Where is the best small city for a 20-something to live?

[steel03]

Portland, ME and Burlington, VT are good options.
The best smaller cities in my area are Iowa City, IA, Des Moines, IA, and Madison, WI. All three have thriving and growing youth culture and nightlife, bustling downtowns, and fewer than 600,000 people. Madison is generally the one people suggest when they think about the Midwest, but DSM and IAC are absolutely contenders there as well.

[jessicadwr]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

What is the population range for a city you would consider?

Under 100,000, but I prefer the cities with around 50,000. Let's say big enough to have it's own hospital, since I'm an RN and that's where I'll be working.

[ckhthankgod]

As far as any other Upstate Ny cities, perhaps Utica, which has a nightlife district on Varick Street and some other spots: City of Utica, NightLife - Bars and Clubs
If you have a car, the nearby Turning Stone Casino has a night club as well: Lava at Turning Stone Resort · Casino

From another city in the metro area: Nightlife Rome

The Best Entertainment and Nightlife in Rome, NY

You are still close to the Adirondacks and parks. Sylvan Beach isn't too far away as well.

I would suggest the Watertown-Fort Drum area due to the abundance of men due to the military(US Army) base. There are a couple of clubs on post and a few in Watertown. I know that many soldiers go to other cities like Syracuse, Oswego, Ottawa and Kingston Ontario, among others though. So, I'm not sure if that would work and Watertown has only about 30,000 people or so.

Binghamton MAY work too. Binghamton Nightlife & Binghamton NY Bars | Binghamton.com


As for jobs, you may be interested in this: New York State Hospital Profile Just click on a county and it will show the hospitals located in each of them. You can search for jobs through the hospital websites.

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by jessicadwr

Under 100,000, but I prefer the cities with around 50,000. Let's say big enough to have it's own hospital, since I'm an RN and that's where I'll be working.

Bloomington, IN
Iowa City, IA
Annapolis, MD
Amherst, MA
Chapel Hill, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Newark, DE
Princeton, NJ
Bethlehem, PA
Greenville, SC

[SBCA]

I honestly think you're making a mistake by staying out of big cities, but I'll give you some suggestions anyway (what a jerk I am .

In terms of quality of life, I'm not sure you'll find anything better than Boulder, Colorado. The climate, the culture, the pleasantness, and the potential for outdoor recreation are all top-notch. A tad expensive, but you get what you pay for.

As long as you can take some snow and cold, Burlington, Vermont is one of the most laid-back and interesting small cities in the Northeast. It has a fantastic beer scene for a small town, and has ample recreation opportunities with the lake and the mountains. UVM also gives the area an intellectual feel.

Finally, Eugene, Oregon is a great place to live and spend time. Perhaps a little rainy for the tastes of some, but the rain also makes the summers incredibly green. The University of Oregon brings a liberal and counter-culture flare to what would otherwise be a fairly conservative area. Overall, the town is exceptionally pleasant.

Again, I think you're limiting yourself by living outside of a big city, but I suppose I shouldn't judge.