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By the end of this year my fiancee will be graduating school as a RN. Once she graduates we will be ready to move out of Wisconsin, we are sick of these winters here (This year was the breaker for us)
We have been trying to decide of possible places to move to. Not freezing cold winters but not scorching hot summers either. Something with nice surroundings and not boring and flat.
Ive always wanted to wake up and look outside to see mountains, or be surrounded in woods. Something where the cities big enough to have all the amenities we need (Like high speed internet lol, a big grocery store etc) but not huge where your stuck with the horrible rush hour commutes. (Metro Milwaukee is about 2 million.. something equal or less then this, definitely not bigger!) A place where crime is not bad, and the cost of living isn't ridiculously high and good schools (I have a 4 year old)
Does such a place exist for us? Anyone have any ideas?
Nashville? It has a more moderate climate than most of the Southeast, a relatively low COL, is hilly, and has several large lakes for recreation.
Just make sure that your fiancee' has a job secured before you move. People sometimes assume that there is a nursing shortage and that being an RN is a golden ticket to a high paying job anywhere in the country. However, especially in recent years, healthcare companies have had to really tighten their belts and cut back on hiring. Meanwhile, the nursing shortage myth persists, meaning that every state in the country is cranking out new RNs at a rapid clip, and many of them are not able to find work when they graduate. Be aware that wherever you move, your fiancee' will be competing with a bunch of new grads who already live there, not to mention the older, more experienced nurses who are looking for work. Trust me, I have been an RN for almost 24 years and I see this everyday. There are nurses in my area who are new grads with their BSN and are lucky to find part-time work in a nursing home. Yet where I work, we are expected to do the work of two nurses to save money, and this is pretty much getting to be the rule everywhere, not the exception. There is NO nursing shortage in the U.S. right now at all.
What I'm trying to get through to you here is, do not move anywhere without having secured a job first, because there is no guarantee that there will be one waiting for you, even in healthcare.
I'd suggest Louisville. The winters are mild compared to Wisconsin and the summer aren't as hot as in the Deep South, yet there are still four seasons. The city offers a lot in terms of recreation and entertainment. You'd have the hills and forest of bluegrass country in your backyard, and the Appellations are just a sort drive to the east.
On the downside, the obesity and smoking rates are high, but at least that means that there'll be no shortage of work for an RN.
Ha! Yes, two or three! We are a small state with lots of rural countryside, but Little Rock has a decent sized metro, and Northwest Arkansas is a nice small metro of 500k which is actually one of the faster growing metros in the country. Its no big city though, which is what I like about it.
NWA (as we call it) is home to the University of Arkansas, Crystal Bridges Museum, the (da-duj-DUHN) Walton Family (and most of their personal projects and philanthropy) friendly people, lush green hillsides, lakes, great hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, a true four-season climate and a great economy.
We're basically four overgrown small towns, but with big city jobs and some big city amenities and lots of capital and start-ups. Oh, and four Fortune 500 companies headquartered here, including the Fortune #1.
The rural aspect combined with sophistication is what draws many people here to retire or to raise their families. And its why we left Austin and moved here.
Northwest Arkansas metro, 500k people, Ozarks, good economy, good schools, lakes, some snow and some winter, but nothing like up north.
The metro is comprised of four large towns. Traffic is ok, crime seems low.
Thanks for the replies. Ive looked into this area and so did my Fiancee and we both are genuinely interested. I also have an old family friend who moved down to Cherokee Village about 15 years ago and talked with her and she absolutely loves it there compared to Wisconsin.
We plan on coming out in a few months and staying for a few days ( a mini vacation, its only a 10 hour drive from Wisconsin) and check everything out.
One thing im very interested is the ATV Trails. Are there plentiful trails, are are they crowded or not bad? Its something i always really enjoyed doing when i headed up to northern Wisconsin (Even exploring old logging trails / roads) But unfortunately for me was rather limited as i live just outside of Milwaukee, and only get the chance a few times a year.
Regarding ATV trails in Northwest Arkansas, we have large areas of Ozark National Forest where some ATV use trails are. Look at this link and you will be looking at "Boston Mountain District" Map A. For reference, see Devil's Den State Park on the north edge of that map. Devil's Den is about 20 minutes south of Fayetteville, which is the largest city in the metro here.
Devil's Den has great hiking and some beautiful overlooks, crevices and caves, and a small man-made lake. In the video I posted above, the :15 mark is actually the overlook on Yellow Rock Trail at Devil's Den State Park, right outside Fayetteville.
Hope you enjoy your visit! Feel free to stop by the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers forum if you have any more questions.
Northern arizona. Sholoh is absolutely beautiful with mild weather. Kalispel montana. Personally my favorite place. Amazingly temperate weather and a small town atmosphere. Living there is pretty cheap.
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