Where should I move out west? (job, cheap, transport, college)

[ErinSymphony]

My fiancé, two cats, and I want to leave Michigan by the fall(ish) to rent a place, work, and live. We just don't know where to start looking.

We want a place where we can see/be near mountains, but in a small city with full time minimum wage work. We would like to rent a one bedroom apartment for about $300-$600 a month. Public transportation (buses and the like) would be a plus.

Any suggestion? Thank you!

[WyoNewk]

What kind of work will you each be wanting?
Any special education or experience?
How far west?
What's a "small city" to you?

[ErinSymphony]

We want basic work, like store retail, food service, etc.
We both have some college, but I know that won't get us anywhere. We're still young and plan on going back to college when we can afford it.
We don't want to go to California, but would be interested in areas like Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, the Dakotas, or areas south of Michigan.
A small city to me is anything that isn't a major city (like Chicago, New York, L.A., etc) and isn't a really rural town. Something that has businesses and some bus transportation (preferably).

[OptimusPrime69]

Just go to California....that's everyone's dream...head west to California....Make the dream happen...become a famous actress, but not before u do a stint as a hooker/waitress in hollywood before u make it big...

sike jk, no but seriously.

Go to San Diego or LA

[ErinSymphony]

I really, really do not want to go to California.

[OptimusPrime69]

Originally Posted by ErinSymphony

I really, really do not want to go to California.

OK, how about Boulder, Colorado?

That's a mid-size progressive western city near mountains, etc. . .

A lot of people smoke pot there, but it's all goood, naaah mean???

[NDak15]

I wouldn't recommend moving most places out west working for minimum wage. The cost of living is likely to be much more than Michigan.

[ErinSymphony]

The cost of living is high everywhere and I can't even get a job at a fast food restaurant where I live.

[Nanny Goat]

Prescott, Arizona, but not sure there's much bus transportation. Not many cities in the west that have much of public transportation--everything is spread out and people use their cars. Even Phoenix, large metro, has not much in that dept. (The light rail, but that's limited.)
For 600/month, not sure about Prescott. Flagstaff is a smaller city at a high elevation, college town, but it's not cheap there.

[dude1984]

Colorado Springs, CO
El Paso, TX
St. George, UT

I do agree that it isn't wise to move out west for minimum wage, but it is your life, so...