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When I read this I couldn't believe it. I'm 27 and hoping to move at 28..from Connecticut to a list of cities very similar to yours haha. Maybe its a CT thing. The only difference is I'm not gay (which doesn't matter, although I understand in your case a good community for that would be important). And I don't have the professional experience you have. I'm wondering since this is an old post, how did things turn out? I know CT has a way of being a black hole, keeping you sucked in. HMB let me know what happened man.
I'm still here in CT and now I'm 30 years old lol. But currently looking for a job both within and out of CT. I want to get out of Fairfield County so I've been looking around Hartford, but there's no jobs! I'm going to have to leave the state, pretty much. At he end of the day, it's a small state with only so many places with jobs available outside of Fairfield and New Haven Counties, which I don't want to live in.
I'm still here in CT and now I'm 30 years old lol. But currently looking for a job both within and out of CT. I want to get out of Fairfield County so I've been looking around Hartford, but there's no jobs! I'm going to have to leave the state, pretty much. At he end of the day, it's a small state with only so many places with jobs available outside of Fairfield and New Haven Counties, which I don't want to live in.
Connecticut seems boring. Not sure why anyone would continue to live there. No major sports, no major destinations, Higher taxes. higher cost of home, low pay jobs, boring scenery.
Connecticut seems boring. Not sure why anyone would continue to live there. No major sports, no major destinations, Higher taxes. higher cost of home, low pay jobs, boring scenery.
This is very inaccurate. Jobs pay VERY high compared to the rest of the country. The scenery is NOT boring. It has very interesting topography, hills, forest, rivers, valleys, coastline, etc. The only area of the state that's flat is the area near Bradley International airport. And the town centers and houses are beautiful to look at. It's quintessential New England.
I'm in a pretty similar spot as you. I've been contemplating a move for a few years now. Turn 30 this year, also gay with a masters and a few years experience in my field (city planning). Can be pretty challenging to get a job out of state in my field so i've been considering a move next year without a job just to ensure i'm in the city I want to be in.
I'm also placing a lot of value in moving somewhere that's affordable with a large gay population that's not pretentious (which rules out the gay population hubs of NY, DC, SF, Miami, Boston, LA). I'm currently in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and want to move somewhere as progressive and with a larger gay population. Chicago is the frontrunner but i'm also considering Denver and Seattle.
My thoughts on your list... I don't think you'd like Atlanta. I consider it more southern than Raleigh-Durham and think it'd be a decent culture shock. And like you said, the traffic is horrible. Out of the cities you listed, I'd go with Columbus. It has a surprisingly large gay population, good quality of life and pretty affordable. Won't be much culture shock either. Austin and Nashville are somewhat similar but you'll have more transplants in Austin.
It's good to see everyone in support of you moving at this age. I've gotten mixed support from people who i've shared my idea of moving in a year without a job. Obviously prefer to move with a job if i can. I just don't think people get how challenging it can be to get interviews out of state in certain fields.
I'm in a pretty similar spot as you. I've been contemplating a move for a few years now. Turn 30 this year, also gay with a masters and a few years experience in my field (city planning). Can be pretty challenging to get a job out of state in my field so i've been considering a move next year without a job just to ensure i'm in the city I want to be in.
I'm also placing a lot of value in moving somewhere that's affordable with a large gay population that's not pretentious (which rules out the gay population hubs of NY, DC, SF, Miami, Boston, LA). I'm currently in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and want to move somewhere as progressive and with a larger gay population. Chicago is the frontrunner but i'm also considering Denver and Seattle.
My thoughts on your list... I don't think you'd like Atlanta. I consider it more southern than Raleigh-Durham and think it'd be a decent culture shock. And like you said, the traffic is horrible. Out of the cities you listed, I'd go with Columbus. It has a surprisingly large gay population, good quality of life and pretty affordable. Won't be much culture shock either. Austin and Nashville are somewhat similar but you'll have more transplants in Austin.
It's good to see everyone in support of you moving at this age. I've gotten mixed support from people who i've shared my idea of moving in a year without a job. Obviously prefer to move with a job if i can. I just don't think people get how challenging it can be to get interviews out of state in certain fields.
Yup, you sound like me. Although, it seems like you're considering bigger cities than I am. I lived in NYC, and yes, it's way too gay cultured and pretentious. I don't like that either.
I'm glad to see that other gays place some degree of importance on having a decent sized dating pool. I mean, it's not my #1 priority. My #1 priority is overall quality of life and cost of living, but my secondary priority is gay population. My dad thinks it's a ridiculous criterion to have. Yet, he continuously questions me as to why I'm still single at the age of 30. Am I really being ridiculous for wanting a significant gay population, at my age going forward? I thought it was a reasonable criterion to have, although not #1 priority.
Yea, I'm right there with you. It's a top priority but not the only one. Cost of living, walkable affordable urban neighborhoods, transit, bicycling, parks, weekend trips are my other priorities.
I think wanting to have a significant gay population is smart and strategic. Most of my friends are straight and my social life is going to change with them once they start having kids. So it's not only for dating but also for people with similar lifestyles since I don't plan on having kids. And yea, my parents don't understand either. They don't understand why i'd want to leave the Triangle given it's COL, progressiveness and my friends here. But the dating scene, while not terrible, is definitely challenging.
Yea, I'm right there with you. It's a top priority but not the only one. Cost of living, walkable affordable urban neighborhoods, transit, bicycling, parks, weekend trips are my other priorities.
I think wanting to have a significant gay population is smart and strategic. Most of my friends are straight and my social life is going to change with them once they start having kids. So it's not only for dating but also for people with similar lifestyles since I don't plan on having kids. And yea, my parents don't understand either. They don't understand why i'd want to leave the Triangle given it's COL, progressiveness and my friends here. But the dating scene, while not terrible, is definitely challenging.
Well, I suppose one difference is that I want suburbia.
But, here's the thing....I used to live in NYC for a couple years, and the dating scene there was challenging too! It's hard everywhere. Trust me.
"It's easy to find a boyfriend in [whatever city]," said no one, ever.
Heck, it's possible to find a good match even in a small city with a small gay population. Not likely, but possible. It's just one of those things that you can't predict in life. I know many guys who found their significant other, even living in a small city. I'm not suggesting to move to a small city though, because the likelihood of finding a potential match isn't high. But I'm just saying that it's nearly impossible to know where your future significant other is. He could be in a big city. He could be out in the country.
In short, the best thing to do is to choose a place that YOU think you would enjoy living in, but still has some significant gay population.
Holy moly are you kidding me? I am 68 years old and I moved to Cleveland, Ohio after living in Chicago for 32 years and then Portland OR for 36. I decided I would probably have to make my move seven years ago when I saw what was coming and knew I would have to leave Portland.
I researched cities across the country that would suit my needs and work for me. I made my move. So I was seven years older than when I first thought of the idea. I figured as long as I wasn't dead, relocation would always be a possibility. You don't have to wait that long of course. Everyone's circumstances are different. But no, 28 is not too old. One is never too old to relocate to a new city. Age has nothing to do with it.
Go take a look at the Retirement Forum on CD. There are plenty of senior citizens talking about relocation. They are certainly many years older than age 28. That might encourage you to make your move.
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