Progressive, walkable, artsy town...anywhere USA (for sale, real estate, rentals)

[LaneWay]

I am looking to relocate with my 3 young children. Really we can go anywhere but I would prefer somewhere in the Northeast since that's where most of my family is located.
I would like to be able to walk to stores, parks, etc. I have a car but it would be amazing if I didn't have to use it most days. My kids and I love being outdoors, snow if fine, extreme heat and humidity is not (just as small reason as to why I want to leave Georgia). Opportunities for my kids to be involved in the arts is also very important. Of course good schools are on my 'wish list' as well.
Now here comes the part that is going to make this difficult, my budget. I do not have an exact number as of yet but my budget is very small. Right now a small 2 bedroom with a decent yard would suit us just fine but I couldn't afford more than $250k for a house.
Please let me know what info I've left out that might make it easier for you guys to give recommendations. Thank you

[jessemh431]

Do you have a preference for a state? Preference of being near water or mountains?

[blueskywalker]

You're still going to experience heat and humidity in the northeast although i imagine it's worse in Georgia.

I would suggest that you look at the various college towns in New England. I think college towns can be really good places to raise a family. The school systems tend to be good, the people tend to be more progressive (even in rural areas) and there will be cultural and educational opportunities that you won't easily find in other communities of the same size. And they tend to be relatively safe it seems.

Also, a town that has a good college in it will have some wealth that other towns of similar sizes don't always have. That has its plusses and minuses but if you can find a good and affordable home in a more up-scale community, it has its benefits. Better schools, better infrastructure, safer, etc. I realize i'm generalizing but there are advantages to being around wealth because people who have money are often quite demanding and want the best so to be a non-wealthy person in relatively wealthy community can be a benefit.

I used to live in Hanover, N.H. (that's where Dartmouth College is) but i was looking at the Trulia web site for home listings and it's just very expensive.
Then i looked at Burlington, Vermont and the affordable homes didn't look so desirable. There are condos in your price range but i'm assuming that you want a single family home.

Then i went to Middlebury, Vermont (Middlebury College) and there are actually a few properties that are in your price range.
Middlebury, VT Real Estate & Homes for Sale | Trulia

Trulia is a good way to get a sense of the prices of homes even if you don't use the site. Similar with craigslist .... a good way to learn what rentals are generally going for.

Northampton, MA (Smith College) is another place to consider. A friend of mine bought a nice and spacious 2 bedroom (plus a totally renovated and usable basement) with a huge yard and big old beautiful trees. This was many years ago (early 2000's) but i remember that he paid about 130K for the home.
Northampton Homes for sale - Massachusetts real estate | Trulia

I don't know if you need / want to be near a major city or if you like rural settings. I think raising kids in a progressive community and in a natural environment is ideal. That's the best of both worlds. Nature and clean air and arts and educational opportunities, etc..

There are good college town all over New England. For whatever reasons, Middlebury (much more rural and small) and Northampton came to my mind. And Northampton is fairly close to Boston which is great. Trips to the city for even more cultural stuff is good. I'd seriously consider Northampton.

[LaneWay]

Originally Posted by jessemh431

Do you have a preference for a state? Preference of being near water or mountains?

Well right now I am 16 hours away from my family in Northern NJ so anything under 4 hours away is ideal. But
I am willing to be farther away than that if the location has more of what my family and I want in a 'hometown.' So no, no specific state. Water is great, mountains are great but no preference for either.

[jessemh431]

Yes, definitely look into college towns. Idk neighborhoods enough in the college towns of the Northeast as I know some can be dicey, but overall, they're your best bet.

[Republic of Michigan]

Rehoboth Beach, DE,
Asheville, NC
Ann Arbor, MI
Saguatuck, MI
Madison, WI
Sante Fe, NM
Taos, NM
Fredricksburg, TX
Cody, WY
Gatlinburg, TN
Delray Beach, FL
Sag Harbor, NY
Manitou Springs, CO
Stockbridge, MA

[ckhthankgod]

Ithaca NY is another place that could work. Very diverse school district with a 94% graduation rate, has 2 colleges(including Ivy League Cornell University), it is on Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes, has a pretty good bus system and is walkable.

Oneonta NY may also work and it is within 4 hours of NNJ. It also has 2 colleges, good schools, walkability, a bus system, an orchestra and is in the foothills of the Catskills.

Maybe not "progressive", but Corning NY with the Corning Museum of Glass being free to kids under either 16 or 18, there is the Rockwell Museum of American Art, it is home to Fortune 500 Corning Incorporated, it is walkable, has good schools and it has the Orchestra of the Finger Lakes.

You could perhaps look into some neighborhoods in the bigger metros or in smaller cities in Upstate NY as well. For instance, you may be able to live in a suburb in close proximity to a city with an area with an artsy vibe like DeWitt near Syracuse's East Side, near Syracuse University and the Westcott neighborhood or Vestal near Binghamton. Areas of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy like Ballston Spa or Saratoga Springs. There's communities like Hamilton, Clinton, Oswego or Cortland that have colleges within 4 hours of NNJ.

[jessemh431]

I don't have kids and possibly never will, so I have no idea what school districts are like. But I hear Upstate NY has really good school systems as a general rule. Can anyone vouch for that? The cities are generally quite affordable and compact.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by jessemh431

I don't have kids and possibly never will, so I have no idea what school districts are like. But I hear Upstate NY has really good school systems as a general rule. Can anyone vouch for that? The cities are generally quite affordable and compact.

Generally speaking, yes. Within the bigger cities, you have select public schools that are fine, as well as charter and private options. Smaller cities are generally OK to very good, depending on the district and many also have private and to a lesser degree, charter options. Suburban/small town district are generally fine to some of the best maybe in the country, again depending upon the district.

Ironically, the most acclaimed high school in the state many times by some publications has been Buffalo's City Honors School, a 5th to 12th grade magnet school. So, it is a matter of doing your research and what you are looking for.

[Podo944]

Seriously this should be a sticky!