Best places to live in your 40's (living, cost, state)
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We are married and the kids are grown. Looking for somewhere in the southeast. Not looking for the country or the city, but the suburbs. Someplace with a mild climate, not too cold, not too hot. A convenient place for work, shopping and entertainment. I want to be able to get to day to day places less than 6 miles each way. Somewhere not too far from the beach and not too far from the mountains. (3-4 hours or less). A hospital closeby as well. Walkable towns are great.
Some things of interest are festivals, music, camping, zoos, flea markets, beaches, mountains, state parks, fishing, dining out, going out on occasion to see a classic rock band or DJ, and pro sports.
Although, we only go out on occasion, not looking for a town that closes at 9PM. We like to know it's available if we chose to go out. (midnight is sufficent)
Stores of interest are Super Walmart, Aldi, Save-A-Lot, dollar stores, Goodwill, Ross, Marshall's, etc. (What can I say, I'm frugal)
Looking for a reasonable cost of living. Not where it's so expensive you can't do anything. Taxes are fine within reason, not somewhere that taxes everything imaginable. Housing is affordable, under 200K, better under 150K.
I thought this would be an interesting thread to start. Let the suggestions begin.
We are married and the kids are grown. Looking for somewhere in the southeast. Not looking for the country or the city, but the suburbs. Someplace with a mild climate, not too cold, not too hot. A convenient place for work, shopping and entertainment. I want to be able to get to day to day places less than 6 miles each way. Somewhere not too far from the beach and not too far from the mountains. (3-4 hours or less). A hospital closeby as well. Walkable towns are great.
Some things of interest are festivals, music, camping, zoos, flea markets, beaches, mountains, state parks, fishing, dining out, going out on occasion to see a classic rock band or DJ, and pro sports.
Although, we only go out on occasion, not looking for a town that closes at 9PM. We like to know it's available if we chose to go out. (midnight is sufficent)
Stores of interest are Super Walmart, Aldi, Save-A-Lot, dollar stores, Goodwill, Ross, Marshall's, etc. (What can I say, I'm frugal)
Looking for a reasonable cost of living. Not where it's so expensive you can't do anything. Taxes are fine within reason, not somewhere that taxes everything imaginable. Housing is affordable, under 200K, better under 150K.
I thought this would be an interesting thread to start. Let the suggestions begin.
Maybe. It's not that I don't like it in FL because I really do. It's my DH that wants to move. He would love to go back to PA....heck no! I need my sunshine. I'm trying to compromise although it's tough. It's looking like the Carolinas but I'm open to other places. I'd like to find a similar place to Lake Mary if possible. I'd like to hear suggestions.
I know you asked about Raleigh, but I'd recomend Western NC or Upstate SC. I lived in the Spartanburg-Greenvill area and could see the blue ridge mountains and could be to places like Boone and Ashville in an hour or two. We were also just 2.5 hours to the beaches near Charleston. We got snowfall only twice during the winter and it was minimal yet most folks (except me, the Florida boy) missed work. If you lived in Raleigh, you'd be 3 hours from the outerbanks beaches and something like 6 or 7 to the mountains. Imagine driving to Miami everytime you wanted to go to the beach. Imagine driving to Atlanta everytime you wanted to go to the mountains. The area I'm suggesting puts you within 3 hours of both and just 1 hour 15 min to Charlotte for urban amentities such as a major concert.
Last edited by OrlFlaUsa; 04-09-2011 at 10:14 PM..
Reason: big typo
NC, SC, VA have a number of places you might want to consider.
Wilmington, Richmond, Charlottesville, Raleigh, Durham, Charleston, Columbia all might be good places to begin your search. They are neither the cheapest nor the most expensive places in those states, they offer some life and culture without being overrun by kids or hipsters. Richmond, Durham, Raleigh, Charlottesville and Columbia are all in reasonable drive time to both mountains and coast.
Big international airports in the region would be in Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington; Raleigh-Durham is smaller but does also offer some international service (Caribbean and Europe). Richmond and Charleston have very good domestic airports.
I-95 and I-85 cut through parts of all 3 states, so travel by car N-S is easy.
Train service is spottier in SC, but there's high-speed rail between Charlotte and Raleigh, with an extension to DC, which will essentially create a Charlotte-Greenboro-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington-to-Boston HSR line; completion of the entire corridor is about a decade off, but that will be a strong future transportation alternative, at least in central NC and VA.
NC and VA are pretty much the geographic center of the US east coast, to flight times from everywhere to New England to South Florida will be 3 hours at most, and in 90% of destinations, 1 or 2 hours.
Thanks for the ideas. It kind of leads us back to where we were. It seems we are on the same track. We do like alot of the places listed. We just need to narrow it down to the place that best fits our needs. I think one of the main concerns aside from work is finding the activities we like to do and "fitting in". One thing we really like are outdoor activities. It's nice to go see a cover band on the water, patio or at a town square. Not just at night but during the day on weekends. I don't want to be too far from the beach or the mountains either. I'd like to have both close enough if we decide to take a weekend trip, it doesn't seem like we have to drive across country to get there.
The suggestions are great and keep them coming. If you all could get more in detail what the different areas have to offer, that would be awesome.
BTW, the only southeast cities with all four pro sports are Atlanta and Miami. So Atlanta may be worth looking into. Otherwise, I'd imagine that a lot of places in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia would fit your needs.
BTW, the only southeast cities with all four pro sports are Atlanta and Miami. So Atlanta may be worth looking into. Otherwise, I'd imagine that a lot of places in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia would fit your needs.
Richmond is a little too north for me. The city isn't as clean as I'd like it to be. I like southern cities that have a cleaner look as well. Sports are important to my DH but no that much to influence where we live. As long a we have Direct TV, he's good. He likes to go to hockey or football games on occasion.
Th other suggestions are an idea.
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