drug company, I need to go somewhere that has a high pharmaceutical job area...anyone anyone...I've even applied overseas...(Australia, god, there is paradise).

By the way, where are you now?

This one is probably somewhere you've looked before, but the Research Triangle in the Raleigh-Durham area is a great for pharmaceutical research, and is a beautiful place.