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I like what you all have done with this thread. I think I wanted to use some type of system to see where I was at with my top 5 without predetermined selections. As some of you have noticed, it's an individual exercise that will give you a snapshot if you are in the right place or perhaps leaning toward another potential home based on your desired criteria. I expect we will all differ on what we like the most (and rightfully so). However, I believe that in theory, most of us that desire big city metros, we will all have the same top 10, just in different orders. For some reason, I can't fully sit still in Denver. We like it but we don't love it. It was the same way in Atlanta, our previous home. I know the water is calling us and I'm pretty positive it's going to be Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Seattle. LA, DC, and San Diego are longshots but relevant and in discussion. After this week's blizzard, Boston is losing some steam. Our money goes further in Philadelphia, I think we would really crush San Francisco, and Boston/Seattle offer us similar career and lifestyle opportunities for what we want to do. Thank you all for your great comments.
How is SF 4th in diversity? It's the most part of the most diverse Metro in the country. I'd also put SF above Philly for architecture, the victorian rowhouses and majestic cathedrals of the City are hard to beat. Finally, I'd put SF at #2 for Cuisine and move Boston ahead of Philly there as well. Everything else looks right to me.
Hm... guess you don't know Philadelphia too well. Philadelphia has MUCH better architecture than San Fran... and a wider variety as well. San Fran tends to have block after block after block of the same damn architecture. San Fran also has pretty bland modern highrises.
Philadelphia DEF has better food than Boston. BY FAR. San Francisco has better food than Philly tho.
Hm... guess you don't know Philadelphia too well. Philadelphia has MUCH better architecture than San Fran... and a wider variety as well. San Fran tends to have block after block after block of the same damn architecture. San Fran also has pretty bland modern highrises.
Philadelphia DEF has better food than Boston. BY FAR. San Francisco has better food than Philly tho.
I know Philly fairly well and I disagree - SF has spectacular architecture: the Grace Cathedral, Washington Square, Coit Tower, Legion of Honor, Exploratorium, Civic Center, Mission Dolores, the buildings at the top of Nob Hill, DeYoung Museum, the Painted Ladies, the thousands of incredible, unique victorian rowhouses, etc. etc. There is an incredible diversity of architecture in SF, actually.
Now, I will agree that Philadelphia has significantly better skycrapers - SF's skycrapers leave much to be desired. But in terms of street-level low and mid-rise architecture, architectural landmarks, and residential architecture, I think it goes to SF pretty handily.
I like what you all have done with this thread. I think I wanted to use some type of system to see where I was at with my top 5 without predetermined selections. As some of you have noticed, it's an individual exercise that will give you a snapshot if you are in the right place or perhaps leaning toward another potential home based on your desired criteria. I expect we will all differ on what we like the most (and rightfully so). However, I believe that in theory, most of us that desire big city metros, we will all have the same top 10, just in different orders. For some reason, I can't fully sit still in Denver. We like it but we don't love it. It was the same way in Atlanta, our previous home. I know the water is calling us and I'm pretty positive it's going to be Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Seattle. LA, DC, and San Diego are longshots but relevant and in discussion. After this week's blizzard, Boston is losing some steam. Our money goes further in Philadelphia, I think we would really crush San Francisco, and Boston/Seattle offer us similar career and lifestyle opportunities for what we want to do. Thank you all for your great comments.
I don't know if it's as true for me. Houston is only third on my list, but it is my home and my favorite city, and, while I'd love to experience life in another town, I have no real desire to leave this one. Also, New Orleans won, but I can't honestly say that it's at the top of my list of places I'm thinking of relocating to. If I'm leaving Texas, it won't likely be for a place with same lack of winter and even worse public trans lol.
When it comes to the top 10 places I'd actually want to live, I'm sure my list would be pretty different than most others'. Cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Denver, and Portland wouldn't be anywhere on it.
Location: Baghdad by the Bay (San Francisco, California)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scrantiX
Sans Denver, you have good taste in cities.
For me its SF Bay Area, LA, San Diego, Boston, Austin, and Seattle.
I would pick Seattle or Boston over Denver too, with all things being equal. Denver gets a nod for cost of living, though, like Austin. That said, I have spent a lot of time in Denver and really like it.
I would pick Seattle or Boston over Denver too, with all things being equal. Denver gets a nod for cost of living, though, like Austin. That said, I have spent a lot of time in Denver and really like it.
I agree with you. We are checking out Seattle tomorrow so I'm excited about that. It's the only top 20 CSA I haven't visited. I absolutely love Boston; we went last month and it only reinforced what I had learned my previous two visits. We are going to Philadelphia in April so I will take a harder look than I usually do at specific neighborhoods. Our goal is to spend the next 10 years or so in this next place and then make the big jump oversees somewhere. I guess when we do that I will have to spend more time on the "world" forum lol.
I agree with you. We are checking out Seattle tomorrow so I'm excited about that. It's the only top 20 CSA I haven't visited. I absolutely love Boston; we went last month and it only reinforced what I had learned my previous two visits. We are going to Philadelphia in April so I will take a harder look than I usually do at specific neighborhoods. Our goal is to spend the next 10 years or so in this next place and then make the big jump oversees somewhere. I guess when we do that I will have to spend more time on the "world" forum lol.
LOL assuming CD is still around then.
Good luck with your home searching. I would tell you to try Seattle or San Francisco because you have already lived in the eastcoast with NYC, the midwest with Chicago, the southeast with Atlanta, and the mountain west with Denver but Boston's New England culture is different than NYC or Philly and its a great city, my favorite northeast city IMO.
You said that the recent blizzard in Boston dried up some of your enthusiasm but I would still recommend it, every city has its pros and cons, that's just one con for Boston. I prefer heat to cold but most of the year in Boston is still nice.
Good luck with your home searching. I would tell you to try Seattle or San Francisco because you have already lived in the eastcoast with NYC, the midwest with Chicago, the southeast with Atlanta, and the mountain west with Denver but Boston's New England culture is different than NYC or Philly and its a great city, my favorite northeast city IMO.
You said that the recent blizzard in Boston dried up some of your enthusiasm but I would still recommend it, every city has its pros and cons, that's just one con for Boston. I prefer heat to cold but most of the year in Boston is still nice.
Every now and then I meet people on here that have a genuine outlook on life. Thus, they are able to provide people with timely, honest assessments about life decisions. I certainly appreciate how u qualify city searches and the level in which you articulate the pros and cons. Don't let city data change you lol!
Every now and then I meet people on here that have a genuine outlook on life. Thus, they are able to provide people with timely, honest assessments about life decisions. I certainly appreciate how u qualify city searches and the level in which you articulate the pros and cons. Don't let city data change you lol!
I am admittedly very biased with certain places and I am likely the worst person to compare any cities to Philly or even talk about Philly as it is... I just don't like Philly. So I try to stay away from those comparisons now.
But I am honest and appreciative of Seattle and Boston, I have lived in San Francisco or in the SF Bay Area (Santa Rosa, Colma, Mountain View) for half my life and those two cities feel akin to San Francisco. I have also noticed people that like one almost assuredly like the other two and I can see why. They are beautiful cities, high cost of living but take it from me, its worth every dime to live in a place you can be happy. With living in these cities you get first rate urban environment and the majestic beauties of Mount Diablo, Mount Rainer, San Bruno, Cape Cod, Martha's, Pudget Sound, San Francisco Bay, Boston Bay, etc. The best beaches in the northeast are in New England with some of the worlds most expensive properties, water quality is beautiful and doesn't get better until you reach North Carolina and then south.
I am admittedly very biased with certain places and I am likely the worst person to compare any cities to Philly or even talk about Philly as it is... I just don't like Philly. So I try to stay away from those comparisons now.
But I am honest and appreciative of Seattle and Boston, I have lived in San Francisco or in the SF Bay Area (Santa Rosa, Colma, Mountain View) for half my life and those two cities feel akin to San Francisco. I have also noticed people that like one almost assuredly like the other two and I can see why. They are beautiful cities, high cost of living but take it from me, its worth every dime to live in a place you can be happy. With living in these cities you get first rate urban environment and the majestic beauties of Mount Diable, Mount Rainer, San Bruno, Cape Cod, Martha's, etc.
Would you say that Seattle or Boston are better than SF? Or better yet, how would you rank the three in these categories:
Sports
QOL
COL
Culture
Food
Transit
Diversity
Streetscape
Urbanity
Walkability
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