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I know that you limited the states but I just want to throw one out that you may want to look into. Do yourself a favor and check out Blacksburg, VA. It has a very southern feel, very very low cost of living, and it is regarded as the one of the most "wired" cities in the world. On top of that it has great sports, a ton of outdoor activities, and a much more enjoyable climate than the deeper south yet it retains a lot of the traditional southern elements (kudzu, plantation homes, tobacco farms, country kitchens, thick accents, etc). It is still pretty damn warm in the Blacksburg but no where near as oppresively hot as the deep south...and the fall colors along the blue ridge mountains are amazing.
Again...I know it isn't on your list but it is a really great city that is worth some consideration.
I appreciate the suggestion, and I did not know this...But a quick check of the weather shows average daily highs in the 40's for 3 months straight. That's the type of weather I'm trying to get away from
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Originally Posted by cpg35223
Birmingham would be a good fit. The same is true of Huntsville.
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Originally Posted by sonofaque86
Columbia, Charleston would be a good fit
Sounds like Birmingham and Columbia are the most agreed upon suggestions at this point. Very helpful everybody, probably would not have come up with these places on my own.
Sounds like Birmingham and Columbia are the most agreed upon suggestions at this point. Very helpful everybody, probably would not have come up with these places on my own.
personally i think you're very confused
the idea of moving to Columbia for the weather is a bit mind-boggling.
Whether it's deep or upper south it's a trade off in my opinion. I live in AZ now but I grew up in Southwest Virginia near near the TN border. In the upper south it's a little cooler in the winter months but our summers are great...obviously it's switched in the deep south. How i've always rationalized it is that I can always put more clothes on....theres only so much I can legally not wear in public! haha
A lot of my family lives in Alabaster, AL (Just south of B'ham) and I used to go visit them regularly on summer break during school and I couldn't stand the weather. It's not the heat that is bothersome (I love Phoenix heat and it's 115) it's the humidity and the bugs! Too much to deal with.
But whether you choose the upper or deep south you've definitely picked the best part of the country......they have Bojangles and badass college football in both regions!
the idea of moving to Columbia for the weather is a bit mind-boggling.
It's not just about weather (although the OP wants a place with warmer weather and Columbia certainly qualifies). It's also about size, cost of living, jobs, etc. Columbia meets the criteria just as much as about any other city mentioned.
I would say look at Mobile, AL. The economy is booming right now and it is more the size you prefer I believe. Not to mention you are less than an hour from the Gulf Coast. I grew up in the area and still have family there. It also has the southern feel with plantation homes and the like. The cost of living is great as well. Just my 2 cents.
Little Rock is often underestimated. It has beautiful neighborhoods, is convenient to lakes, mountains, and other natural attractions, and is an up-and-coming city.
But it can be miserably hot in August, and there can be bad ice storms. And tornados. In regard to those ice storms, do be aware that Pulaski Heights and neighboring Hillcrest are hilly, just as their names indicate, and getting in and out may be difficult during and immediately after a bad ice storm. The good news is that the ice doesn't last long.
I've finally reached a reasonable point in my life to make a move, I'm 23, been working full time for over a year, am single etc etc, there probably will never be a better time for me to make the move I've been thinking about for years. I've got a pretty decent sense of what I'm looking for, but would like some help determining where these features are best found...
-South, and south only. The only states I will even consider are Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. My number one goal and motivation to move has always been the warm weather, and I wouldn't leave everything I have here in Michigan if not getting that. Arizona and California are out only because I would like to be somewhere where a drive from Michigan is doable.
-Jobs. My degree is in Information Systems, so finding a new job shouldn't be THAT hard. (Or at least I'm hoping) But is there any specific city that best fits my field?
(^These two are by far the most important aspects of this)
-Size. I've really enjoyed the size of Lansing, (approx 100,000 people) where I currently live. It's large enough to have activities and options, but not so large I'm stuck in traffic for hours. I would like to avoid the terrible rush hour traffic cities IF possible.
-A "southern" feel. I want this new place to be interesting, and NOT like Michigan in as many ways as possible. (Although I figure most places in any of these states will accomplish that just naturally.)
-Cost of living. I'm by no means used to having top of the line everything, and I'm pretty conservative with my money...but I really would like to avoid paying $1000+ for rent. Right now I pay $440 to share a reasonably sized 2 bedroom. Anything in the 4-600 range would be fine even if I have to share, as long as the area is nice.
These are my main concerns, but I realize the combination of all these might be unrealistic. Even if there was somewhere with a good combination with 3 of these that would be fantastic.
Thanks for the help everybody.
Greenville, SC hands down. BMW, Michelin, GE, Fluor and a ton of engineering firms are hq'd here. My next door neighbor is a software engineer and every year is being recruited to a new company with at least a $10k raise, He just took a position with BMW and is 33 and making almost $100k. The cost of living is cheap here, nice weather year round, as we're only 30 minutes from the Blue Ridge Mtns. Wonderful people, lots ot transplants, Huge Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Chipotle and every other "trendy" shop and restaurant. Most beautiful downtown in America, tons of outdoorsy things to do as well. Here's some pics. Come visit us on the Greenville forum:
I appreciate the suggestion, and I did not know this...But a quick check of the weather shows average daily highs in the 40's for 3 months straight. That's the type of weather I'm trying to get away from
Sounds like Birmingham and Columbia are the most agreed upon suggestions at this point. Very helpful everybody, probably would not have come up with these places on my own.
Greenville blows away Columbia, Charleston and Birmingham and I am very familiar with all three of those other cities.
It's not just about weather (although the OP wants a place with warmer weather and Columbia certainly qualifies). It's also about size, cost of living, jobs, etc. Columbia meets the criteria just as much as about any other city mentioned.
what i'm saying is, if you're going to include Columbia, you might as well include Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Asheville, and Wilmington, if not Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas. I don't see the sense in excluding big parts of the south simply because they're "really hot" rather than "extremely hot."
OP says weather was #1 priority, and also seems to think that warm weather doesn't exist until you get to the gulf.
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