Need suggestions on some of the best places to live in this country

[Holly_Hobby]

We're retired and want to move, even though we're born and raised here in NW Ohio, there's nothing here for us, we don't have children. Our property values are up and we've put quite a bit into our house, so we think it will sell.

We'd like affordable housing and access to good medical care. Nothing too hot like FL or AZ, nothing too red.

Any suggestions? We're going to do this within 2 years. TIA

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

1. city, suburb, rural, hot, snow...???

[Holly_Hobby]

2. Not rural for sure, not hot n/t

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

3. check out Portland

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

5. Oooops, Chicago is cheaper

Here's a tool to compare cost of living, housing, etc...

http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/

[Holly_Hobby]

6. We love Chicago, thanks n/t

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

8. liberal friendly counties

http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/09/americas-top-20-most-liberal-friendly-counties/

[Holly_Hobby]

23. Oh, thanks for that! n/t

[okaawhatever]

25. OMFG!! I knew it, I knew it. I live in the MOST CONSERVATIVE county in the county. I looked up

the most liberal, because I'm looking at moving in the next year or two...and then I clicked on the list of most conservative. There you have it folks. We're number one, we're number one. Aaarrrrgghhhhh. BTW It's Williamson County, TN

[Munificence]

78. Hello Neighbor!

[okaawhatever]

81. You too? I'm in Franklin. nt

[Munificence]

85. Brentwood here.

[Sissyk]

88. Franklin here!

Hi neighbor! Yep, reddest in the state!!!

[okaawhatever]

89. Good to know I'm not alone. nt

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

31. Those counties may be liberal friendly, but Cook (Chicago) only #27

You'd be hard pressed to find any county more liberal than Cook.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

20. the truth is, liberals tend to pay a premium for their lifestyle

I'm from San Mateo county, one of the most liberal and expensive counties in the entire country. I wouldn't be able to survive in Northern California on my income. But In Chicago, I live between Wrigley Field and Lake Michigan. People in the Midwest think Chicago is expensive. It's all about perspective. To me, it's incredibly affordable.

[Holly_Hobby]

24. My husband has seriously been looking at Amsterdam

because the cost of living is actually cheaper than where we are now. I'm not so keen on leaving the country. He wants out of here, but said he would stay if we could find something reasonable, and not too hot with good health care.

Personally, I'd love Chicago, snow, wind and ice don't bother us one bit. We've always had such a blast when we've been there.

But look at the cost of living in Amsterdam, he's got a point:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=Netherlands&city=Amsterdam

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

42. I wouldn't talk you out of Europe!

I also like Canada very much. It's a sane culture. Their economy is built around stability not greed. They look at America and shake their heads. I shake my head, too!

[Holly_Hobby]

47. He really wants to jump ship

Me, not so much, but I would go if it would be affordable. I've never been anywhere like that and Amsterdam is cheap compared to what we pay here to live in a city of 650,000.

I wonder how long they let you stay, if we could stay there permanently.

I would enjoy Canada, I never hear complaints about Canada, except for Mayor Ford

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

50. Exactly! 3 months of bad Canadian PR...

EVER!

[pangaia]

48. Amsterdam could be a fantastic place to live.

Don't know the cost of living.

Ithaca NY.. I spent many years there. Nothing more liberal,, small city with 1 of everything.. beautiful area, good medical care. Cornell Univ, Ithaca College, eco-friendly to the teeth...

[Holly_Hobby]

51. Amsterdam cost of living is comparable

to where we are now. I couldn't believe it. Average monthly income after taxes is $3k. We do quite a bit better than that in income, so we could live like Kings LOL

Will def. look at Ithaca. I've been through the Adirondacks, most gorgeous place to drive through in the fall, wow. I love the state for sure.

[yeoman6987]

57. Another plus about Arnold, Maryland

The hospitals are top notch. You have Johns-Hopkins very close, The Arundel Medical Center, The Annapolis Medical Center and so much more! Yeah you are moving here, I just know it.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

90. There's a huge problem with moving to Europe:

You have to get permission to live there, and most Western European countries won't let you stay more than 3 months at a time unless you have a job offer, a close relative, or an independent income.

Unfortunately, it is NOT like moving to another American state. If it were, I'd be gone.

[GeorgeGist]

79. Property taxes are outrageous!

[Coyotl]

11. or Florence, Astoria, Oregon

if you like ocean shore living. Bend, Oregon if you like snow in winter. The Valley is polluted. Lots of nice places in the PNW, Puget Sound to N. California coast, with some liberal hotspots like Eugene, Portland, Seattle for culture.

[Holly_Hobby]

26. I have a friend in Seattle, she doesn't like it

and will be moving to Portland.

[cali]

27. Burlington, Vermont is a lovely small city

but it's expensive

[cilla4progress]

54. I graduate from college there in

1977! LOVED it! So liberal...

[yeoman6987]

55. Arnold Maryland

I live in Arnold Maryland and it is wonderful!!!! It is a suburb of Annapolis. So you get the water, mountains are fairly close, Baltimore, Washington DC within 30 miles, The Naval Academy which is beautiful, and so much more!!!! Move on down…we need and welcome you.

[JI7]

4. colorado or virginia ?

i don't know about the housing costs there.

i was going to say california but housing can be expensive . but not sure exactly how much you are looking to spend and what type of place. it might be worth looking though.

[Holly_Hobby]

7. Colorado is gorgeous...thanks n/t

[Coyotl]

15. Southwest area around Cortez has great appeal, Telluride too.

Great access to red rock country, public lands from there.

[Holly_Hobby]

30. Now that sounds like something we'd enjoy

We're tired of the city, but don't want to be too far out. Definitely worth looking at.

[RebelOne]

86. I spent a week in Colorado,

and if I could afford to move, it would be there. I loved the Rocky Mountains.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. I think Virginia is one of the most beautiful states in the US. Tad

warmer than further up... Would say around DC - but pricey.

We went to Richmond not too long ago. Thought it was great. History, ocean, mountains, vineyards,
DC close.

Not too far from NYC.

There are so many beautiful little towns, where life is simpler.

BLUE

[Auntie Bush]

9. I/we almost moved to XXXXX back in the 90's. Good thing we didn't because as it

turned out there was a church on every corner and you're required to be a church going member if you want to remain in good standing with your neighbors.
It also turned out to be a really, really red area.

The best thing I ever did was take my daughter on a mini vacation and go check out the area and talk to a lot of people. If your not careful...you can make a huge mistake. Good luck where ever you go...keep us informed as to where you go and then let us know how you like it.

[Holly_Hobby]

10. Yeah, no crazy church people :) n/t

[RKP5637]

46. Yep, I've been watching America descend into tribal areas where one has to think, look

and talk just like their neighbor, and what religion seems to be the number one question. F that for me, I have no use for religion, I see it as the great divider of mankind.

When my friends ask where to live today, I tell them they have to keep a clear head, that America has changed drastically over the years. Counties, cities, towns, areas are often very tribal today. I still think, eventually, the US will regionalize. Already it has, thinking of the east coast, west coast, etc. And some states have gotten really bizarre.

As you say, people have to be extremely careful where they move. I only made that mistake once in my life and I've regretted it many many times. FInally, we escaped.

[Warpy]

12. I like sunny, blue NM

but it's not for everybody. A lot of people can't take the altitude in the northern cities and towns and the altitude is what protects us from blistering summers. The average high in the summer is about 90, plus or minus 4, and the fact that it's a dry heat really does help. In a pinch, you can get by with fans instead of AC.

Best of all, an arid climate means no mosquitoes or black flies. It is an amazing pleasure to be able to sit outside at night and watch a sunset unobstructed by screens or sitting in the yard and reeking of DEET.

Winters here are described as harsh and it does get cold and it does snow but snow is usually gone from pavement by noon, the bulk of it staying up on the mountains.

We missed the housing bubble here because builders were slapping them up just as fast as the speculators, mostly from California, could buy them. Housing prices aren't as low as real poverty pockets in Oklahoma or way upstate NY, but they are in the moderate range in the cities where the hospitals are.

The climate suited me fine when I moved out here from Boston. It is an extremely poor state, so it's a little low in boutiques and bistros. Since I could never afford those anyway, it has been a small sacrifice.

[Holly_Hobby]

16. Sounds like what we're looking for,

but not sure about altitude - we're 33' above sea level where we're at. 90 is def. too hot for me, would need a/c at least part of the time. NM is beautiful. Thanks

[Warpy]

21. We have evaporative coolers here and they do a goot job unless it's stormy and humid

and we generally don't need them then, anyway. The AC bill is about $15.00/month for one of them.

I'm about 6000 feet above sea level, meaning I had to learn how to bake all over again.

Oh, and you might be forewarned, they put chile peppers into everything here. High altitudes blunt the flavor of a lot of foods, it's why airline food is good when they taste it on the ground but bland in a cabin pressurized to 8000 feet, and once you get used to the idea, you start to appreciate the chile a lot.

[Holly_Hobby]

32. Ha! I put chile peppers in almost everything too!

I love hot spicy food.

$15/month for a/c is incredibly cheap.

[Warpy]

38. Then you'll do well around here

I love the local cuisine but don't eat much of it because it's too high in fat.

I do my own incendiary cooking.

[Texasgal]

53. I absolutely LOVE NM !

If I had the opportunity I'd move there in a second!

[LuvNewcastle]

59. I'm looking for a place to go as well and I like NM.

It's been a long time since I've been there, but I liked everything about it I can remember. I'm definitely going to keep it in mind when I get my money saved.

[otohara]

13. Denver ... liberal

No open carry..marijuana if you like...beautiful city.

[Holly_Hobby]

18. We have friends that left here for Denver,

they love it. Time for a visit. Thanks

[RKP5637]

49. I lived in Denver, I liked it. Also Boulder, CO is quite nice and liberal. n/t

[Snotcicles]

52. Santa Fe, New Mexico.

You could visit your friends in Denver often.

[Logical]

94. Cold a lot? Snow a lot? I live in KC now. nt

[okaawhatever]

17. Maybe the mountains of North Carolina? Asheville is the major city, but there are many

retirement communities in the surrounding towns towns. Asheville is a very blue area in a currently red state. In addition to the local medical area if there is a significant problem there's always Duke Medical Center and UNC-Chapel Hill Medical Center, both world class facilities.
There are many senior planned communities but also regular homes and neighborhoods. There's also the coastal area of NC or VA.

[Holly_Hobby]

22. We def. don't want to go south

because of the hot weather.

[wocaonimabi]

19. New England or the West Coast

[elleng]

28. Maryland!

We have wonderful sunsets



and beaches!



and mountains!

[Holly_Hobby]

33. Palm trees in MD? :) n/t

[elleng]

35. Interesting that my landlord planted some,

and they're doing well! Its 'southern' Maryland, about 60 miles south of DC. There are not MANY palm trees, and not sure where the beach pic was taken. those are not on my property. Mine is the sunset pic, mostly deciduous trees.

[Holly_Hobby]

37. I had no idea it was that temperate there

How is housing?

[elleng]

39. Absolutely temperate.

Housing is good, and varied, all sorts and prices.

Temperature: https://www.google.com/search?q=maryland+housing+prices+graph&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=BgkAU6WALoO4yQHktoHICQ&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=1112&bih=544#q=maryland+temperature+averages&tbm=isch

[Tommy_Carcetti]

74. Growing up in Maryland my dad actually planted palm trees in our yard and at his workplace.

He was a Floridaphile, and thought that since he couldn't move to Florida yet (he's since retired and moved down there, as have I), he'd bring a bit of Florida to us.

They were Japanese needle palms, which are more cold hardy than those found in Florida and throughout the South.

The one at his workplace is still standing as far as I know, and is over 20 feet tall.

[CK_John]

29. Check out Vancouver BC (it will be part of US in a couple of yrs).

City home page
https://vancouver.ca/

[Holly_Hobby]

36. Wow...nice

We've just got to get out of the Midwest, there is nothing to do here that we haven't done a million times. We want drastic change.

[indie9197]

73. Who is going to break the news to them? nt

[Pretzel_Warrior]

34. San Diego, Portland, or Denver depending on weather

And housing prices you are looking for.

[Holly_Hobby]

43. I think we're going to rent and not buy

We're to the point of not wanting to do maintenance - bad back, bad knees, just too much trouble.

We don't want to be tied down to a house like we are now. We have no reason to stay, it's time for adventure. We're going to plan a trip next summer and check out a short list.

[fizzgig]

58. colorado is beautiful

and we're getting more liberal each year. but the climate and the altitude might take a bit to adjust to. mile above sea level with little to no humidity most of the time, we'll break 90s for a few weeks in the summer, rarely get over 100 and winters can be a crap shoot. but i love the mountains and i love our sunshine.

[El Supremo]

64. The summers have been too hot lately.

My grass is ruined. I may try to xeriscape.

And the cold winters have ruined me.

I'm planning on retiring to San Diego where there is oxygen, humidity and constant temperatures.

[fizzgig]

72. summer before last was like hell on earth

that is for sure. i certainly don't remember the summers being so miserable when i was a kid. this winter has seemed rougher and i'm ready for it to be over.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

44. San Diego = very conservative military city

[Hissyspit]

40. France?

Or barring that, Canada?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

91. It's not easy to move to either one, unfortunately

unless you meet very specific requirements.

[Hissyspit]

95. I know.

Believe me, I've looked into.

[Coyotl]

41. Tool suggestion: Use Google Earth Panoramio and Google Maps Street View.

Panoramio is almost better than being there in some places because of the multitude of great photos.

http://www.panoramio.com/

[Bennyboy]

45. Nevada County CA...... Great community radio station

that ties the entire community together. KVMR.org, listen in) Housing not so bad (it is CA however) and you can get real lost real fast round here. Great rivers, recreation, big cities are not far and a LOT of good things happen here. A lot of music and art, fetivals etc. Small town b ut close enough to the big city......

[Tikki]

62. I would agree with one of the smaller NorCal counties...

Check out the Huell Howser archives http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/ near bottom of page.

He visited many smaller communities but near enough to a big city medical center.
Closer to the Ocean property really holds or exceeds it's value quickly.

It would be wise to visit where you might be interested during every Season to get a feel of the area.

Good Luck

The Tikkis

[OutNow]

56. One more vote for Oregon

I moved to Eugene, Oregon when I retired 7 years ago. All my neighbors but one are liberals. You will be welcomed. Our congress member is Peter Defazio, one of the best I've ever seen. Our mayor is a former Peace Corps volunteer and she is awesome.

Not a lot of good jobs around and it's difficult to raise a family, but if you're retired and don't need to work it's super.

There are good medical facilities. I have a rare medical condition and have found a very good group of specialists in Eugene. I did have to go to Portland for one medical consultation, other than that all my medical care is in Eugene.

There is an excellent performing arts center, lots of interesting restaurants, etc. etc.

Note: we take our yearly vacation in the winter to get a break from the clouds and rain. We don't take vacation in the summer because that's when our friends and relatives come visit us for their vacation.

[aikoaiko]

60. Asheville, NC; Flagstaff, AZ, Portsmouth, NH, anyplace in VT

Of course, my lotto fantasy is to retire to small house in downtown Telluride, CO.

[LeftyMom]

61. California's full.

Unless you bring your own water.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

80. Too bad! I'm planning to move there next year.

[Drew Richards]

63. Look into frederick md...close to metro area and amtrak and shops and museums but still

Suburban enough to live in the city or a typical farm you would find in NW Ohio.

If you want cheaper taxes an a few mins further from city Harpers Ferry is beautiful.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

65. I've been at DU for nearly 10 years and can't remember getting +60 replies

[Laura PourMeADrink]

68. you have to ask a question or ask for advice. everyone wants to

give their two cents. hahah

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

70. hahhaha

Yeah, I'm not so good at asking questions

[Laura PourMeADrink]

75. So you should post "Why are some people not good at asking questions?" nt

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

77. you know as well as I...

know-it-alls don't ask questions!

[GP6971]

66. South Puget Sound

south of Tacoma......temperate, mountains and ocean only 2 hours away. As long as you don't mind rain though! Not too far south though of Olympia though.....Olympia, the capital, is the bastion of liberalism........further south, not much so.

[ohheckyeah]

67. Roanoke, VA

http://www.roanoke.org/2013-a-good-year-for-roanoke-region

We have plenty of conservatives, but the area is gradually turning blue as more northerners find it a great place to retire. Housing is reasonable, taxes reasonable, beautiful mountains, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The temperature is pretty moderate most of the time.

[mnhtnbb]

69. I would suggest that wherever you go, choose a college town.

We're in Chapel Hill (NC)and I love it. A couple of other folks mentioned Asheville,
which, in the mountains, isn't as hot and humid in the summer as the piedmont area.

The benefits of a college town--especially if it's a major university--are
really terrific. If you like theater, you can often volunteer usher (which I do)
and get to see plays, concerts, dance performances for free. Attending
college games can be inexpensive (not a major sport like football or basketball)
but you can go to soccer or baseball games quite inexpensively. There are all kinds
of classes to take. Plus, you will more likely an encounter a progressive community
in a college town. (Chapel Hill/Carrboro, Asheville, and Durham are the most
left leaning towns in NC.)

Good luck with your search!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

92. Yes, college towns are great

I loved living in Corvallis, Oregon. Too bad I hated teaching at Oregon State, which at that time was so bureaucratic and penny pinching that it was stupid.

[dawg]

71. I will give another recommendation for Asheville, NC.

I know you said you don't want to go South due to the heat, but Asheville is cool compared to where I live. The city is liberal, small enough to be comfy, but large enough to have things to do.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

76. Alexandria, Virginia.

It's pricey, but it's awesome.



?w=300&h=200

[PasadenaTrudy]

82. I think about this too...

I've been in Los Angeles Co. my entire 50 years. It is too crowded, too hot, and now too dry. My top picks are Santa Fe, NM (in a drought too, not good) and Eugene or Portland, OR. We need a liberal, hippie, artsy, quiet low-key environment. Don't know if we will ever be able to move, my boyfriend basically will be working until he drops. He's an art professor/teacher, two p/t jobs so no retirement package. L.A. is the best place for this right now. Luckily, I'm 1/2 owner of a commercial/res. property here, recently valued between $1.6-2.1 million. Property values are still going up here, so this may be our only way out if we live long enough

[ileus]

83. Boone, NC

[alarimer]

84. Nothing too red? California

Austin, San Antonio, Houston (very blue compared with the rest of Texas) all fail the heat test. Asheville, NC is decent, so I've heard, but probably pricey. Coastal, NC sucks, though. Most of the coastal south is eaten up by right-wing morons.

Again, though, most of the blue cities have incredibly high costs of living. The Raleigh area may be blue-ish, cheapish and not too hot.

[locks]

87. You really need two homes

like the snowbirds. Colorado is perfect in the summer and fall, southern CA in the winter. But both too expensive. What about Mexico or Costa Rica, oceans and mountains?

[mnhtnbb]

96. We thought we were going to have two homes--one in NC

(probably Chapel Hill where we are now) and one in Panama.
We had started building a house in Panama--in a development--which ran
into financial and legal problems and then our house here in Chapel Hill
burned down. Talk about multiple disasters!

We finally--after four years--gave up on Panama and decided we'd rebuild
here. The money that would have gone to building the Panama house we
put toward rebuilding here.

I have friends who have a small condo in their hometown (St. Joseph, MO) and
a small condo on Bonaire. They spend late October to mid-April on Bonaire and the rest of the time
in St. Joe. We actually visited Bonaire when the Panama deal
looked like it would never happen--but decided against it when a burglar
came into our rental unit the first night we were there and stole my money
and cell phone! Turned out they have a big problem with robbery on the island
(our friends are in a gated development). So, if you consider out of the country
be sure to investigate security and crime issues where you'll be.

BTW, the Panama project eventually got back on track, we got our money out,
and is turning out to be a really nice project in the Bocas area (Caribbean side)
of Panama. Advantage? Tropical location and almost zero chance of hurricanes.

[Armstead]

93. If you don't mibd crappy weather 2/3 of the year, western Mass is great

Good mix of rural life with cultural stuff, very blue, beautiful scenery.

Late spring through early fall is great. But winter and the Shoulder seasons are way too long for my tastes.

But if you don't mind winter, a great area