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-   -   Great places to live in the US?? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/great-places-live-us-405924/)

Lord Lionheart Nov 3rd 2006 5:42 pm

Great places to live in the US??
 
Okay, it's decision time. Having been here 20 years I'm thinking it's time to move on from CA due to various personal reasons. Where is a good place to relocate

i.e stable economy, safe, good school districts for kids, relatively affordable housing etc. etc.
I'm thinking somewhere that is accessible to major eastern cities such as NY, Philadelphia???, Washington DC for some culture, history and art galleries. Being a city boy I don't think I'd like to be too far out in the sticks and nowhere too hot like AZ, TX, NV.

Any ideas or recommendations, please give me your reasons why you would recommend it?

Elvira Nov 3rd 2006 5:48 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
Okay, it's decision time.
Any ideas or recommendations, please give me your reasons why you would recommend it?

I have a friend who lives in Boston (Brookline). She says it's very civilised - quiet English in some ways - but can get a little humid in the summer/cold and miserable in winter.

Jerseygirl Nov 3rd 2006 5:59 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 
I like it here for all the reasons you mentioned...could do without the winter but all in all its a good place to live. Like Elvira mentioned the countryside is reminiscent of England. We're 45 mins from NYC, the beach and the mountains.

Lord Lionheart Nov 3rd 2006 6:01 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
I like it here for all the reasons you mentioned...could do without the winter but all in all its a good place to live. Like Elvira mentioned the countryside is reminiscent of England. We're 45 mins from NYC, the beach and the mountains.

Can you be more specific, I guess you mean New Jersey, if so where? What about property prices?

jen_andreson Nov 3rd 2006 6:04 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 
Boston is lovely (for the reasons given-it's fairly civilised), I like Virginia with it's 'older' towns and proximity to DC. All the little states are possibilities, too, such as Connecticut, Delaware, MD. We've family in the Philly burbs and it's lovely there, too, with good schools and such. They work over in Delaware as it's a quick commute.

Would you mind east coast weather? Will you need to find work?

North Caroline has some good cities, if you don't mind the humidity and occasional hurricane warning. Good for IT jobs.

You've probably seen this, but if not it might give you some ideas. You can search on 'best' places to live (not always the best, but ideas at least), or by most educated, cultural activities, housing. There's a little survey thing on the right on which you can indicate the level of importance for certain elements (housings, culture).

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money.../educated.html

Manc Nov 3rd 2006 6:06 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
Okay, it's decision time. Having been here 20 years I'm thinking it's time to move on from CA due to various personal reasons. Where is a good place to relocate

i.e stable economy, safe, good school districts for kids, relatively affordable housing etc. etc.
I'm thinking somewhere that is accessible to major eastern cities such as NY, Philadelphia???, Washington DC for some culture, history and art galleries. Being a city boy I don't think I'd like to be too far out in the sticks and nowhere too hot like AZ, TX, NV.

Any ideas or recommendations, please give me your reasons why you would recommend it?

Nashua NH appealed to me.

not far from the wilderness of northern New England
about 1 hr drive to Boston.

Lord Lionheart Nov 3rd 2006 6:07 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by jen_andreson
Boston is lovely (for the reasons given-it's fairly civilised), I like Virginia with it's 'older' towns and proximity to DC. All the little states are possibilities, too, such as Connecticut, Delaware, MD. We've family in the Philly burbs and it's lovely there, too, with good schools and such. They work over in Delaware as it's a quick commute.

Would you mind east coast weather? Will you need to find work?

North Caroline has some good cities, if you don't mind the humidity and occasional hurricane warning. Good for IT jobs.

You've probably seen this, but if not it might give you some ideas. You can search on 'best' places to live (not always the best, but ideas at least), or by most educated, cultural activities, housing. There's a little survey thing on the right on which you can indicate the level of importance for certain elements (housings, culture).

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money.../educated.html


Thanks Jen, very helpful. As far as weather goes I've done 20 years in CA, I'm not that bothered about being hot year round, seasons might make a pleasant change.................. not sure I'd want to freeze my ass off though

Jerseygirl Nov 3rd 2006 6:11 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
Can you be more specific, I guess you mean New Jersey, if so where? What about property prices?

I live in Morris County...NW Joizey. Depends on exactly where you live as to the cost of housing...generally NJ is an expensive place to live, ie property taxes, utilities, healthcare, auto insurance etc. Only 6/7 hrs away from the UK and flights are pretty reasonable too.

Elvira Nov 3rd 2006 6:11 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
........seasons might make a pleasant change.................. not sure I'd want to freeze my ass off though

no such thing as bad weather - only inappropriate clothing ;)

Kate2112 Nov 3rd 2006 6:14 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 
Definately recommend Washington DC. Its a bit pricey living in DC but you do get the advantage of being close to museums (practically all of them free) lots of good restaurants, lots of interesting job ops, the metro is fantastic. Downside public schools are abysmally underfunded, politics are the constant source of conversation, the summer is dreadfully hot and humid. It does have the seasons and even cold wintry days are sunny.

Elvira Nov 3rd 2006 6:21 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by Kate2112
Definately recommend Washington DC. Its a bit pricey living in DC but you do get the advantage of being close to museums (practically all of them free) lots of good restaurants, lots of interesting job ops, the metro is fantastic. Downside public schools are abysmally underfunded, politics are the constant source of conversation, the summer is dreadfully hot and humid. It does have the seasons and even cold wintry days are sunny.


I love Washingon DC (for all the reasons you mention), but I'm not sure I would want to live there. For one thing it's full of bloody politicians :eek:

However, Virginia is lovely and some parts are quite civilised. One of the nicest towns I've been to is Charlottsville (though I hasten to add I only know it as a tourist). But it's in an extremely nice part as far as landscape is concerned (Blue Ridge Mountains etc), and not very far from DC.

Jerseygirl Nov 3rd 2006 6:30 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by Elvira
I love Washingon DC (for all the reasons you mention), but I'm not sure I would want to live there. For one thing it's full of bloody politicians :eek:

However, Virginia is lovely and some parts are quite civilised. One of the nicest towns I've been to is Charlottsville (though I hasten to add I only know it as a tourist). But it's in an extremely nice part as far as landscape is concerned (Blue Ridge Mountains etc), and not very far from DC.


I agree with you and Kate...DC area is a great area to live.

jen_andreson Nov 3rd 2006 6:31 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
Thanks Jen, very helpful. As far as weather goes I've done 20 years in CA, I'm not that bothered about being hot year round, seasons might make a pleasant change.................. not sure I'd want to freeze my ass off though

Seasons are refreshing, and I like the 'Englishness' of the east coast. There are lots of village-like towns near the large cities. We ended up in Ohio for family reasons, but even here we found a suburb/village that reminds me of west London (Chiswick/Richmond) where I lived. It was founded in 1800s, old church on the green, town centre with post office, shops, cafes, library, 2 pubs, all within walking distance, yet parking is free/plentiful when we need to drive. And, the historical committee has blocked the fast food guys from moving in--not a McDonald's in site. Just an example of the type of suburbs that can be found, if you're not interested.

If I had my choice where to live then I would go east--all places suggested thus far are worth a look.

Try these, too for more info (I can't remember specifically how helpful any of them are overall).

http://www.bestplaces.net/city/

http://www.city-data.com/

http://www.findyourspot.com/

anotherlimey Nov 3rd 2006 7:18 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
Okay, it's decision time. Having been here 20 years I'm thinking it's time to move on from CA due to various personal reasons. Where is a good place to relocate

i.e stable economy, safe, good school districts for kids, relatively affordable housing etc. etc.
I'm thinking somewhere that is accessible to major eastern cities such as NY, Philadelphia???, Washington DC for some culture, history and art galleries. Being a city boy I don't think I'd like to be too far out in the sticks and nowhere too hot like AZ, TX, NV.

Any ideas or recommendations, please give me your reasons why you would recommend it?

Chicago's a good choice! :)

Ozzidoc Nov 3rd 2006 7:23 pm

Re: Great places to live in the US??
 

Originally Posted by lionheart
Okay, it's decision time. Having been here 20 years I'm thinking it's time to move on from CA due to various personal reasons. Where is a good place to relocate

i.e stable economy, safe, good school districts for kids, relatively affordable housing etc. etc.
I'm thinking somewhere that is accessible to major eastern cities such as NY, Philadelphia???, Washington DC for some culture, history and art galleries. Being a city boy I don't think I'd like to be too far out in the sticks and nowhere too hot like AZ, TX, NV.

Any ideas or recommendations, please give me your reasons why you would recommend it?


Agree with DC: try Georgetown (or is that George Town?) - really pretty, a bit pricey. DC has everthing that you could possibly want.

Annapolis is gorgeous - may be a little small.

Baltimore is a hell-hole!

Have you ever been to Minneapolis? Quite busy, happening, lots of cultural things to do, easy access to everywhere, nice seasons (OK, ass-freezing in winter), affordable, scenic countryside.


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