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I currently live in Milwaukee, but I'm looking to move elsewhere, disliking living here for various reasons (job market, culture, things related to my job, etc.) and ready to leave. However, I'm having a hard time deciding where to go to.
I'm a 36-year-old African-American male who's looking to try to go into technical writing (or some career that makes use of my nonfiction writing skills and/or clerical skills); I currently work as a file clerk. I'd like someplace gay-friendly, progressive-minded (left-leaning here politically), not Bible-Belt-ish (I'm not religious), has some mass transit (doesn't have to be subways, but that'd be nice; I don't own a car), and---even for this economy---a decent local job base (vs. Milwaukee's dead-end-feeling, Rust Belt nature). A well-educated, diverse populace would also be nice. Weather-wise, I'm not an outdoorsman, and also don't like humid summers (can deal with cold fine). I definitely don't want to live in the South, as well. My interests include comics, animation, blogging, computers/technology, and (though slacked off lately) exercising.
A few job search books I've read suggests I should consider places where my desired job is concentrated. With that and the other criteria in mind, so far I've come up with: Boston; New York City; Seattle; San Francisco; and Chicago, though the last two seem to have worse-than-average unemployment. I've been to all of these cities before except to Boston. Places I've lived include Indiana (where I grew up), here, and (briefly) Portland, Oregon.
Does anyone have any suggestions about these places, or any other cities to suggest? Thanks!
I would move Washington, DC to the top of your list, or at least near it. It has the lowest unemployment rate of all the major metros, around 5.5%. It has an outstanding public transit system and fulfills the rest of your criteria except for the humid summers. July and August can be muggy, but bear in mind so can NYC which is on your current list. Metro - Rail - Maps - Rail/Google Map
I would move Washington, DC to the top of your list, or at least near it. It has the lowest unemployment rate of all the major metros, around 5.5%. It has an outstanding public transit system and fulfills the rest of your criteria except for the humid summers. July and August can be muggy, but bear in mind so can NYC which is on your current list. Metro - Rail - Maps - Rail/Google Map
I always thought of DC as being in the South, thus it didn't make my list. And yes, on my trip there it was as muggy as it is here in Milwaukee right now... :-p
Sorry to hear that you don't like Milwaukee so much. You seem like a nice, well-educated guy, so your departure is Milwaukee's loss.
The usual suspects have been mentioned already, but you might take a look at less populated yet reasonably vibrant places with a second-tier (but decent) economy or tech presence, such as Minneapolis and Denver. Perhaps also look at Sacramento (though less pedestrian friendly) and Portland, Ore.
I used to live in Columbus, Ohio--a great gay city, good public transport, some dense neighborhoods, and very white collar. It doesn't have the flash of a Boston or San Francisco, but it's very affordable.
In the Northeast there are some great cities, but they tend to face the usual urban problems. Nevertheless, take a look at Rochester, NY, Pittsburgh, and perhaps even Philadelphia.
I always thought of DC as being in the South, thus it didn't make my list. And yes, on my trip there it was as muggy as it is here in Milwaukee right now... :-p
It's not really Southern, by any stretch. I lived there for 7 years and in North Carolina for 5 years. No comparisons. If you want to avoid muggy and stay further north you'll need to look at the West Coast or New England for the most part.
Thanks, quijote. I take it you like living in Milwaukee?
I've lived in Portland before, but for less than a year; I was forced to leave after being unable to find work.
kyle19125: Well, was thinking not just in climate (I don't have air conditioning, so the current weather is less-than-fun right now :-p ), but also culturally... I don't want to live anywhere resembling the South (growing up in Indiana gave me plenty of such culture for one lifetime, thanks).
You've obviously never been to DC then. I've lived in both Milwaukee and DC. In my opinion DC seems more fast paced than Chicago. It doesn't resemble a southern city in any way and I have never met one person in DC that considers it southern.
Location: Cleveland bound with MPLS in the rear-view
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Quote:
Originally Posted by quijote
Sorry to hear that you don't like Milwaukee so much. You seem like a nice, well-educated guy, so your departure is Milwaukee's loss.
The usual suspects have been mentioned already, but you might take a look at less populated yet reasonably vibrant places with a second-tier (but decent) economy or tech presence, such as Minneapolis and Denver. Perhaps also look at Sacramento (though less pedestrian friendly) and Portland, Ore.
I used to live in Columbus, Ohio--a great gay city, good public transport, some dense neighborhoods, and very white collar. It doesn't have the flash of a Boston or San Francisco, but it's very affordable.
In the Northeast there are some great cities, but they tend to face the usual urban problems. Nevertheless, take a look at Rochester, NY, Pittsburgh, and perhaps even Philadelphia.
I agree with this, check out other gay-friendly, diverse, and economically-viable cities in the U.S. such as the ones mentioned by quijote.
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