Help Me Figure Out my Dream City! (real estate, apartments)
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OK, so there's probably no such thing as a "dream" city, but I'm wondering if you all can help me figure out what would be a more ideal place for me to live based on my preferences.
Career I'll be starting my career in the finance/accounting sector. Although I won't be an engineer, the industries I want to work in are healthcare (includes hospitals, biotech, pharmaceutical work) or technology, so being in a place where there are a lot of those companies are important. I'd eventually like to either lateral from my current job onto a company who works in that industry as a controller/CFO or advise companies in that space. I also have some interest in manufacturing. A city must meet this requirement because my career is most important.
Weather I hate cold weather and icy conditions are the bane of my existence. Although I'm not a huge fan of humidity and the insects it brings, I'd rather it be hot and humid than freezing cold and snowy/icy. Rain is fine but dry heat without cold, icy winters is ideal for me. Ideal temp range is 35-80 degrees throughout the year. If there's a place that's perfect but snows, I'm fine with 4 seasons weather, but I just don't want to be somewhere like Chicago/Minnesota that are still experiencing snow storms, etc. till late in the year. I strongly prefer a tropical/Mediterranean climate though.
Diversity I really hope this doesn't sound racist, but I am not that big of a stickler for diversity. As long as there is a decent population of Asians (of all kind, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. and also Indians), I don't care too much. I don't have anything against other races, but I've found that for whatever reason, I mostly interact with Caucasians and Asians, so while I wouldn't not interact with someone of another ethnicity, it's not something I really look for either (if that makes sense). I think this is because I'm of Asian descent.
Lifestyle Honestly, I'm a pretty simple person who doesn't need too much to be happy. I imagine that during the week, I'll mostly be working and won't have much time to do anything besides work, go to the gym, fix some food, and then either watch TV/read. I love sports so having pro sports would be great, especially if it's at least NFL + NBA. During the weekends, I'd imagine that I'd like to do day trips around the state to beaches, mountains, etc. and do something outdoors to makeup for being cooped up in an office building all day or just relax with friends and maybe plays sports or something if I join a sports league (I'd imagine I could do the later almost anywhere though).
Right now, I'm single, but when I do start a family, I'd like to be in a place that has good schools, is relatively place, that's pretty laid back, and all that other good stuff. If such a place includes that as well, that would be a nice bonus. If there is a place that has reasonable real estate (i.e. the average home is between 250-300k), that is a huge plus.
Sorry for the long post, but I'd appreciate any help I can get. I think my demands are relatively simple, especially since I'm not looking for a lot of the cultural amenities a lot of people desire here, but I'm not sure which cities would have all or most of what I'm looking for.
Weather and everything else, California. Inland Cali (Sacramento) is not as bad as coastal California.
Now, this something I'd like to note. Nearly all biotech and pharmaceutical companies are in the Bos-Wash corridor. Most of them leaning towards Boston-NYC/New Jersey end I believe. If this is absolutely important to work in this industry, you'll probably have to change your mind and work there regardless. I hate to be a Debbie Downer or whatever, but it's one of those industries that is very focused in a region, like hi-tech is in the PacNW from Silicon Valley to Seattle.
There are exceptions to that rule, however only a select few and let's say you get a job with one and for whatever reason they fire you, it would be tough to stay where you are.
Hospitals, if they are chains which most are, usually have their corporate offices in the town they serve in however. You might want to look into those.
My 2 cents, you must be from an area where blacks/Hispanics etc are not very previlent. In the Midwest and the east there still is a income gap, and segregation between minorities. Seattle isn't the most diverse city in America but it is very culturally integrated with a high foreign born population. I was alittle set back at your comment as I'm black and had many asian friends growing up (my Koreans friends moms always tried to teach me how to use chopsticks) and if someone took that attitude towards me I would be insulted. West coast is more laid back then back it so you gotta less loose alittle here.
But anyways Seattle has alot to do with a generally mild climate, lots to do, lots of waterway access, strong asian population, safe, and great neighborhoods. I think it would fit the bill.
Ok, you both raise good points. Let's try this again: forget the weather and diversity criteria. What makes sense now?
Then the Northeast again sounds like a fit. Housing in the Bos-Wash corridor is not as uniformly expensive as its made out to be. Finding that perfect $300,000 single-family detached home won't be easy, but obviously people do it And it will be easieraround Baltimore, Philly, Northwest NJ, and exurban Washington (all areas with loads of health-care, hospital, and pharmaceutical cos) than the heart of Boston, DC, or NYC. Affordable places exist. I can guarantee you everyone in this part of the country is not living in $1 million homes or $2500 a month studio apartments. And don't forget that the pay is higher here too.
Also thinking maybe the research triangle, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, in NC. Lots of bio med and research opportunities there, a moderate climate, plenty of younger people because of all the schools, and of course housing is generally a lot less than in the Northeast corridor.
I'd recommend different places for different things. Work though, I'd say Boston or San Francisco. Raleigh Durham or Richmond for the other stuff (both areas are filled with people who moved from the northeast for the reasons you state)
Houston could fit too. If weather is thrown out, you could consider a place like Ann Arbor, which isn't too far from Detroit and has the industries that you are looking for. A place/area like Princeton NJ, which is in between Philadelphia and NYC, would give you some employment flexibility and close to the demographics that you are looking for.
Another thing to consider is perhaps finding a suburb with the demographics you want, which could be found in pretty much any metro of a decent size.
Just a question, when people say Bos-Was is the proper place for my industry, are they also including other tech or just biotech? I feel as though tech would have more options than biotech since it's less niche.
Just a question, when people say Bos-Was is the proper place for my industry, are they also including other tech or just biotech? I feel as though tech would have more options than biotech since it's less niche.
NYC's tech sector is growing rapidly with lots of start ups, a new tech college in formation by Cornell, and lots if office space being snapped up by established majors like Googol. The city is throwing lots of support and encouragement to the tech sector: Hence the name for IT here of Silicon Alley.
Washington has strong IT economy thanks to the federal government and Boston still has a string of tech companies on Rte 128 and emanating from Harvard and MIT
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