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So I live in a small town of about 2,000 people in Montana, even though the mountains are beautiful my family wants to move. We are a young family in our mid-twenties, with just my boyfriend, daughter and me. I am finding out that I am very picking when it comes to finding a place to settle down. It’s stressful!! My list of things is kind of long but I’m sure there are some things I could compromise with/without. I still want to live by mountains but I’m tired of half the year being COLD. I want to be somewhere warmer. I thought about Arizona but I can’t have a yard without grass! We are also wanting a place that has quite a bit more people, preferably near a city. (I have always wanted to live in a big city, but I don’t want my daughter growing up in one) We would like a place with things to go do, and people to meet. I have a dog also and we will need room for her. I am going to school for my Associates in Business Administration and I have NO idea if that would help me in a specific place or not. (Just throwing it out there though lol) The two MAIN things we are looking for are AFFORDABLE and SAFE places. We don’t have much income now with my boyfriend only working but if I can get a good job with my degree we will both be working. That brings me to another thing, places that have jobs available! That is important to us too because if we move obviously we will both have to find jobs and find a babysitter. If there is such a place that fits all of even a few of these things please let me know. I have been looking for at least a couple of months and I don’t even know where to look next. I’m lost!!! HELP!!
Arizona has mountains....Northern AZ (Flagstaff); but it's not affordable, so that's off your list.
Affordable/Safe/Jobs....um, well that limits your opportunities significantly. I suppose if there were such a place it would be extremely crowded.
Maybe if you try one of the online 'find your spot', 'find the best place to live' websites it may aid in helping you narrow down your choices. Then once you have a short-list you could visit the area(s) and get a first-hand look (even though we all realize that visiting is not the same as living there).
Having employment pre-move is a priority. If you go without a job (either of you) and end up financially strapped, no matter how wonderful the area is, it will end up a nightmare.
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You might look at the Carolina's, Atlanta. Definitely warm, and within driving distance of both the Smokies and beaches. Growing economies, so good job opportunities.
I still want to live by mountains but I’m tired of half the year being COLD. I want to be somewhere warmer.
OP, I mean this kindly: the extremes of heat and humidity are also bothersome. I grew up in Michigan and it was the dream of many who shoved snow through our harsh winters to move to Florida.
Unfortunately, July and August in many "warm" places are like being shoved into blast furnaces and the other summer months aren't that much better.
There are people who thrive on such hot conditions. Perhaps you are one of the them! Otherwise, I would suggest being accepting of "some cold" because it will increase the number of lower cost places that are "family friendly."
For example, I dislike "extreme cold," so my chances of settling willingly in Duluth, MN are about zilch. However, Des Moines, IA is warmer than that, although some complain about our harsh winters.
And I agree with taking the "Find Your Spot" quiz. It got me looking at some smaller towns I hadn't considered.
What about the DC metro area? Plenty of quiet semi rural neighborhoods in MD or VA. I lived in Lake ridge, had a big yard and a quiet neighborhood. I was never more than 45 minutes away.
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