[organick]

Just gonna throw it out there and leave it open ended. Looking for a good community, artsy, organic, "hippie" if you must, alternative schools, access to outdoors type of town. I know they both fit pretty well but.......

Which one would you choose to live in or around if you could and why??? I want some insight as to why you choose one over the other. Perhaps some issue I haven't considered because I am not from that area.

Thanks

[Sherylcatmom]

I love both Brattleboro and Ithaca and imagine I'd be happy living in either place. In general I feel more at home in Vermont than in NY State. That's a feeling, not an objective quality that translates to a recommendation for someone else.

[arel]

I haven't been to Ithaca, I don't think, but one thing I really like about Brattleboro is its proximity to other places of interest. The Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts is less than an hour away. Keene, NH, is about 20 minutes away. Boston is 2 1/2 hours away. NYC is about 4-5 hours away.

I also like living in a small state. I've found that state officials are accessible and genuinely willing to help. I haven't found that so much with New York officials. New York has millions of people, so there is more administrative congestion if you need anything done. Vermont's population is only about 600,000.

Also, Vermont is, I think, much less corrupt than New York, and that makes me feel more secure.

I'm not going to say anything about Ithaca, simply because I haven't been there. But I have heard that the area is very beautiful.

[Wingfoot]

Originally Posted by organick

Just gonna throw it out there and leave it open ended. Looking for a good community, artsy, organic, "hippie" if you must, alternative schools, access to outdoors type of town. I know they both fit pretty well but.......

Which one would you choose to live in or around if you could and why??? I want some insight as to why you choose one over the other. Perhaps some issue I haven't considered because I am not from that area.

Thanks

Ithaca is far and away better than B'boro in every aspect , including natural beauty. Rural upstate is much more really rural than VT which is gentrified.

Not that B'boro is bad ,it's quite nice- but that Ithaca is outstanding.
The view from Cornell down 600 ft deep,30 mile long Cayuga lake is ,quite literally, breathtaking.
Ithaca has all kinds of culture, high culture lacking in B'boro.
Schools are better,medicine better etc etc.

I've spent a good bit of time in both.

[mustmove]

Go for Ithaca. Nothing in Brattleboro compares to Cornell and throw in Ithaca college and it is a no brainer. You will have a lot more activity and employment opportunities in Ithaca.

[Sherylcatmom]

One big plus to Ithaca is its close proximity to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen.

[mustmove]

The ag school(s) at Cornell have quite a spread of all things botanical and farm. Unless there are inlaws or a specific job- Ithaca wins.

[jackmccullough]

I've never lived in either place, but I've visited both. They both seem like great towns. The fact that there is a large university in town is a real plus for Ithaca. On the other hand, I was surprised that downtown Ithaca didn't seem as vital as I expected, and not as vital as Brattleboro. On the other, other hand, the population of Ithaca is about 2 1/2 times that of Brattleboro, which will likely increase some opportunities and drawbacks.

Once you're in Ithaca you're pretty far away from anywhere, whereas in Bratt you're an easy drive from Boston, New York, or even Montreal.

[arel]

Also, Brattleboro is only about 2 - 3 hours from the Atlantic coast. In Ithaca, you are much further inland. Every once in a while, I feel the need to see the ocean. But not everyone feels that need.

[organick]

thanks everyone, lots of good points . I look forward to hearing more.