Best place to live?(In the U.S.)

[Fountain79]

Last year I had considered moving to Houston, Texas but ultimately decided to stay here in Missouri. Part of me still wonders if there is another that I should check out before I make Kansas City my permanent home. I am just curious where people live and what they think about it. If you had the opportunity to move where would you go? Again I am not moving out of the country just thinking of somewhere in the country.

p.s. I am a teacher.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I live in Anchorage, Alaska

and I love it here, even if it is a red state and all. But I have to qualify this by saying that I'm something of a hermit, and living among 600,000 people in a state 1/5 as large as the rest of the United States suits me just fine. I love that we can be out of town in 10 minutes into some of the most spectacular scenery on earth, that we have moose walking down our streets, and that such crazy, oddball people live here. You'd have a hard time prying me out of this place. Anchorage has 250,000 people so all the amenities are here.

If you're a teacher, here's a link to the Anchorage School District website.

http://www.asd.k12.ak.us/index.asp

[Fountain79]

4. Yeah...

I am not much of a hermit, very much a people person. I have no doubt Alaska is beautiful though.

[AKPacker]

7. Alaska does it for me also!

I can't think of a more beautiful place to live. The mountains are at my back and the ocean is at my front door. I can get in a boat and in 15 minutes be in places that you would swear that no human has ever been. Yes the politics are red, but your opinion is valued and welcomed in the community.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. That is so true...

It seems like we Alaskans are a real community -- a family, in a way. Despite all our differences, there is a certain spirit that seems to transcend it all. Have you lived in Alaska forever? I've been here 30+ years. When I go Outside, I can't wait to get back. I just love this place.

[AKPacker]

53. I moved up here about 10 years ago

and refuse to move south again. I have had to leave twice on business and couldn't wait to get back home. Ketchikan is a small town that has taken us in and made us feel a part of the community. We feel safe here...except for the occasional jet demolishing a trailer park.

The spirit of the people drives this place!

What brought you to Anchorage?

[Blue_In_AK]

65. My mom and dad moved up here in 1969...

after my dad retired from NASA. He had been to Fairbanks back in the '40s and always wanted to come back to the state, so when he got offered a job in Anchorage working for ITT, he jumped at the chance. I was 23 at the time and living in California, but I made a trip up in '72 to visit for a couple of months, came back in '73, and then finally made the move in '75. I've never had any desire at all to go back. In fact, for one stretch from 1980 to 2000, I never went Outside even once ... no reason to since my family was all here. My folks have both passed away now, but I'm so glad they introduced me to the Great Land. This is heaven.

[madinmaryland]

36. My sister and her husband moved

up there and absolutely love it. I was up there and it is absolutely incredible. They live about a half hour north of Anchorage.

[Blue_In_AK]

39. Palmer or Wasilla? n/t

[LSK]

2. id like a home in the FL Keys and Colorado Mountains

California coast would be nice too if they got rid of earthquakes.

But Im dreaming here.

[SiobhanClancy]

25. I went on vacation to the Keys...and stayed for 11 years

I was down from Boston,had just gone through a divorce,fell in love with the place and just said the hell with everything and moved down there. I'm not sorry...it's a place like no other. However,it's hard to live there unless you have a lot of money. Many people have 3 jobs just to get by. Also,there's a growing segment of the population(call them the Got-miners)who came down to the Keys and then went about trying to change the things that make the place unique. It's still an awesome place,though,and I miss it. I went back to Boston and am now in Maine(near my daughter). I'm a ten minute walk from the beach,and as long as I have the ocean nearby I'm happy.

[alittlelark]

70. We have a S. CO home in Pagosa Springs

We may sell it to move into a permaculture property. A bit more South. Just looking at the big picture.

[GOPisEvil]

3. Texas doesn't treat its teachers very well.

In fact public education here needs some serious overhauling. There are bright spots, of course, but the system as a whole is broken. If I were you, I'd look at where education is well-funded and teachers are treated relatively well. I'm sure the NEA or other teacher's group has some stats on that.

[Fountain79]

62. interesting...

I did notice the salaries were higher there in comparison to salaries here.

[Ravenseye]

5. Pittsburgh, PA

Seriously. I've lived all over this country, and my wife and I chose to move back here when we had the chance. Great friendly people, and a gorgeous city. Very forested, lots of green and trees and hills. The Wilderness is close with some great skiing, white water rafting, rock climbing and more. Close enough to the big east coast cities to visit. Four seasons. Lots of parks, and city activities. I could go on and on.

It's got a bad rap because of the past, but it's really a great place and I wouldn't live in any other city.

Now if you don't like the cold though I'd say Hawaii. Definately Hawaii.

[xmas74]

6. Not liking KC?

Gotta be better than Warrensburg!

[swag]

8. What are your criteria?

You like sports, arts, recreation, scenery, vibrant economy, good schools, sweet sweet poozle?

[SeattleGirl]

10. Seattle (duh -- check my name)

It is absolutely NOT true that it rains 365 days a year. It is gorgeous here, there are a lot of things to do, mountains and coast are not too far away. Lots of culture. I absolutely love it here!

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Seattle's not bad...

We call it Anchorage South. :evilgrin:

[SeattleGirl]

14. Pttttthhhh!

:spank: :spank: :spank: :evilgrin:




(I do admit, your state is absolutely stunning!)

[Blue_In_AK]

38. I'm just kidding you

(a little). We love Seattle and Washington State. You have some really gorgeous scenery down there.

[XemaSab]

11. California is too expensive

unless you want to live in the valley, which sort of defeats the purpose. :shrug:

[Momgonepostal]

32. I live in the valley and it's still expensive

especially if you're are trying to buy a house on a teacher's salary. The average priced home here is still in the mid to high $300K range.

[hickman1937]

12. The UP. I wish I could move there.

Maybe someday.

[Swamp Rat]

15. New Orleans

:)

[XemaSab]

16. Can I ask you an honest question?

What do you think of people from out of town coming to work there on the cleanup?

Is it cool, or do you feel irritated?

I'm considering applying for toxic waste jobs down there, but I don't want to go if the locals would be peeved.

Thanks.

[Swamp Rat]

17. Both

We need help, but most if not all the contractors are from Texas, who bring Mexican workers to do all the hard labor (paid less than the minimum wage for that type of work). I have been nearly killed a dozen times this month by drunk Texans who drive through stop signs and red lights regularly, and drive up to 50 mph in 20 mph neighborhood zones. Often you can literally see them holding cans of beer as they drive - I SEE TYPE OF BS THIS EVERY DAY! :mad:

If you want to come help, please do... even if you are Texan. My statement above is a generalization, and made within the context of my personal experience.

[XemaSab]

35. I'm not a Texan (or an illegal Mexican)

and I would plan on being sober. :D

[KamaAina]

40. A post from five or ten years in the future! Excellent!

Seriously! The once-notorious crime rate is down to gated-community levels, and people are finally beginning to think seriously about the issues like public education that for decades had been holding the city back. Couple this with a once-in-several-lifetimes opportunity to create a 21st-century infrastructure (did you know N.O. now has the nation's first public wireless network?), not to mention the cultural intangibles for which the city, described in another thread as "our first true cosmopolis", has always been known, and the Rat will yet be able to take the smiley off the above post!

At that point, however, I will be in need of a new DU name...

Here is a nice forum on which these issues are discussed from a progressive and sustainable perspective:

http://www.rebuildinglouisianacoalition.org

The link to the forum is down at the bottom of the page. Some of the articles on the left, notably the one on urbanism, are also well worth your while.

edit: The one caveat is that we must, we simply MUST, keep New Orleans out of the hands of the greedy Bush** cronies. The "Katrina fatigue" that seems to be sweeping across the rest of the nation plays right into their hands. "Every man that doeth evil hateth the light"...

re-edit: Restaurants and other small businesses there are crying for workers right now. This is a first for the city in many decades!

[Swamp Rat]

47. Thank you

I read and agree with Oliver A. Houck's article. :hi:

[Yollam]

18. West Coast from Monterey Northward...

...whichever town best suits you and your budget.

Monterey, SF, Eureka, Portland, Seattle, all have their charms.

Flagstaff AZ is kinda nice and inexpensive.

Houston is about the last place in the US I'd want to live, though Dallas is the absolute worst...

[av8rdave]

24. I've lived in the Dallas area temporarily for 18 years now...

Not where I ever thought I'd wind up much less stay so long, and plan on leaving in a couple of years. However, the people are the most important part of wherever you go, and this area has a lot of great people.

Would definitely take Dallas over Houston IMO.

[Kathryn STone]

48. follow up to post below

"I've lived in the Dallas area temporarily for 18 years now...

Not where I ever thought I'd wind up much less stay so long, and plan on leaving in a couple of years. However, the people are the most important part of wherever you go, and this area has a lot of great people.
Would definitely take Dallas over Houston IMO."

me, too I came here in 2000 from Phx AZ was like "ugh will never stay in the bible belt" but have found a Jewish (yes!) neighborhood it's Preston at Forest. Dallas has great art movies houses and some hip people but for the most part greatly it is Bush country. hang in there!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

59. I hate the unabashed Bushie wingnutism of this town, I live in Plano...

[Shine]

29. Hey, you didn't mention Santa Cruz!! heheh.

Hi Yollam! :hi:

[Momgonepostal]

33. Monterey and SF are probably unrealistic on a teacher's

salary unless she wants a bunch of room-mates forever. Lovely places to visit, though. I don't have any specific experience with POrtland or Seattle, but I imagine it's not much better.

[Yollam]

37. There more affordable places along the coast, but that's why I mentioned..

...Flagstaff. It's very cheap there. I am a bit biased, because I would not choose to live in a place with very hot summers, so hellholes like Phoenix are out of the question. LA is super-expensive and overgrown and unliveable.

BTW, I live in SF and I make a lot less than a teacher. A lot depends on your priorities. I live cheaply and have a 2 BR apartment with a tiny yard. If your idea of the "Good life" is based on having a 2000 Sq ft. house with a big yard, SF may be a bit out of reach for you. Personally, I have two kids, and I think this city is worth sacrificing the living space.

[huskerlaw]

41. LA is not unliveable

Millions of people live here happily every day. It is super-expensive, it is large. But unliveable? It wouldn't be large or super-expensive if that were true.

[Yollam]

42. It's very subjective - I should say unliveable for me.

I've spent plenty of time in Los Angeles. The smog, the rampant crime, the 24/7 traffic and automobile-centric lifestyle, the fact that half the people you meet seem like con artists of one kind or another, the obsession with silicon & botox, it all adds up to an environment that would be unliveable FOR ME. I realize that 1/3 of all Californians live in LA or it's endless suburbs. Those are the ones that blow my mind the most, the ones who spend 3 hours a day driving from a ticky-tacky stucco "house" in an exurb to LA to work. No amount of money is worth that kind of poor quality of life, to me.

[huskerlaw]

43. Wow...

I live in LA and I have to say I've never experienced most of what you listed above.

Rampant crime? I've never witnessed any. The crime rate is really low for a city of its size, and most of it is contained within areas everyone knows to avoid.

Con artists? I haven't met one yet. Sure, they exist...they exist everywhere.

Obsession with silicon & botox? Not really. At least not outside of Beverly Hills.

I agree that driving 3 hours a day is insane. But as you pointed out, those people don't really live in LA anyway. I work downtown, I live in the Valley. I take the subway. My door-to-door commute is 40 minutes.

The quality of life in LA is what you make it. Just like it is anywhere else.

[Yollam]

45. Not necessarily con artists of the boiler room type...

...just that a lot of people seem really phony. But I don't want to overgeneralize, since there are a few appearance-obsessed phonies here in San Francisco, too.



It seemed to like there were gang members and boom cars everywhere I went in the LA area , and it seemed the suburbs were worse than the inner city...

I realize that for the most part, gang members mind their own business if you mind yours, but it didn't feel as safe as other places I've been (I spent a lot of time there in the early 90's, so it may have changed some since...)

But anyway, the car-centered lifestyle is the clincher. I doubt most people living in the Valley can walk to dozens of stores & restaurants within minutes, but in most parts of SF, we can. There are beautiful parks and the air is almost always clean. It's far from perfect here, though, the city has a serious homeless problem, the roads are in bad shape, and it's getting nearly impossible for people who aren't rich to live here...

[alittlelark]

76. WOW - she has a LOT of paint going on....

But what gay bars can a few of my friends find HIM at - he's a cutie according to my friend - he's sending pics as we speak.

[Ally McLesbian]

56. Well, it's not just Los Angeles

3-hour commutes are common in the Bay Area too. And mass transit - don't even get me started on BART's sky-high fares.

Even San Francisco has its share of Republicans.

Crime is an issue up there too.

The only edge Bay Area has over Los Angeles would be that its immigrant population is less likely to be Republican.

[Zookeeper]

68. Not to dump on L.A., but....

I have in-laws there, so I've visited many times. There are a number of reasons I wouldn't want to live there, but the biggest is that I always feel like I'm in a completely artificial environment...like a movie set or something. It drives me nuts that people waste water growing lawns. I'm always thinking about the fact that it's actually a desert; that the only reason so many people can live there is because they are draining water from somewhere else. It always feels like the brink of disaster to me. (Don't even get me started on a place like Phoenix!)

I lived in S.F. and Sonoma County for ten years and loved it up there, but decided it was also becoming too crowded and expensive. I've found a good balance in Mpls./St. Paul, partially because I found a neighborhood 10 minutes from the downtowns, with lakes, woods and wetlands. If I had to leave my little oasis, I would probably head up to the northwoods and become a crotchety old hermit. ;-)

[Momgonepostal]

44. I guess...one of our priorites is home ownership

So for me, that makes SF not an option. We live in the valley but have less than 1000 sf and no yard for our family of 4. We bought our condo 4 years ago and could barely afford it then. We could not afford to buy it with today's prices.

I'm not one who thinks the only way to live is to have a big house with a three car garage but I would love a yard for a garden and space for the kids to play. From our perspective, that's not even affordable in Stanislaus county, so I shudder to think what we'd pay in SF.

You must have an awfully sweet deal on rent if you can afford a 2 bedroom place in SF on less than a teacher's salary. Is the landlord a relative or just very compassionate?

[Yollam]

50. We pay $1100/mo, yes our landlady is very nice.

It's still very hard to make ends meet, but our kids go to an awesome school, we're 4 blocks from Golden Gate Park - plenty off space there.

Have you thought about cashing out your equity in your condo and moving someplace less expensive? I have a feeling that this is the time to sell in CA, if you can. In a year's time, I think prices will have fallen considerably...

[Momgonepostal]

58. That sounds like a great deal

I'm not up on the latest on Bay Area rentals, but that sounds cheap for SF. It sounds like a great situation all the way around! We pay total payment, interest taxes, insurance and HOA dues a little over $800/mo.

Yes, I have thought about selling, quite a lot. This is something that my husband and I bicker about on a regular basis. If it were up to me we'd be gone by now. We know quite a few people who have done just that and love it. I'd miss CA, miss the proximity to SF and to the mountains and just all the great things there are to do here. My husband doesn't want to leave. We just can't seem to find a compromise. :shrug:

SF is a beautiful city. My daughter and I went to Alcatraz a few months ago for a school trip. We drove to Pleasanton BART, took it into the city, took the cable car to the pier and then the ferry over. It was a super clear day and jsut gorgeous. My daughter was enchanted and said she wants to live there someday. :-)

[DainBramaged]

19. Dick Cheney's bunker, no one would bother you

[Robeson]

20. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are U.S. Territories....

...the weather is beautiful, and would get you one step removed from the mainland. Something to consider.

[Fox Mulder]

21. I want to move to a large city.

Somewhere out of Minnesota. I've always had LA in mind for some reason...

My favorite place to live, as far as where I have actually lived, was up at the North Shore of Lake Superior near Duluth. I love it up there...especially in the fall.

[NewJeffCT]

22. I think CT & NJ have the highest pay for teachers

I would strongly prefer to stay in this area of the country, but would move for the right opportunity.

[Ohio Joe]

26. My mother teaches in Newark NJ

She had a real hard time getting tenured. Getting a job in a good area (where the pay is good) is wicked hard.

[NMMNG]

23. MD has been running an ad campaign lately

It claims they have the worst teacher pensions in the nation. I don't know if it's true but since you noted you were a teacher I thought I'd mention it to you.

[Burma Jones]

27. I live in Maryland and like it very much

I have lived in Houston and detest the Houston Metro Area, but I do like San Antonio and Austin.

I've lived in Western Illinois, near the Quad Cities, that was a good place to live.

You might want to take a good look at New Jersey. While the state is the butt of a lot of jokes, it is progressive and has a lot of very nice places to live...

[azmouse]

28. I love AZ but don't move here if you are a teacher.

Our teachers are horribly underpaid with a starting salary that I think is around $30,000. Our home prices have risen to an average of $280,000. The weather is great, if you like heat and no snow, lots of sunshine and beautiful scenery.

[Flaxbee]

34. my brother in law and sister left Flagstaff for that very reason...

and ended up in Boise, Idaho. Idaho has a LOT of republicans, but it is actually a neat little place. Dry, desert-like climate in the spring and summer (which I love) and some snow in the winter.

I don't think it would be my first choice, but I certainly wouldn't mind being there. And my brother in law's pay rose by about $18K, I think, when they moved there.

[WeRQ4U]

30. Here's a vote for Minneapolis.

I've always lived fairly close to it and visited quite often. My wife is from the metro area and I always enjoy being there. Sometime I think we are going to set up permanent shop there.

[no name no slogan]

46. Minneapolis/St. Paul

Good tax base, decent schools, lots of good arts/entertainment, relatively affordable compared to other cities of 3 million, decent pro sports teams (well, kind of), four seasons of weather.

If you stay indoors during January, it's as close to perfect as you can get.

Except for this year-- it's supposed to be 50° out today in St Paul. Remember, there's no such thing as "global warming".

[WeRQ4U]

49. Such a weird winter everywhere this year.

There is definitely someone happening with the global systems.

[no name no slogan]

52. Yeah, it's really messed up

The St Paul Winter Carnival started today. The ice sculptors are out in Rice Park, working on their carvings. I work downtown, so I strolled over there during lunch to have a look.

With the temp in the 40s, the sculptures are pretty sorry-looking this year.

[WeRQ4U]

60. Well, at least this year the Vulcans can't go around grabbing girls boobs

LOL.

Has nothing to do with the weather, however, and more to do with the fact that they had done so in the past.

[Zookeeper]

72. I love St. Paul/Mpls. and, although I'm happy to stay mostly...

indoors in January, I know a lot of people who love being out doing Winter sports. I would always choose to be out on a cold day rather than a hot one. You can always put on an extra layer of clothing, but can only take off so much without getting arrested.

Mr. Z. and I did a scouting expedition before we decided to move here (visited quite a few cities) and have never regretted choosing this as our home.

[Left Is Write]

54. Seconded.

Even if it takes several more years, we are going to move back to our homeland!

[Ally McLesbian]

31. Los Angeles would do it, honestly,

if it weren't so Republican in the suburbs (and the immigrant influx weren't adding to the Republicanism).

But I'd still take it over San Francisco, where I had too much trouble. It's a closer-knit, more conservative place than most people realize, especially with the Republicans in the Financial District.

Tucson, Arizona is a decent place, too bad it's located in a Republican "right-to-work" state.

NYC and the Pacific Northwest are decent choices, though NYC is too expensive and crowded, and the Pacific Northwest is too rainy for my taste.

There is no perfect place. Since I'm in Los Angeles, I'll stick around here.

[samplegirl]

51. Anywhere but Ohio

I'd like to live in Maine.

[Blue-Jay]

57. Care to elaborate?

[samplegirl]

61. Way to much corruption

and the GOP running this state. I grew up here and sometimes I dont
know why Im still here. The job market in my area is awful. With
Delphi getting ready to close its doors there wont be anything here
other than Walmart.

[samplegirl]

66. Corrupt

GOP running this state.

[maveric]

55. San Diego CA. Pay no attention to the repubs here.

They arent of the rabid variety that you may see in other "Red" areas. Plus SD city is rapidly turning blue. By 2012 San Diego will truly be a "blue" city. Now as for SD County...well thats a different story. Stay in SD proper and you wont be bothered.
We have a decent employment situation, beautiful scenery and beaches and the best damn weather in the US. Housing is high but the bubble is about to burst. Home prices are slowly going down due to the fact that only 11% of SD residents can afford to buy their own home. That trend is changing.
Live here for a couple of months and I guarantee you that you'll stay here forever.

[Deja Q]

63. anywhere that's honest and open

[mydreamcametrue]

64. Virginia...

[njdemocrat106]

67. Well, I live in New Jersey...

and if I were considering moving, it would probably be to somewhere in the northern/northeastern half of the state (Monmouth/Mercer counties and above) The homes are priced somewhat higher than the rest of America, but if you can probably get a good deal if you don't look for McMansions (those overpriced POSs are popping up everywhere nowadays). The northern counties (with the exception of Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex/Morris) are the most liberal, and you'll have close proximity to NYC.

I live in northern Ocean County (which is moreso the southern half of the state), and it would be a much nicer place if the GOP didn't own the entire county (I still see enough W stickers around here, enough to make me :puke: ). The schools in my town (Brick, if you must know) go through a high teacher turnaround, so I wouldn't know if that would be attractive to you (then again, I'm not recommending Ocean County, either).

[SmileyBoy]

69. Personally, I love living in Fargo.

Stuff is cheap here, and we have everything you can find in a big city without the 2-hour traffic jams.

[liberaltrucker]

74. Are you, by any chance Holmey?

[Zookeeper]

75. Aren't you about four hours from Lake Superior?

So, not totally landlocked.

Do you think you'll stay there when you finish school?

[sakabatou]

71. If you can afford it, the Bay Area, CA

[liberaltrucker]

73. Salida, CO

Surrounded by mountains, right at the foot of Monarch Pass. Beautiful and affordable. Unfortunately for me LTwife wants to stay in Alabama:(