Best non-major city for non-driving 30-something? (transplants, rentals, home)
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My cousin has asked me for some city-suggestions, but I am low on ideas and hoping others can help. She has a medical condition which prevents her from having a license (no-zip cars/rentals, etc). She is interested in moving to a new city that is reasonably accessible by mostly walking/bike or possibly some public transit -however- she does not like very large cities (NYC, Chicago, etc) -nor- does she want to live somewhere with an excessively small population.
Her basic stats: 31, single/straight/female, works from home with job that can move, prefers warmer weather (somewhat flexible, but doesn't want tons of snow), fairly middle-of the road politically and reasonably adaptable to new groups/areas. Her ideal rental budget is $1500/less.
Does anyone have any city-suggestions that I could pass on to her?
Thank you both for your replies! The first is a very interesting list which may have some real contenders on it. I will also pass along the idea of Cleveland (I have been there and it is a nice city, though I had never realized it may be a good fit for a non-driver) though I agree, she may not care for the weather. Thanks again!
Ithaca, NY, as home to an Ivy League university has a lot of cultural amenities, many transplants from larger cities, and good transit for in town, but leaving town is a bus. It doesn't get as much snow as Syracuse.
Harrisburg, PA has a dense center city and in-town neighborhoods, but some are rough and schools are bad (in case that's a thought for the future), good rail links to Phila and NYC.
Lancaster, PA is even closer to Phila/NYC by train, has more in-city shopping but probably fewer transplants, some neighborhoods there are a bit sketchy and the train station isn't as well located as Harrisburg.
Pittsburgh is cheap for a major-league city and very much on the rebound. Public transit has some strange gaps but often workable depending on locale.
Ithaca, NY, as home to an Ivy League university has a lot of cultural amenities, many transplants from larger cities, and good transit for in town, but leaving town is a bus. It doesn't get as much snow as Syracuse.
Harrisburg, PA has a dense center city and in-town neighborhoods, but some are rough and schools are bad (in case that's a thought for the future), good rail links to Phila and NYC.
Lancaster, PA is even closer to Phila/NYC by train, has more in-city shopping but probably fewer transplants, some neighborhoods there are a bit sketchy and the train station isn't as well located as Harrisburg.
Pittsburgh is cheap for a major-league city and very much on the rebound. Public transit has some strange gaps but often workable depending on locale.
Great choices! I'd maybe throw in places like: Albany-Schenectady or Troy in the Capital Region of NY, as they average about the same amount as Denver(64 inches), has a public transit system: CDTA: Capital District Transportation Authority and is close to cities like NYC and Boston. You might throw in Saratoga Springs too.
Others that might work are Hagerstown MD, Winchester VA and perhaps Lexington KY, among others.
California could have some great options, especially since she already has her job lined up. I really like Monterey and see that there are rentals in her budget. I've only visited (I'm a non-driver myself), but could envision myself living there. Same thing with Santa Barbara. Maybe some of the other smaller California cities, too (Ventura, San Luis Obispo, etc.), but I don't know them very well.
Pittsburgh is making massive cuts to public transit. Only large cities have a good public transit system.
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