Leaving North East, looking for a small town with a good economy and close to state parks (home, buy)

[S.Douglass335]

Hi,
I'm currently living in the North Eastern United States (which is where I've lived my whole life) and I'm looking for a change of pace in the next 2-3 years. I don't have many criteria but the ones I have are pretty flexible:

- small town
- clean
- gay friendly (I'm not overly flamboyant or looking for a relationship but it would be nice)
- good economy or less than an hour away from a smaller metropolitan area that is growing at a steady rate
- in the continental USA
- less than an hour away from state parks
- architecture or historical relevance would be neat
- money isn't a problem (I don't have much of a price range but less than $500,000 for a home would be nice)

It's just me, two cats and a dog and we're not picky! I don't mind any kind of climate; I enjoy a good thunderstorm every now and again and I wouldn't mind being snowed in over the winters or having to deal with humidity. Also, high-speed internet would definitely be preferable but hey, that's just about everywhere now. It might be worth mentioning that I'm currently in Law school and will be looking for a job with a practice when I graduate.

Like I said, I'm very flexible even in my criteria. I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks!

[mark1988]

Are you a liberal or conservative? (outside of the gay thing. my brother is a gay republican and more right wing than me LOL)

If you're liberal, Sonoma County in California. Sebastopol is a quirky little town and it's an easy drive down into Frisco (SF) or Oakland/Berkeley. Lots of quirky people and quirky architecure. I am sure there are law jobs to be had but the commute to SF would take a little while. You can live in Marin which is also beautiful but very suburban.


If you're a conservative, San Marcos or New Braunfels, Texas. Both are in between San Antonio and Austin in the Hill Country of Texas which is amazingly beautiful. They are quirky and fun little towns. San Marcos is more of a small city with a big college and lots of Spanish Mission stuff, and New Braunfels is a resort town settled by Germans. Has a lot of German architecure and culture and some families still speak a German dialect.


Santa Fe, NM is also a beautiful and historic city (oldest in the USA) with lots of culture. Definitely gay friendly. Tons of nature all around and unlike other parts of the Southwest it gets cold which I like. TONS of nature all around, forests, mountains etc. lots of little villages in the surroundings you can live in that look stuck in time and are inhabited by the original Spaniards that settled the area 500 years ago.


If you're more of a northerner, Northville and South Lyons in Michigan are historic towns, they are commuter suburbs in between Ann Arbor and metro Detroit so lots of job opportunity but they still have some charm and haven't just become anywhere Midwestern suburb USA.

[bluescreen73]

I'd go with Santa Fe, NM, or Buena Vista, CO. The OP wants access to state parks, and Texas has very little in the way of public land.

[mark1988]

Yes, but the Hill Country has tons of outdoorsy oppurtunities.


If you're not conservative and you like the SW, New Mexico is your best bet. Colorado is nice but it is so packed with tourists these days and people from other states that it kind of feels fake.

If you're a snow/northern boy, go with MI. Freshwater beaches, forests, mini mountains, professional jobs (the MI economy is only bad if you're blue collar) and so incredibly cheap. You can buy a mansion in an elite suburb for $250k

[ckhthankgod]

Where in the Northeast are you leaving and are you essentially just looking for something similar in a different region?

[S.Douglass335]

Originally Posted by mark1988

Are you a liberal or conservative? (outside of the gay thing. my brother is a gay republican and more right wing than me LOL)

I'm pretty middle-of-the-road but leaning left, I'd say. I currently live in a pretty conservative town, but I don't actively dislike that aspect of the place.

I mentioned my sexuality because it would be nice to see other gay folks holding hands or eating at a restaurant without turning all the heads in the place. Like I said though, I'm not looking for a relationship or anything so it isn't like I'd be facing discrimination if I moved somewhere conservative.

Thanks so much for your suggestions so far, everyone!

[S.Douglass335]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Where in the Northeast are you leaving and are you essentially just looking for something similar in a different region?

I'm in central Pennsylvania right now. It would be fine to find something similar in a different region, but I'd also like to experience something different, too. There's no real economic boom here and it's mostly filled with farmers who have literally never left this town, and Mennonite folks. Both are friendly bunches but this isn't really the lifestyle that I'm looking for, if you know what I mean.

[nightlysparrow]

Palm Springs, CA

[mjlo]

Rockford MI, East Grand Rapids MI, Saugatuck MI, or Grand Haven MI from the peanut gallery over here.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

In CA, I'd add Folsom and Chico, or even Auburn and Placerville. I think you'd love living in Davis, but it's not that close to state parks.

Also, you might really enjoy Eureka. My only hesitation about Eureka is that I've heard the homeless problem is pretty bad. But, it's got great architecture, lots going on, very liberal, university town (in Arcata next door), and at the coast, so you'd have both the redwood forests and the beach close by.

Same goes for Santa Cruz - all of the above regarding Eureka, but without as much interesting architecture.