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Old 10-06-2009, 03:48 PM
 
2 posts, read 17,304 times
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Hi there,

I'm looking for some leads/ideas on some cool towns in the Midwest for potential relocation. Definitely some place under 100,000 population, but smaller is better, like maybe 20,000 or less. Could be small town near a larger urban area etc. Looking for a place that is a bit more cultured than an average farm town. Liberal values are a big plus, and friendly people are a must (maybe in your opinion those two don't go together, but humor me). Ideally a town with at least one or two colleges/universities and good health care/medical centers nearby (for employment). States could be Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, etc. We'll consider any area but we need some ideas! We're a young couple looking to move out of the city (we both grew up in rural areas but don't want to move "home"). We'd still like to be a part of a young, hip small community if ever such a thing existed in the Midwest

Thanks!
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Old 10-06-2009, 08:31 PM
 
Location: Eastern Washington
17,113 posts, read 56,733,078 times
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Do you want politically liberal, socially liberal, both?

The areas around Cedar Rapids, Iowa were OK for me when I lived there, socially. Vinton, Shellsburg, that area. Although it's a largely agricultural area, and farmers who stay in business tend to be realists, they will help you out and may loan you "stuff" but they are not exactly socialists.
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Old 10-06-2009, 11:23 PM
 
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It might be a little too big for you but it sounds like you would love Madison WI.
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Old 10-07-2009, 11:55 PM
 
Location: Middle America
37,409 posts, read 53,263,329 times
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You're going to want to find a small community that's home to a school, be it a public university or small liberal arts college, IMO. Such a thing as young, hip, liberal, and progressive does exist in the Midwest, but your best bet for finding such atmospheres is to follow seats of higher ed. Without going the college town route, your basic agricultural community in the Midwest will slant conservative more often than not, and it won't typically attract more than the bare minimum of young, college-educated adults.
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Old 10-08-2009, 09:33 AM
 
Location: Niceville, FL
13,258 posts, read 22,663,185 times
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Chelsea, Michigan. Town itself is a nice little place with good restaurants for a place that size and Jeff Daniel's Purple Rose theatre company. Go 15 miles east, and you're in the liberal university/big hospital city of Ann Arbor. Go five miles west or south and you're in farmland. Go five miles north or northwest and you're in a huge state recreation area.
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Old 10-08-2009, 10:22 AM
 
1,325 posts, read 4,178,049 times
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Iowa City, Iowa and adjacent towns sound perfect. Very liberal and great university area.
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Old 10-08-2009, 10:30 AM
 
Location: US
65 posts, read 191,284 times
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Too bad you won't come a little futher west. Durango, CO would be perfect for you.
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Old 10-08-2009, 10:43 AM
 
Location: Tippecanoe County, Indiana
26,373 posts, read 46,217,550 times
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Iowa City, Ann Arbor, Madison,
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Old 10-10-2009, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Akron, Ohio
1,114 posts, read 2,760,338 times
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Oberlin, or Yellow Springs, Ohio. Nuff said.
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Old 10-12-2009, 06:46 PM
 
Location: 30-40°N 90-100°W
13,809 posts, read 26,452,459 times
Reputation: 6783
Yup those are logical choices.

Ashland, Wisconsin looks like it might be liberal. It has a college, an environmental institute, and is in a county that's pretty much always went Democratic. It has under 10,000 people. I don't know anything about it though as I was just looking up Wisconsin towns that might fit.
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