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Hello! I'm looking for some suggestions on where to move with my fiance. I've had some random ideas for various places but so far none of them have quite panned out when I do more digging. I'm hoping to get more information from people that actually live there rather than just the general data I've been finding. I apologize in advance for the book below.
We currently live in Omaha, NE and while it's home we're beginning to dislike some aspects. We would like to move this next Spring.
- We are in our mid-twenties and the biggest factor would probably be cost of living. We would prefer somewhere with a similar cost of living or only slightly higher. We would likely rent for a year when we find a place to move to, to confirm we really like it and then would plan to buy a house. I think the very top of our budget would be $200,000, though preferably we would want something less. We don't need a large home, it;s just going to be the two of us, so even if a place in that range is 800-1200 sq ft that would be more than enough (our current place is 900 sq ft with a basement).
- My fiance currently works in Inventory Management for a hospital and has a degree in Psychology (but no work history in the field unfortunately - but I know some places just care that you have a degree more so than what it's in). I do not have a degree, have worked mostly in Customer Service along with Receptionist/Admin Assistant duties. I'm currently doing Purchasing work for a hospital so I could possibly find something in that area too.
- Besides cost of living, our next biggest factor is finding somewhere with a better climate. Our humidity isn't quite as bad as say Florida, but it is pretty humid in the summer and while we don't want a completely arid, desert climate, we would prefer somewhere that is a little less humid. Our winters have been pretty light on snow, but they have been pretty bitterly cold the past few years. A milder winter would be preferred, but we could get by with a snowy or cold winter for the right place if it's otherwise pleasant year round - especially if it means we can still enjoy four seasons.
- Somewhere more scenic would be amazing. We'd ideally like to live near mountains and possibly some cleaner rivers - the ones here seem pretty polluted. We enjoy hiking and would like to get into kayaking/rafting etc. Greenery/vicinity to a National Forest/National Park is also a huge plus as we don't have anything like that near us. Bike trails especially in town would be nice, as my fiance does enjoy biking.
- Safety is of course important, but it seems at least based on data that our crime rate here is higher than a lot of places, and is higher than the national average so most suggestions will probably be fine in that regard.
- The size of the city isn't too important, as long as we are able to get jobs within the city. Our current population here is I think roughly about 450,000. Unless a city bigger than that didn't feel too congested, I don't think we'd enjoy it as we already feel it can get overcrowded here (I know it's nothing compared to an actual major city)
- Politics/Religion aren't a huge deal nor is the ability to make friends, though it would be good that the locals don't actively dislike strangers. We're both introverts and generally follow a 'live and let live as long as it isn't hurting anyone else' policy.
For areas we'd been considering: We've gone on vacation to Montana the past few years and have seen Missoula, Kalispell and the area around Glacier National Park. We were only there during August but the drier kind of heat was much more agreeable than our humid summer heat. I know depending on where you're at it sounds like some of the winters can be harsh, but possibly not too much worse than what we see here. I'm unsure if there's anywhere in MT that might fit the bill but we did enjoy the summer climate at least.
We've also looked at Idaho but I'm not sure anything outside of Boise would be able to support us job wise and Boise's housing market sounds like it's getting out of our range.
While the Pacific Northwest is more humid and likely a pipe dream in terms of affordability (and maybe not even that great in reality for all I know), as far as mountains and greenery go, it seems undeniably beautiful.
Once again, thank you for reading that book of a post, and any suggestions you could provide would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure there's no magical city that ticks off all the boxes, and that's ok. I just appreciate some guidance and honest opinions from people that actually live in or know of the areas they're suggesting.
Spokane, WA could be worth considering as it has great access to the outdoors and is a middle sized city somewhat smaller than Omaha. It is very different from Seattle despite being in the same state.
In the Pacific Northwest, humidity and heat generally are not present at the same time. Typically it is dry and sunny when temperatures rise to high levels, and it cools off at night considerably.
I’ve mostly only been to Rapid City when passing through but I might have to give it a look - my only concern would be it’s so close that it might not be too different from where I’m at now but I could be wrong of course.
I’ve never considered Spokane, and I’m glad to hear it’s not often hot and humid at the same time. I’ll definitely look more closely at it! Have you lived there/know much about what it’s like?
As others have said, the Pacific Northwest is your best bet if you want less humidity, not an extremely hot/deserty climate, but a similar COL. Of course, avoid coastal cities like Seattle and Portland like the plague.
Spokane is a really good choice. Another one would be Boise, ID.
I’ve mostly only been to Rapid City when passing through but I might have to give it a look - my only concern would be it’s so close that it might not be too different from where I’m at now but I could be wrong of course.
I’ve never considered Spokane, and I’m glad to hear it’s not often hot and humid at the same time. I’ll definitely look more closely at it! Have you lived there/know much about what it’s like?
I was born and raised in the Omaha area and moved to Rapid City eight years ago. I love it. It's definitely different from Omaha. You'll know you're not in the Midwest. It's usually less humid, but not so dry that your nose bleeds. The Black Hills are awesome, and if you need time in taller mountains, the Bighorns are only three and a half hours away. The job market can be a little challenging, depending on what you're looking for, but the cost of living isn't too bad. Food seems a little more expensive and it's taxed, but there's no state income tax or personal property tax. Overall, it evens out.
The Tri-Cities area of Washington is another good choice on the dry side of the Cascades, along with Spokane. Otherwise there are lots of really nice small cities east of the Cascade Mountains that are really affordable and can give you a wonderful lifestyle if you don't mind a small city. Wenatchee, Yakima, Hood River/The Dalles, Walla Walla, Baker City/La Grande, Klamath Falls. Bend would be ideal but it is probably outside of your affordability range. Medford, Oregon is also a great place that isn't too rainy or humid but is also a bit dear these days.
If I were in your situation I would see where your fiance can get a decent job and rent to try things out. The economic cycle is probably at a peak so if you're patient you can probably buy something on the next dip once you've figured out where you want to be.
You didn't say what part of Omaha you live in - I think west Omaha has the highest class feel for the cost of living of anywhere I've ever been. There are plenty of places with similar or cheaper COL, but most of them don't feel as "nice" which may or may not matter to you. The price you pay is Nebraska weather lol.
That said, I would consider Rapid City, SD or Twin Falls, ID if you are able to find work in those markets. Maybe Cheyenne, WY or Billings, MT but the winters might not be to your liking.
I was born and raised in the Omaha area and moved to Rapid City eight years ago. I love it. It's definitely different from Omaha. You'll know you're not in the Midwest. It's usually less humid, but not so dry that your nose bleeds. The Black Hills are awesome, and if you need time in taller mountains, the Bighorns are only three and a half hours away. The job market can be a little challenging, depending on what you're looking for, but the cost of living isn't too bad. Food seems a little more expensive and it's taxed, but there's no state income tax or personal property tax. Overall, it evens out.
Thank you for that insight, especially as an Omaha native! I’ll definitely give Rapid City a closer look !
The Tri-Cities area of Washington is another good choice on the dry side of the Cascades, along with Spokane. Otherwise there are lots of really nice small cities east of the Cascade Mountains that are really affordable and can give you a wonderful lifestyle if you don't mind a small city. Wenatchee, Yakima, Hood River/The Dalles, Walla Walla, Baker City/La Grande, Klamath Falls. Bend would be ideal but it is probably outside of your affordability range. Medford, Oregon is also a great place that isn't too rainy or humid but is also a bit dear these days.
If I were in your situation I would see where your fiance can get a decent job and rent to try things out. The economic cycle is probably at a peak so if you're patient you can probably buy something on the next dip once you've figured out where you want to be.
Definitely our plan to try and line up jobs and rent first before committing. Klamath Falls seems like a viable option especially if we can get work at the hospital there. I’ll reach out on the Oregon and Washington forum for more details, but I really appreciate these suggestions!
Bend seems lovely but a bit out of our range at this point in life. Medford may be doable though with a bit of luck and maybe some compromise on our part.
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