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I have a job that lets me live anywhere I want (programming job). I just turned 24 and am ready to move out of my parents house. I have some money saved up but am having some trouble figuring out where I want to go. I've lived in the south my entire life, and although I would enjoy moving back to my old college town, I was thinking of going somewhere else, preferable somewhere with a similar climate and plenty of people my age and as cliche as it sounds beautiful women. All jokes aside, what are some great places for a young 20 something to live in, or at least visit for a couple of months. Thanks.
I have a job that lets me live anywhere I want (programming job). I just turned 24 and am ready to move out of my parents house. I have some money saved up but am having some trouble figuring out where I want to go. I've lived in the south my entire life, and although I would enjoy moving back to my old college town, I was thinking of going somewhere else, preferable somewhere with a similar climate and plenty of people my age and as cliche as it sounds beautiful women. All jokes aside, what are some great places for a young 20 something to live in, or at least visit for a couple of months. Thanks.
Part of this will depend on what kind of money you'll be making at this new job. So, what kind of monthly rent would you like?
I'm willing to spend about $1,000 on rent and food for about $300 a month. I prefer not to have a car. I like biking or having a Vespa as a safe alternative. I don't believe in TV and all I need is Internet.
I'm willing to spend about $1,000 on rent and food for about $300 a month. I prefer not to have a car. I like biking or having a Vespa as a safe alternative. I don't believe in TV and I need is Internet.
Just off of that budget alone with consideration for only weather, your choices could be places such as:
* Austin
* Atlanta
* Dallas
* Houston
* Phoenix
* Charlotte
* Nashville/Louisville/Memphis
* Las Vegas
* New Orleans
* Miami (maybe)
The problem with these is that they pretty much all require a car. New Orleans is perhaps the best one up there but it's still not great. Some have public transit systems, but in no way are they even close to the most reaching of the US.
SO, in that case if you don't want to own a car, here's a list of cities you could afford that have adequate public transit:
* Chicago
* Philadelphia
* Seattle
* Portland
* Denver
* Minneapolis
* Milwaukee
Out of these, Chicago has the largest public transit, followed by Philly, then Portland/Seattle and then Denver, etc. Chicago and Philly would be easiest to not own a car in out of all. Philadelphia, Chicago, and Seattle all have similar cost of living and probably the most out of these, then followed by the others (Portland probably next in line as most expensive).
I am a software engineer/computer scientist and if I had to rate the tech industries and community of the cities, it would be Seattle, then maybe Chicago or Portland, and then Denver, but I think you could make the case to reorder those last three in every possible combination. Tough to say though. However, Austin has better than all of them except maybe Seattle. Houston is not terrible either and neither is Atlanta.
Out of all the cities I mentioned for nightlife and "young professionals", I'd rate Chicago first, then Philadelphia/Las Vegas (they don't have a ton of variance in their nightlife like Chicago and Philadelphia do)/New Orleans (although crazy it is still a small city in reality) then Dallas/Atlanta, then Minneapolis/Denver/portland/seattle perhaps...
I'm willing to spend about $1,000 on rent and food for about $300 a month. I prefer not to have a car. I like biking or having a Vespa as a safe alternative. I don't believe in TV and all I need is Internet.
You need to sit and rethink your budget. You'll have more than two entries on your budget, such as utilities, internet access, cell phone costs and public transit costs for starters. Then there's entertainment (bars, restaurants, concerts, etc) and miscellaneous incidentals like clothing or other non-food items. Plus $300 a month for food breaks down to a bit over $10 per day. Unless you plan on living on fast food Dollar Menus (and an early grave) you may want to rethink that too.
$300 month is plenty if you cook for yourself most of the time.
Would the OP prefer larger cities with good transit or smaller cities that can be navigated with a bike/scooter. What about climate? Outdoor and cultural amenities?
The problem with these is that they pretty much all require a car. New Orleans is perhaps the best one up there but it's still not great. Some have public transit systems, but in no way are they even close to the most reaching of the US.
SO, in that case if you don't want to own a car, here's a list of cities you could afford that have adequate public transit:
* Chicago
* Philadelphia
* Seattle
* Portland
* Denver
* Minneapolis
* Milwaukee
Out of these, Chicago has the largest public transit, followed by Philly, then Portland/Seattle and then Denver, etc. Chicago and Philly would be easiest to not own a car in out of all. Philadelphia, Chicago, and Seattle all have similar cost of living and probably the most out of these, then followed by the others (Portland probably next in line as most expensive).
Carfree in Denver, Minneapolis, or Milwaukee is easier than Atlanta? I don't know about that...
Raleigh North Carolina. It's consistently ranked in the top 5 cities for new college graduates
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