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I want to make a change of scenery so moving out of the South is something I am seriously considering.
My top three choices in no specific order is Denver, Minneapolis, and Seattle.
Which seems to be the best match for me based on what I am looking for (see below)?
I happen to be a single white male with M.S. Degree who hope to meet the right person and have a family in the future. My religion is Assembly of God; my political view is moderate. Although I am moderate, I am very open minded and tolerant of hot issues, such as GLBT and pro-choice because their lifestyle and choices do not affect me. I just believe in equality and women ought to be in charge of their own body.
The city should have friendly population and a stable job market (current and long term) with affordable cost of living in most categories. I do not want it to be crowded or fast paced like Chicago. I got overwhelmed during my internship there for 3.5 months.
In my free time, I like to walk, swim, and attend art shows, plays, & opera performances. I also enjoy all types of museums and attending both college and professional sport games in almost every sports you can think of.
I am slightly overweight so I would like to live in more health conscious city with good hiking and biking trails, especially around beautiful lakes. That way I would be more motivated to work out more and look better due to the culture.
I plan to get my Ph.D. in the future so having universities nearby would be a plus.
For the weather, I have always prefer the cold. I also would love to experience more snow. I dread hot and humid summers here in Arkansas. I'm thinking of 4 seasons: winter (cold and snowy), spring, summer (mild with less humidity), and perfect fall.
I think each of the cities fit your criteria well. But some of your specific comments seem better suited to Minneapolis than either Seattle or Denver. By this I'm thinking of walking and biking around lakes. I know Seattle has Green Lake and Denver has City Park, but I have to say that one of the strongest assets of Minneapolis is it's interlinked network of bike paths and parkways connecting numerous lakes, the Mississippi River and Minnehaha Creek. The parks and lakes of Minneapolis are intrinsic to the city's identity and valued highly by most of the citizens.
The cost of living will generally be lower in Minneapolis and Denver than Seattle, especially for housing. Both Minneapolis and Denver strike me as being more 4-season cities than Seattle. Winters in Minneapolis are definitely colder than both of the other cities, so you have to be able to deal with that. This winter has been especially tough in the Midwest! Thankfully, most winters aren't this bad.
The arts and culture scene are very strong in the Twin Cities, but I'm sure Denver and Seattle are good too.
Regarding universities, I'd give the nod to Mpls and Seattle as they both have major nationally ranked universities within the city limits. CU at Boulder obviously is a highly rated institution, but its main campus is just outside metro Denver.
I think Seattle is a good choice also it may not have four seasons more like two. But its mild weather is great for year around walking and hiking. Seattle is also close to the mountains for snow so if your into any snow sports . Seattle has Lake Washington, South Lake Union and Green Lake in city with several beaches . Seattle also has Alki Beach. Seattle would have the most world class museums. Seattle is surounded by water and has beautifull hiking trails in city. There also building a wave pool on Seattles waterfront in the new two mile 24 block long park downtown Seattle.
People voting Seattle because it's the most famous of the three basically and they're not reading your post, I'm assuming. Politically, Denver is actually probably the best fit, but Minneapolis wins for everything else you mentioned.
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