Cities/Towns with job opportunites and nearby outdoor recreation? (homes, job outlook)
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Okay, let me preface this by explaining what type of place I am asking about. I am talking smaller cities/towns, so no SF, LA, Denver, Boston, etc. I am also not talking about suburbs of those types of cities. I am looking for cities that are "stand-alone", so to speak, but not too large. Somewhere that you could find jobs in something other than tourism. By nearby outdoor recreation, I am talking places within say, 1-2 hours away, the closer the better. They can be mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, or whatever else you guys may think of. I am not looking for anything too specific, so whatever cities and places you can think of would be great.
Now, I am not looking at these places as somewhere to move anytime soon, this is just something my wife and I would like to look into for our future. We would like to find a place like this that we may be able to eventually settle down. We are, however, more interested in certain areas of the country. I'm not going to name every state we may consider or anything like that, but for the most part we are looking at New England, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, the Mountain West, and Pacific West. We do not want to be in the south, southwest, or any of the plains type states.
So, with that being said, what cities/towns do you guys know of that may fit this? We are looking at any places that looks good, so all suggestions will be appreciated!
I have been to Colorado Springs, and enjoyed the area, but we are looking for a place smaller than that. The Boise area might be something to look at, but I could never do SLC. As beautiful as it is, my wife and I are both atheist/agnostic, and don't want to live anywhere that religious. I will look into Boise though, as I never really have before.
Grand Rapids-Holland-Grand Haven Michigan. 3% unemployment, solid job outlook continuing. They make up the bulk of Michigan's "Gold coast" and all of the recreation that comes with that. Not to mention all the state parks, inland lakes and easy access to Northern Michigan's wilderness and plentiful recreation opportunities. Also if you like craft beer, well there's that too.
Grand Rapids-Holland-Grand Haven Michigan. 3% unemployment, solid job outlook continuing. They make up the bulk of Michigan's "Gold coast" and all of the recreation that comes with that. Not to mention all the state parks, inland lakes and easy access to Northern Michigan's wilderness and plentiful recreation opportunities. Also if you like craft beer, well there's that too.
Sold!
It is definitely worth looking into. We don't mind the cold, and Michigan obviously gets a fantastic fall season and has great summers. I haven't done much research on the area though, so I will add to my list!
State College, PA has a number of different industries not all connected directly with the university. Mountain biking, hiking, hunting are big in the area, but you probably won't constantly be asked what church you attend. With bike paths, detached or newer complex housing, and much new construction, it feels more like a mountain West community or perhaps an outer DC suburb, than it does the tired old industrial towns with shabby rowhomes for 150 miles around it. There are even enough roads now to avoid the undergraduate party scene, folks who were last there 50 or even 20 years ago don't recognize the place.
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