Superduper Poll - San Francisco vs. San Diego vs. Seattle vs. West Palm Beach (lawyers, job market)

[Onliner1]

Which city best the following criteria developed by a single, black male lawyer, age 30, looking for a city with the following characteristics, listed in order of importance:

1. People move slowly, have time in their lives, and have time for family.
2. People there embrace blacks and are kind and friendly.
3. Excellent shopping - both high end shopping (i.e., good malls) and affordable shopping (i.e., Wallmart)
4. Democratic (not Republican) political values - i.e., and people who preferably prefer Obama over Clinton (an interesting litmus test for relocating purposes)
5. People who are warm to each other, are not overly materialistic (this rules out Atlanta, so please don't suggest it) or high strung or neurotically ambitious (this rules out New York).
6. Warm, sunny weather - preferably year-round or close.
7. The city has its own identity - it's relevant and has a meaningful economy that is connected to the world (so please don't suggest, for example, Nashville, although I am sure it's a wonderful, wonderful city.)
8. It's multicultural - and the multiculturalism has energy (not passivity to it) -- in other words, when you look at city government and the large local corporations, minorities are a definite part of the power structure. Minorities have a voice.
9. The job market is appealing and has an entreprenurial spirit to it.
10. It's a modern city with modern spaces.
11. It's good for allergies (not a pollen ridden city or one with an abundance of air pollution)
12. It has a sensible black culture. Please forgive me if this offends anyone, but Atlanta, for example, is not exactly a great example of sensible black culture - it's hip hop and materialism and so on (which is fine when you're young).

[Go Ne]

Omaha meets all of the criteria but we are a mix of republicans and democrats here. However, we chose Obama in the caucuses. (Clinton really isnt liked here)

Not seattle though, It rains wayyyyy to much there

[The A-Team]

I disagree about omaha meeting all the criteria. Last time i was in Nebraska it was not warm at all lol. Seattle it rains too much for his criteria but omaha is WAY too cold to be considered a warm place lol, so i wouldn't recommend it.

[recycled]

Charlotte, NC matches many of the 12 items on the list.

[2Adam29]

Got to agree, Omaha is a great place with the exception of the climate, DEFINATELY not sunny all the time. Otherwise, it meets all the criteria here, some more than others.

(example: GOOD: Minorities are represented: up until a month ago when he retired, our cheif of police was a black man, and he was very well respected, he now runs the local urban league. BAD: Climate: each season well represented.)

[PlanetMars]

Interesting. I don't know enough about most of the cities, but Seattle meets basically all of your criteria with the exception of the weather. My best guess for you might be San Francisco, but I'm not sure how it is on politics and local government.

[f1000]

It may or may not matter to you, but there's not exactly a huge African-American presence in Seattle (more though in Pierce County). Plus not exactly year-round warm weather. I really didn't get that impression of Atlanta being 'materialistic'- I was actually surprised by how down-to-earth some of the 'rich' areas were- but I guess I didn't live there, just visited. Having traveled across the nation I felt the African-American subculture in Atlanta was very intriguing & admirable in many respects, a great place for high achievers. Just my opinion though.
Anyhoo, considering your specifications, I'd suggest San Diego or San Francisco. Multicultural, modern, open-minded, pleasant mild year round weather, prosperous.

[Steve-o]

You want somewhere sunny, yet put Seattle on your poll? I take it you dont know anything about Seattle. lol

Im the only one who chose the Cayman Islands. Im not sure if they have a demand for lawyers, but its the only place on the list that really fits what youre looking for (minus the Obama thing). Its not really multi-cultural, but there are TONS and TONS and TONS of tourists who definitely make it have a temporary multi-cultural feel.

[Onliner1]

Thanks very much for all of this phenomenal feedback on the criteria and cities meeting the factors - please keep sending in your feedback - this is excellent - -

Thanks very much -

[radraja]

I have a hard time believing that some people are actually voting for Seattle. It's a lovely city, but it certainly doesn't fit the criteria of "warm and sunny year round" AT ALL.

I'm going to say San Diego, of the places on the list.