Graduating in march, moving in November, 21 year old single (skateboarding, home)

[Jimi_mcG]

Hi all,
First post! I'm currently attending New england institute of art in boston for sound engineering, i'll be finishing with an associates in march with a main interest in live sound reinforcement. I live 25 minutes north east in a quiet town and commute to work and school, the traffic is pretty rough. I've got plenty of prospects and experience to secure a job around here, and I will for now, but I've got to get out of here. I'll come back this way eventually but for now I need a change and to meet some new faces in a place better suited for my personality. I visited Portland last year while interning and I felt very much at home (microbrew, bicycling, laid back vibe, art, it's beautiful). However, the job market there scares me a bit from what I've gathered on here. My favorite places so far have been Seattle, Portland, Denver, Boulder, Salt Lake. My hobbies include skiing, skateboarding, hiking, attending music festivals, shows, etc. I'm young, single and ready to pack up and drive west, any input as far as employment or other locations are concerned? Thanks.

p.s rain doesn't really bother me,
hope this was descriptive enough

[citylove101]

Take a look at Minneapolis/St. Paul. Plenty of snow,live entertainment, and a strong alt culture vibe thanks to the thousands of students at U Minn. Plus COL is reasonable.

[Jimi_mcG]

I've seen a lot of people suggesting Minneapolis/SP and I've been there, it's awesome. But I would miss big mountain skiing :/

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Jimi_mcG

Hi all,
First post! I'm currently attending New england institute of art in boston for sound engineering, i'll be finishing with an associates in march with a main interest in live sound reinforcement. I live 25 minutes north east in a quiet town and commute to work and school, the traffic is pretty rough. I've got plenty of prospects and experience to secure a job around here, and I will for now, but I've got to get out of here. I'll come back this way eventually but for now I need a change and to meet some new faces in a place better suited for my personality. I visited Portland last year while interning and I felt very much at home (microbrew, bicycling, laid back vibe, art, it's beautiful). However, the job market there scares me a bit from what I've gathered on here. My favorite places so far have been Seattle, Portland, Denver, Boulder, Salt Lake. My hobbies include skiing, skateboarding, hiking, attending music festivals, shows, etc. I'm young, single and ready to pack up and drive west, any input as far as employment or other locations are concerned? Thanks.

p.s rain doesn't really bother me,
hope this was descriptive enough

Salt Lake sticks out as the winner on your list. It has a low cost of living, by far the lowest unemployment rate of your list and is one of the best winter sports cities in the world. Being able to live in town in one of the better neighborhoods close to downtown and other activities would be a perk too, versus living in a place similar to where you are now in one of the other cities (save maybe Denver).

[ckhthankgod]

Some other cities that may work are: Logan UT, Missoula MT and Corvallis OR. All are college towns with low unemployment rates and would allow you to enjoy the outdoor activities that you like.