City with Best Income to Cost of Living ratio? (real estate, rent)

[magusat999]

I want to move out of California - unless there is a better place in California than where I live now. I'm wondering if there is a place in these United States where I can get a fresh start. Problem is - I am not in possession of a lot of money. I have $100,000.00 in my retirement that I would cash out immediately if I could find a place that met my conditions!

One of the most important thing is cost of living to income. I don't want to move somewhere where the houses are dirt cheap, but a person cannot find a decent wage (or job). I live in the inverse and I don't want that either(the income you can earn is high, but the cost of living is so improportionately higher that a higher salary is useless and wasted on basic living). I'd like to be near, but not necessarily in, a decent sized city. I'd like to live around progressive people - people who are generally racially harmonious ("tolerant" is not good enough). I'd like to be where there are virtually no natural disaters or prolonged periods of extreme weather (no flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, blizzards... I live in California so even though it's known as earthquake country but we rarely have them - unlike other places who get an emergency situation every year). I didn't grow up with that and cannot live that way. I don't want to live near dangerous animals or killer insects either. And lastly, the area should have "grown up" technilogically - like have decent internet service, and doesn't have to have someone flown in for basic services. I should be able to keep up with the latest technology and know people who can converse on that level...

Does anyone know such a place? Or am I barking up the wrong country?

[2Adam29]

I hate to gt shouted down for this, but Omaha fits your description, but we have an occasional tornado, and snowfall varies from year to year. We have very low cost of living and plenty of job opportunities.
making 30,000 a year in LA moving to Omaha gives you $5,720 extra disposible income. (according to Salary.com) We have amenities of a larger city, but a small town feel. Omaha is also the most liberal section of Nebraska. If yo have any other problems or questions, let me know.

[magusat999]

Originally Posted by 2Adam29

I hate to gt shouted down for this, but Omaha fits your description, but we have an occasional tornado, and snowfall varies from year to year. We have very low cost of living and plenty of job opportunities.
making 30,000 a year in LA moving to Omaha gives you $5,720 extra disposible income. (according to Salary.com) We have amenities of a larger city, but a small town feel. Omaha is also the most liberal section of Nebraska. If yo have any other problems or questions, let me know.

Thanks for your contribution2Adam29 - I never even remembered Nebraska - always thought of it as generally a cold state (but I have no idea). How is the average home prices / rent in Omaha? And when you said "making 30,000 a year in LA moving to Omaha" did you mean that the salary was FROM L.A.? Or that if you made that much in Omaha you would actually have money left over?

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Really, the only time you will find a cheap place is when you have danger risks, insects, or prolonged winters/summers.

I like St. Louis pretty well, and it's cheap, but there's the New Madrid Fault. We haven't had a major earthquake since 1811-1812, but we're 50 years overdue.
Summers are hot and winters are cold. But I do love St. Louis and a person can live comfortably there. Some may argue that it's partially segregated. One of the cheapest major cities as far as real estate is probably Detroit, but it has some segregation as well as other issues. Most other places will have some danger or some dramatic season. You can't really escape it and live cheaply.

It's going to be very difficult to find a place that has all the attributes you listed. When you do find it, let the rest of us know.

[Worldbfree007]

I would say Houston....but we have insects from hell and plenty of hurricanes. but the housing is very cheap....and you're obviously in a very large city. But Houston has many problems....traffic is horrible...the heat can be unbearable. Houston is also very well integrated. nice city but we can have evacuations every couple of years. The amenities here are easily world class....the museums and theaters. WONDERFUL food.

[magusat999]

Yeah - I heard about the weather in Houston. You see, I can't go through all that. The only problem I have where I live is the constant thunder of hurricane "Money-Drain". I cannot get used to extreme natural disasters. Geez - it's not looking so good so far...

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Because that place really doesn't exist. You're going to have to give somewhere.

[calid00d]

Houston - I made 190k as a starting associate and don't pay state income tax.

California faces way more natural disasters than TX (mudslides, an earthquake that will take it into the ocean).

[STLCardsBlues1989]

You say that you can't handle natural disasters, or you can't live like that.

Well it's not that some people can handle it and some can't. It's just that we all live where we want to live. You can't predict a natural disaster, pick the weather you want, pick the income and housing costs. It just doesn't work that way. Find a place that you like and be prepared. Wherever you live there will be negatives.

[Worldbfree007]

Yeah you're going to have to compromise somewhere...Houston overall is the best place for careers. I was planning to move to NYC after graduation since it is the financial capital of world...but since then I have learned how much of a boom is taking place in Houston....it would almost be foolish for me not to capitalize on such a booming period for this city. I am staying put in H-town....$$.