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Me and my husband have been looking to relocate to a new place. We are looking to move somewhere that is affordable, not to much crime, has good weather, no to low humidity, big city amenities, not too crowded with crazy traffic like L.A., fun things to do, and has good employment. Our ideal weather is temperatures not above 95 degrees and low to no snow. It might sound funny, but after living in the Netherlands for a few years, I feel like I cannot tolerate snow or cold weather at all anymore. When the temperature is 40-41 degrees, it feels a lot colder and unbearable to me. It's even worse since the cold and humidity goes into your bones and causes a lot of pain. I know it will be difficult to find a place with our criteria, especially the weather, but I'm hopeful that we can find some place close. Two states I've really taken a interest in and think meet our criteria the best are Arizona and Oregon. Of course I love California, but it is just too expensive. I know Arizona is a desert and most cities are extremely hot there, but I have found some cities that are not as extreme. So far I really like Sierra, Prescott, and Sedona. I really like Flagstaff as well, but I heard it can get a lot of snow there and the employment isn't so good either. For the Oregon area, I prefer somewhere that gets more sun and less rain. I have been looking at Ashland, Medford, Grants Pass, and Bend. Those places all look pretty nice and get more sun than other parts of Oregon. So please let me know what your opinion if and which city/state you think would be best for us, even if it wasn't something I listed.
We really are torn since both states look so nice. We love Arizona since there is so much sun year round and warm weather. But we also really love Oregon since it is absolutely beautiful and I heard it is more affordable. I also know some cities in Oregon have pretty decent weather year round.
I should also mention that we have looked at New Mexico, but we were a little disappointed. I don't care much for the look of the houses at all and I don't like the area at all. New Mexico is nice, but it is just to dry and has no vegetation at all. It would drive me a bit crazy to see nothing but sand every day. Arizona is a desert, but a lot of cities have vegetation and green.
Just curious, do you consider yourself politically liberal or conservative?
What I meant by big city amenities and fun things to do are a little similar. We prefer to live in a medium sized city, but would still be okay to living in a small city. We would want a place that has a hospital, a airport near by (1-2 hours away), grocery stores, malls, movie theaters, restaurants, good transportation ect. It might sound strange since most cities do have all of these, but I know there are many small towns that only have one or two grocery stores, almost no restaurants, no malls and maybe only one movie theater for the whole town.
Prescott does have most of what is in your criteria. It is one of my favorite cities. I love the downtown area because the rows of the historic Victorian houses. You might see snow one or two times a year though, but the summers are very tolerable and the cost of living is cheaper.
Sedona also fits you description but it is a very expensive place as it is a tourist mecca.
What kind of industry are you employed in, this is what will help you decide. My advice, throw your resume around all towns you are interested in and see where you get the most action. You can love in the perfect paradise, but if you aren't making money, it isn't going to work.
I love both states. They are gorgeous places, as is all of the Western United States, both the coastal areas and non-coastal areas. The West in general just has better more open and more hospitable personalities, feels much safer and more stable, and things to do (especially if you love outdoors; and I do) is just about endless.
San Diego sounds perfect for you minus the affordability - one of the safest big cities in the US, sunny but not too hot, enough big city amenities and LA close by. Are you sure you can't make San Diego work?
Thank you for your opinion. Oregon does have good weather I hear, but it just rains a lot. I also like how the economy is good and the crime rate is low. Portland is a really nice city, but it is just too rainy and cold for our taste. I have heard that Medford and Ashland are warmer, get more sun, and a bit less rainy. So they are really more appealing to us. It is nice being closer to SF, although I do prefer San Diego and being close to Vancouver and Seattle is nice.
Just out of curiosity which area did you decide is best for you? As current Netherland residents I understand the cold and snow feeling. My husband and I like the Ashland and Presoctt areas as well. We also like the Austin Texas area but I worry that it may be too hot for hubby who has spent his enitre life in Netherland. The cities I like are often a good distance away from a major city and I'd prefer to be closer to museums. theater and zoos. Being that we're not getting any younger, walkability or decent public transportation is also a priority for us. I'm leaning towards Oregon but the Ashland area is just too far out, Bend is closer although I do think it's more similar to Netherland when it comes to gray skies and the rain. Presoctt is slowly edging its way to the top of our list but the lack of public transportation is a major concern. Did you ever check out New Mexico, did you like it? Just wondering what you decided and if you're happy with your choice.
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