need out of the midwest - best suggestions (apartment, condos)

[Claytonlamb]

Hello all

I been living on the north side of Chicago for two years and in my own opinion this city is very overrated.
I grew up in the mid west, a tick shy from 31, somewhat conservative quiet kind of guy. I am gay but I am not letting that decide where to move too. I am not the out and proud type, just a low key guy here.

I been doing research up and down and overwhelmed. Every-time I decide on a city I change my mind quickly after doing more research.

Below are my deciding factors:

I need a place that has natural beauty, has mountains or hills/hiking near by. Within a hour distance. I'm an outdoorsy person - I like being with nature, taking photographs, hiking camping etc. Illinois is hands down an ugly state.

Affordable - Living like a fratboy in a crappy apartment I can not do anymore, I don't do room mates and for what I pay for a one bedroom here I could have a house mortgage in some cities. By affordable I mean under 120k home. It can be townhome or small house, I don't need large living quarters.

Short winters - I can not stand the cold windy winters Chicago has anymore. It's April here and were still rockin' the heat.

Nice down to earth people - everyone in Chicago is so stressed out, in a hurry types. I find the city is every clicky (hipsters, city types, liberal types) making it hard to really connect with anyone.

Near by interesting things to do , see, and cities - 3 day weekends or short day trips.

I am a car guy and here having a nice car is like a nightmare (high gas, tolls, potholes, speed cameras, traffic etc). I like taking short road trips. I'd like to be able to drive somewhere with out seeing road rage on a daily occurrence.

I have thought about the following cities. Nashville and Denver.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Dawn.Davenport]

Be careful what you wish for. I once was desperate to leave Chicago too, but now I can't wait to move back to the Midwest; it really is the best bang for your buck.

But anyway: outdoorsy, car-friendly, cheap gas, cheap housing, not too cold, down-to-earth people, and good road-trip-potential...hummmm.

I think Birmingham, Alabama could be a good option, particularly if you're straight-up conservative. It's very cheap, pretty, and close to some beautiful mountains. Alabama-style BBQ is a little-known treasure, and who can beat Alabama biscuits?

Pittsburgh might be an option. They still definitively have winter but it's not as bad as Chicago. Pitt otherwise has everything you have on your list. The people there are super laid back, and it's a gorgeous city. The cost of living is very low considering everything the city has to offer. It's close to the Midwest, close to the South, and close to the East Coast. You'll still have to contend with potholes, though.

Sacramento might be an option too. The weather is mild, and you're a short drive from San Francisco, the ocean, the Sierra Nevadas, Tahoe, and Yosemite. You'd be a day's drive from Death Valley, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles too. Though, Sacramento is going to pricier than Pittsburgh and Birmingham, but it's still cheaper than the Northside of Chicago.

[projectmaximus]

It's not everyones cup of tea but perhaps Atlanta. It's got mountains and hiking nearby, certainly not cold winters and very affordable. Also very large gay population, even if it's not a top factor.

Traffic sucks and short road trip options are decent but not great.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Claytonlamb

Hello all

I been living on the north side of Chicago for two years and in my own opinion this city is very overrated.
I grew up in the mid west, a tick shy from 31, somewhat conservative quiet kind of guy. I am gay but I am not letting that decide where to move too. I am not the out and proud type, just a low key guy here.

I been doing research up and down and overwhelmed. Every-time I decide on a city I change my mind quickly after doing more research.

Below are my deciding factors:

I need a place that has natural beauty, has mountains or hills/hiking near by. Within a hour distance. I'm an outdoorsy person - I like being with nature, taking photographs, hiking camping etc. Illinois is hands down an ugly state.

Affordable - Living like a fratboy in a crappy apartment I can not do anymore, I don't do room mates and for what I pay for a one bedroom here I could have a house mortgage in some cities. By affordable I mean under 120k home. It can be townhome or small house, I don't need large living quarters.

Short winters - I can not stand the cold windy winters Chicago has anymore. It's April here and were still rockin' the heat.

Nice down to earth people - everyone in Chicago is so stressed out, in a hurry types. I find the city is every clicky (hipsters, city types, liberal types) making it hard to really connect with anyone.

Near by interesting things to do , see, and cities - 3 day weekends or short day trips.

I am a car guy and here having a nice car is like a nightmare (high gas, tolls, potholes, speed cameras, traffic etc). I like taking short road trips. I'd like to be able to drive somewhere with out seeing road rage on a daily occurrence.

I have thought about the following cities. Nashville and Denver.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

As someone who has lived through similar circumstances (and also happen to be gay) I get where you're coming from. Given your personal criteria for more outdoorsy along with affordable (nice selection of homes or condos under 120K), nice people, moderate climate and decent proximity for road trips I would recommend North Carolina cities such as Durham, Greensboro or Winston Salem. I lived in that area for many years and miss it greatly but unfortunately it's not in the cards currently given my occupation/job.

[ckhthankgod]

Knoxville TN may work too.