A place to live? (crime rates, chapel, home)

[Spunkyasp]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this forum and I'm currently in search of a good place to live. My demands are a bit high but I'm sure it's possible to find a good place like this. I have an IT business so employment and job rates aren't as important for me. I've talked to a few friends of mine but I would like to hear the forums comments as well. The city should have the following;

- Preferably Southern
- No snow
- Living costs/Taxes aren't as important to me, but I prefer reasonable housing prices.
- Low rate of natural disasters. Tornadoes are alright but I prefer a location which has few to no earthquakes.
- Preferably 80-100 in the summer, during winter preferably 60-70 (as you can see I prefer warmer climates.)
- A very low violent crime rate. Of course I prefer both property and violent to be low, but violent crime rates are more important to me then property.
- A good and accepting community. I'm an American living in New York and I prefer if the town I go to is accepting. I'm a person who loves small communities.
- Preferably low-medium population. I'm not looking for a large town but a very small town isn't as tempting either. Preferably something in between.
- Good IT. This is a strange request considering I'm looking for a smaller place but since my business is on IT it is essential for me.


Please let me know if a place like this is possible. Thanks .

[ckhthankgod]

Austin TX maybe.....Possibly Chapel Hill NC. Athens GA...?

[Spunkyasp]

Going to consider Austin, TX. Any other places you'd recommend?

[kyle19125]

I'd recommend Athens, Georgia. It's the home to the University of Georgia and a smaller town with a bigger city vibe. I was going to say Chapel Hill, but it isn't as warm as you were asking for. Another contender could be Columbia, SC which is often overlooked. It has a cool younger vibe, is a college town also (U of South Carolina) and the state capital.

A word of caution regarding crime statistics through personal experience and plentiful research. Violent crime rates in the south aren't as indicative of overall safety as they might be in larger cities of the north/midwest/west. The south is still racially segregated for the most part and these statistics overwhelmingly lean toward low-income African-American neighborhoods. A sad commentary on two fronts, but the way it is unfortunately.