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I'm tossing around ideas for the future. I like the idea of living in a university/college town, but ideally it would be one that is affordable (for example, a nice condo in a nice neighborhood for @ 150K) and one where I could walk to stores, etc. (I don't mind walking a mile or more). I enjoy cold weather and four seasons, so that would tend to leave out the southern southwest. I don't even know if this is possible any more--everywhere I look, it's pricey (with many areas severely overpriced).
You can certainly find a $150K condo walkable to things around Yale/New Haven. If you're looking for a leafy town where you don't need to lock your doors with an elite college in town with the funky town center, housing costs are going to be more because college profs will want that housing and they can afford way more than $150K.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Greenville, SC, Greeneville, TN are both very nice affordable college towns with moderate 4 season climate. There are also a few in GA. (Rome, Dahlonega...)
other 'smaller' U towns in Blue Ridge Mtns (4 seasons yet moderate)
There are a lot that come up in college town search 'blue ridge' Figure out which state you prefer for taxes, services, climate, and refine your search. Nice towns in NE TN, and western NC with colleges.
I have found that small private U's can be nice, in that they allow public to participate in several services / venues. (Such as performing in college music groups, and engaging in community centered speeches and presentations.)
I would probably avoid the LARGE U's in small towns. Even a CC will add events and opportunities to your life.
I have only 'visited' east of Missouri River, Some of my favorite 4 seasons college / retirement towns are Prescott, AZ, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, CO, Idaho Falls, and Sandpoint, ID; Sheridan and Powell WY, Spearfish SD, Wenatchee, Walla Walla (and Bellingham), WA, Columbia Falls, MT.
Oberlin, OH
Wooster, OH
Antioch, OH
Grand Rapids, MI
Holland, MI
De Pere, WI
I bring up a lot of smaller towns with small colleges. In those towns, you do not have huge crowds (more than 2,000 for football games) and some of the inconveniences that MLB mentioned in the post above.
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