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Please help me! I'm driving myself insane. I've been researching and researching new places but, there's so many and so much information I'm having a hard time finding my dream city (if it actually exists). It seems like every week I change the city that I'm going to move to. Last week it was Atlanta (midtown) but, now I'm not sure. It seems like it might be a transient city like Vegas. And in Vegas there are so many people coming and going it's hard to find a job and meet people.
Please help me find my dream city :-)
A little about me:
-27, white, female, single
-BS in Accounting
-CPA
-Over 5 years accounting experience
-I was raised in Vegas but I hate the heat and the no sense of community.
-I currently live near Yosemite National Park in California, love it here but, it's very small and no job opportunities or husband opportunities :-)
My dream city:
-4 seasons, but mild winter and summer. I don't want a harsh winter nor a HOT summer. I'm not sure if I can handle super high humidity (I currently live with avg humidity of 30-50%) or rain all year (like Seattle)
-Near some type of water: lake, river, ocean
-Great green scenery
-Low cost of living
-Low crime rate
-Great job opportunities
-Accountant salary range $50,000 - 60,000
-1 br rent less than $1,200
-A sense of community- It doesn't have to be a large city or a small town, but some where I'll know the locals. I love being able to go to the bar or the grocery store and knowing someone. I lived in Vegas for over 12 years and I don't think we ever really met our neighbors.
-A place where it's easy to meet people
-Great culture and history
-things to do
-some what urban.
-I would love to live somewhere where I could walk to starbucks, the bars, shopping, park, and so on. Either downtown or in a small town
-Great shopping (at least within an hour drive)
-professional single men :-) I would like to get married one of these days :-)
I know this is a lot to ask for but, I thought if there was my dream city out there I better at least try to find out. I can do as much as research as I want but, it seems like people’s opinions are a little bit more reality than reports
1. I think Atlanta has enough long-term residents that you'd be able to make friends and settle down. There is some transiency, but there are also LOTS of people who stay put. It's all a matter of choosing the right neighborhood. If Atlanta's a city you really like, don't give up on it so easily.
2. For mild climates, your best bet would be either the Middle States or the Rockies region.
The Middle Atlantic States have four seasons, but they don't get too cold in the winter, and not nearly as hot/humid as their far-south counterparts...I'd suggest looking at maybe some cities in KY, TN, NC, MD, or VA. On the note of Rockies...perhaps Colorado, although it may be a bit cold for your tastes (but still not as bad as the midwest or northeast).
You should be able to find plenty of cute, walkable cities in any of the states I mentioned.
Well if your willing to compromise on weather, Omaha fits it all. We have a huge sense of community here, our job market is vibrant, and we have several corporations that need accountants (Mutual of Omaha, Woodmen of the World, First National Bank, Union Pacific etc.) Though we really have 4 seasons, summer gets up to 105 rarely and we are pretty humid (dont know percentages sorry) and in the winter it rarely gets into the negatives. For a plus, you could probably get a much cheaper rent for a 1 br.
Id recommend Naperville, IL if you can handle the cold winters and occasional spells of high humidity. Highs in the winter are around what Vegas gets at night in winter, summers are pretty pleasant most of the year. You shouldnt have a problem finding a job in your area nor finding a place to rent in your price range. Its got 150K people, so you might not get to meet a ton of people, but when I lived there we met our neighbors quickly and they were wonderful. So nice in fact that we were hesitant to move. Anyways, it sounds like it has all the requirements you looked for, minus the few things I thought might be iffy to you. There is 2 Metra stations in town that can whisk you to Chicago for a big night in the big city, and all the professional young men that you can shake a stick at. lol There are also several clubs in downtown that you can hang out at and mingle if you dont want to leave town. Just an idea.....
Highs in the winter are around what Vegas gets at night in winter
Vegas nights in the winter are usually in the upper 30s...I think the average daytime high for Chicago in January is 28, so it's somewhat similar. But IL still tends to a feel a lot colder than 28 (it's not uncommon for windchill to knock the temperatures down to 0 or even below). Eh, I wouldn't say that they're mild winters, and this year was especially harsh.
It could otherwise maybe fit, due to the greenery and longtime residents.
Well, except for the urban feel thing, I would say somewhere in Oklahoma or Arkansas might fit your climate requirements and neighborhood type requirements. There are some absolutely beautiful lakes near Tulsa and Sand Springs. The scenery in Hot Springs is fabulous (national park winding through the middle of town) but it is a little small (but growing). Maybe St Louis, MO for more of an urban feel but it gets more cold weather.
Not so sure about other cities, but I believe that Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Little Rock are somewhat urban, right? They appear to have strong skylines for their size.
I haven't been to any of the three though, so I couldn't really say what they're like.
Vegas nights in the winter are usually in the upper 30s...I think the average daytime high for Chicago in January is 28, so it's somewhat similar. But IL still tends to a feel a lot colder than 28 (it's not uncommon for windchill to knock the temperatures down to 0 or even below). Eh, I wouldn't say that they're mild winters, and this year was especially harsh.
It could otherwise maybe fit, due to the greenery and longtime residents.
Well, according to weatherbase, Vegas' lows in winter in December and January are in the lower 30s, which is around the highs in December, and February here. And yes, youre correct, our average high in January is 28-30 degrees. Youre also correct about this past winter, what a beast! Not terribly cold, but incredibly snowy.
The 4 Seasons, but 'mild' winter and summer is a deal breaker.
Washington DC
Atlanta
Charlotte
It may be too humid in each of these cities in the summer. But, anywhere, ANYWHERE you go there will be weather extremes.
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Not terribly cold, but incredibly snowy.
