I’m pondering a move, and I’m interested in what things people like and what factors y’all consider important.
Depends on what you like.
I’ve ended up in Hampton Roads, VA. Specifically on the Peninsula side, in Newport News.
I like the seasons - it’s hot in summer but not as hot as other places I’ve lived. We get snow basically every year, although not for long. The trees lose their leaves for longer than I like, but we actually have some spring and fall, not just summer and winter. Trees are nice. Being close to water is nice.
We don’t have the international food that NYC has, but how could we? But we do have a pretty good selection here.
Traffic isn’t bad even during rush hour compared to other places I’ve lived, although the bridge-tunnels back up, and there are a few pain points mainly southside, but none that are really bad.
It’s not as blue as I’d like, but it is solidly blue in the cities. We’re considered the southernmost tip of the Northeast Megalopolis. We do have Amtrak here.
I’d also take a gander at Richmond as it’s got a lot going for it as well.
Mountains are not too far to the west - they are accessible.
Thank you, that was a great breakdown. How’s the humidity?
Phoenix has UFOs…I lived there for a year and saw at least 5. Everyone who lives there will agree.
Detroit, east side of the river. (Yes, that’s canada)
I would only intentionally live somewhere with good mass transit. I don’t want to own a car. I don’t want to feel like owning a car is playing on hard mode.
That’s a big factor in why I’m in New York City. There’s good transit that runs 24/7.
There’s also places to go. Things to do. Saw like five bands play this summer. If a band is going on tour they’ll almost certainly play here. There’s beaches. There’s parks. You can take the train and hike up a mountain.
Some stuff is expensive but there’s deals. My favorite bar has $5 beers. My favorite grocer has $1 fruit. My friend lives in a house with a bunch of fellow queer weirdos and pays like $1k rent for their room.
I’m not really involved but there’s a lot of queer content here, too. My friend really found their people and filled a void they didn’t realize they had when they lived in suburban Midwest.
I don’t live in Chicago, but I work there a lot and have for many years. I love Chicago. People are friendly, it is an active city, it is an interesting blend of old and new. I haven’t run across the douchenozzle vibes that I endured when I worked in NYC and gross ass new jersey. Most people from Chicago have a lovely sense of self. They’re cool if you are. It isn’t perfect and winter is.pretty rough, but there is a lot to like.
I have only been one time, but I really liked Denver. Same friendly vibe as Chicago, mountains are stunning, city is fun, walkable, feels like a very active population.
VilniUS, because it’s not inside Usa.
I’ve been all over the country, but there’s no place I’d rather be than California. City, wise, tho? I’m partial to somewhere near Mariposa. Or Carmel by the Sea if I had hella money.
Probably New York because of Zohran
It’s funny because DC is also about to elect a DSA mayor and literally nobody knows about it or cares.
Great point
I love the Seattle area but I’m biased because I grew up there. Decent public transit including a light rail, great weather, nice-ish people, great culture. Wish I could go back.
(there is a LOT of crime and homelessness though…)
In reality the crime rate in Seattle is still far lower than it was in the 90’s (just like everywhere else in the USA)
It’s great if you’re cool with junkies yelling at you all the time. But then again, all the NIMBYs made sure to keep them corralled to the areas where only the poor people live. You know- the areas with the $2-3,000/month apartments.
But the weather is delightful!
You seem nice. Anyway, I lived in south King County and visited Seattle so rent/mortgage was actually not too bad.
I forgot that junkies are a protected class around here. But that’s only the case until they are in your back yard moaning all night. Then they’re an issue.
My junkie eldest brother spent many a night sleeping on my couch, I know how it goes.
My two junkie best friends of over 30+ years offed themselves via the needle.
I have zero sympathy for them. This is a chosen path. No ignorance to claim, no fault but their own. I know people have some weird soft-spot for them, but I can tell you from witnessing it myself- they won’t ever even try to help themselves as long they are coddled by everyone.
Have you ever tried not to have a mental illness? It’s kind of the same deal. Addiction is an illness, not a failure of willpower. Resentment is understandable I guess, it truly is fatiguing to try and help someone who isn’t ready. But I really don’t think “it’s a chosen path”.
Junkies don’t become junkies for shits and giggles.
No, they do it because they’re fucking stupid.
Ok? Why are you acting like I’m sympathizing with them? Just because my brother is one doesn’t mean I don’t hate them.
Oh I’m not. I’m just expanding on my reasoning.
But…Italy has very cheap healthcare.
New York fucking city. There’s no goddamn place like it.
I’ve lived here most of my life, and I would never live anywhere else.
New York is life New York is love
The crowds kind of overwhelmed me last time I was there, but there’s certainly a lot to like in terms of resources, culture, etc. No way would I be able to afford it, though.
Kinda controversial opinion, but I found living in NYC to be cheaper than living in most of America, because you don’t need a car… no car payment, no gas, no insurance goes a long way.
There is lots of ways to live cheap in the city, especially if you don’t live in Manhattan, which most people in NYC don’t
I get the feeling that when most people talk about sky-high housing costs in NYC, they’re not particularly talking about Manhattan, but what do I know.
You can get studio apartments in the Bronx for cheaper than most cities in the USA. People don’t believe me, but NYC is way cheaper than Seattle or SF in terms of housing & groceries
It’s true that rent is often more expensive in NYC compared to other cities, but lots of other stuff is a lot cheaper, especially if you know where to look. Plus, you don’t have to own a car and pay for gas and insurance and stuff like that. So that’s a big cost savings right there.
I’m paying well under $1K for a single bedroom in a pretty nice area, in a major Midwestern city. Public transport is literally at my doorstep. What might the equivalent cost be in a non-Manhattan NYC area?
Probably twice that, but you’d also be in New York City. Which means your job would probably pay a lot more. But maybe not.
If that major Midwestern city happens to be, say, Minneapolis or Chicago, I might consider staying put. Minneapolis is a pretty cool city. and so is Chicago, although, personally, I’d take NYC over Chicago.
But the value in living in NYC is the city itself. You’re very rarely at home, because you’re out and about enjoying the city, taking advantage of so much of what it has to offer, most of which is free or cheap. And there are so many people to enjoy it with! Another major benefit about NYC is the sense of community with the people who live there. Contrary to popular belief, New Yorkers are pretty nice people. ( for the most part)
Yeah I’m middle-aged and significantly disabled, so it was always just a theoretical. Not that I’m not jealous of everything NYC has to offer. This direct area could certainly use more interesting stores and a good pizza-by-the slice shop!
Thanks for the replies, and have a good 'un!
San Diego/La Jolla if cost is no issue. Perfect weather 24/7/365, beautiful beaches, no slow drivers, a proper walkable downtown area with an actual nightlife, legal weed; what more could one need?
If I could afford it, I would move there and never leave.
Edit: If money is an issue, then I’d pick somewhere in the woods near Boulder/Denver.
I live and have lived in the chicago metro my whole life. There are few places I could imagine moving to if I could go anywhere. Obviously im biased. One thing is I need good public transit. I never thought how good ours may or may not be till I went to a job interview in dc. I swear it was middle of the day and the trains ran like every 20 mins. In chicago they only run that unoften at like 2am. then like getting off and going on a buss you paid basically full fare. got a 25 cent discount or something. here you pay your fair and you can transfer twice outside the system (bus to diff bus or bus to train or train to bus. transfers train to train are always free and don’t use a formal transfer). I think maybe only new york might have a system that is adequate enough for me in the us outside of chicago. add to this great bike lane infrastructure and the divy bike program and the extended train network with metra and its central location to amtrack plus two major airports. then like the lakefront, parks, forest preserves often around the rivers. its not bad for nature spaces for such a big city. then like you can find food from anywhere between the city and the suburbs. also four seasons which can be a plus or minus but is a plus for me. when you have nice weather in chicago you effing appreciate the heck out of it.
You are right that Chicago’s system doesn’t get enough love, but you’ve always got a free train to bus transfer on the DC system. I remember when you actually got a little slip of paper from the train station to give to the bus driver. These days trains are 3-10m headways during peak times, at least down town, but that definitely hasn’t always been the case.
I swear it was like a 25 cent discount train to bus. this was just after 2010 I think.
It’s $2.25 today which is the full fare of a metrobus ride. I am like 90% sure the credit has always been full fare but it’s possible at some point it might not have been.
yeah its possible I was reading the machines wrong. I got off at reagan and was like. wtf. then after waiting 20 mins for a train and waiting another 20 when I transfered to the line going to the univeristy I was again like. wtf.
A 20 minute wait at DCA would make me pretty upset as well. Early 2010s was the “trains keep catching on fire” era, which meant they would single-track for weeks after the incident to make repairs. These days the trains don’t catch on fire nearly as often.
yeah it was funny because I had heard good things about the system and was massively disapointed. I mean I like the cleanliness. I mean I only experienced it once but left a rather sour taste in my mouth. I had actually hoped to take the opportunity to get out to the mall for an hour but had to put a kybosh on that. I don’t travel a lot so missing the opportunity to see a place I go to kinda stunk.
Lived in and around Chicago most of my life, and this is also my answer.
Having a winter hobby to look forward to takes the edge of the cold weather for me.
You mentioned the lake, but another benefit often overlooked is access to one of the largest bodies of fresh water on the planet.
yeah to go further the water reclamation district and not just water source but like the deep tunnel. There were so many articles suggesting it was a boon dogle as it got expanded and expanded but even though they plan for abundanza by the time they have it. It turns out to be just enough. Its looking pretty genius now with the crazy storms we have nowadays. I was talking to people this year how when growing up most rain was from rainy days rather than always seeming to be a storm. ironically this last summer we actually had closer to the rainy days I remember as a kid. much like last winter that everyone said was so bad just reminded me a typical one before the 90’s.
I used https://www.movemap.io/explore/us after moving cross country, and after narrowing all of the criteria I cared about I ended up with only two counties left, one of which I had moved to! All of the confirmation bias in the world in that anecdote, but I stand by it being a good tool.
Thanks!
Are we considering cost of living? If not, probably the cities in close vicinity to San Francisco for the weather, and the areas in and around New York for the public transportation. Being not quite in the thick of it gives you more room to breathe but they are easily reachable. DC is pretty good too if you can actually live inside it.
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I’m definitely considering COL.
