Moving from NYC (Baltimore, Annapolis: home, salary, quality of life)

[zen210]

This is my very first blog, so please bare with me. I am a native New Yorker. I grew up on Long Island but over the past few years I have realized that this isn't the place I want to be for much longer; too busy, too pushy, too pricey. I'm a teacher and I make a fantastic salary teaching on Long Island, comparatively, but money isn't everything. I'm looking for somewhere I can call home for the next 30 years that has a better quality of life. I'm really interested in moving somewhere south of NY, north of Georgia, and along the coast. Ideally, I'd like to live within a 30 minute drive of a beach and a city. I'm a single 28 year old woman so someplace safe, with culture, and a fun vibe would be great. I've been looking into Charleston, Baltimore, and Virginia Beach, but I'm open to anywhere. Any suggestions would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

[histmaj]

Annapolis may be a good place to look. Not far from Baltimore and DC, and still have its own amenities because it is a capital city. It is near the Chesapeake, and is safe in most areas. But of the cities you listed, I would put Baltimore then VB then Charleston.

[Tim Rankin]

Are you looking for a big city? If not, you could check into someplace like Wilmington, NC. If you're willing to go even smaller, there are a lot of smaller places with culture along the Carolina coasts, eg. Beaufort, Elizabeth City, Manteo, New Bern.