Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Portland, Seattle, Austin, SF, Boston, Minneapolis, or Denver.
Honestly, I would love to live in California. The weather is perfect literally across the entire state imo, it has everything from the desert to the snow to the beaches to the forest, big cities to small cities, etc. But I can't afford the COL there and I'm too conservative for their policies, anyway.
Austin sounds like a great little college town but climate-wise it's a lot like home. A little cooler, probably a little more rain, but that's about it. I'm looking for something different in terms of weather. I like humidity a lot, the rain nor the cold bugs me, but I like hot weather just as much.
Thank you guys for your responses! I appreciate that you took the time to answer me
UpstateNancy- Thank you for the advice! I'm trying my best
MountainDew- I would have never guessed South Carolina! I'll look into that state some more.
A lot of you mentioned Portland and Seattle, which I was actually considering oddly enough. Considering Portland/Seattle are about the opposite of Phoenix, is the rain terrible (in the sense of it being continuous on average or heavy or light)? And with this, is the overcast bad or is it good enough to where the sun plays peek-a-boo during the day?
Also, you folks mentioned Minneapolis. Is it a similar (progressive) vibe like Seattle is that why you mentioned it? I'm curious.
From observation only because I do not live there, I would say Seattle is definitely thriving and growing with a lot of opportunity.
I live in Portland so I can talk about that city. The summers are beautiful but the rest of the year the skies are mostly overcast and little to no sun. The rain in the winter and spring is pretty continual. It isn't the rain that gets to people though, it's the overcast skies. Now having said that, most of us don't mind that all. Those who do, are those who are sun people who need their daily or at least weekly dose. That can lead to some serious medical problems like depression and SAD (Seasonal Depressive Disorder). Others adapt and can handle it just fine.
The other problem is that the COL is high and jobs are hard to come by if you are not in the right field. Service jobs are especially difficult to find. Not a lot of economic growth in most fields. If you are looking to grow a career, it's not a great place unless you are in one of the few fields that are thriving here.
Now the good stuff is beautiful scenery, lots of great outdoor activities, if you have the right skills there are companies that will be interested in you. That would be high tech and manufacturing. It's under an hour's drive to the mountains and about an hour and a half to the ocean.
If you can afford them and are lucky enough to find an apartment in one of them, there are several neighborhoods in which young people live some of which have a bit of nightlife. But the vast majority of neighborhoods here are pretty sleepy and quiet kind of small townish appearing. The downtown area is thriving with lots of restaurants and shopping. Actually throughout the city you will find gourmet food carts and good restaurants.
I hope that gives you a fairly decent overview of Portland. Check out the Portland CD forum for advice from people who live there if you find you have further interest.
Thank you guys for your responses! I appreciate that you took the time to answer me
UpstateNancy- Thank you for the advice! I'm trying my best
MountainDew- I would have never guessed South Carolina! I'll look into that state some more.
A lot of you mentioned Portland and Seattle, which I was actually considering oddly enough. Considering Portland/Seattle are about the opposite of Phoenix, is the rain terrible (in the sense of it being continuous on average or heavy or light)? And with this, is the overcast bad or is it good enough to where the sun plays peek-a-boo during the day?
Also, you folks mentioned Minneapolis. Is it a similar (progressive) vibe like Seattle is that why you mentioned it? I'm curious.
Do you want to live directly in the city? It really does make a difference in my experience. The rain is vey light usually and is off and on, you really just have to plan for the worst and hope for the best in winter. Layers will be your friend! Honestly the grey skies and as bad as people like to say they are. If your someone whom gets out, socializes, and enjoys the scenary then grey skies will be more comforting then depressing. But summers here are awesome in seattle! Guess you have to decide for yourself if you can handle some grey skies.
Here in Arizona, grey skies are practically holy. That would probably change if I moved there, though. But then when I come home to see my family for Christmas, I can just praise the sun then! Haha
Devan, yes, I do. My goal would get an apartment close to Downtown--or in it--so I can be close to the social life and what not. Very sick of the suburbs right now.
Seattle is starting to sound more appealing, but I will keep both in mind! I really do appreciate the advice!
Also, would you say the COL in Portland and/or Seattle is pretty close to California? Or less?
Here in Arizona, grey skies are practically holy. That would probably change if I moved there, though. But then when I come home to see my family for Christmas, I can just praise the sun then! Haha
Devan, yes, I do. My goal would get an apartment close to Downtown--or in it--so I can be close to the social life and what not. Very sick of the suburbs right now.
Seattle is starting to sound more appealing, but I will keep both in mind! I really do appreciate the advice!
Also, would you say the COL in Portland and/or Seattle is pretty close to California? Or less?
Both are less but Seattle is getting more expensive. Portland is the cheapest of the bunch. So What field do you plan on pursuing? Job availability is something you should research intensely when looking for a move to portland or Seattle.
It's not in a mountain range, but Minneapolis is just as outdoorsy as Seattle or Portland. There's amazing kayaking, hiking, biking. The Boundary Waters are just unreal, one of the most beautiful places in North America, and completely wilderness.
Midwesterners hear this a lot, about being flat, and that seems to deter people from moving here, but there's no shortage of things to do or sights to see.
Midwesterners hear this a lot, about being flat, and that seems to deter people from moving here, but there's no shortage of things to do or sights to see.
The mountains are absolutely beautiful. Even our ugly ones in Phoenix are nice to look it. I would be so bored with the geography in Texas.
I will still keep Minneapolis in mind though! Thanks for telling me about the hills, I assumed with all the lakes it would be pretty flat.
Both are less but Seattle is getting more expensive. Portland is the cheapest of the bunch. So What field do you plan on pursuing? Job availability is something you should research intensely when looking for a move to portland or Seattle.
I'm a younger student in college, and I'm looking at engineering. Civil engineering, to be exact. The nice part about the field of Civil Engineering is that you can practically live and work anywhere because every town needs them.
I'm a younger student in college, and I'm looking at engineering. Civil engineering, to be exact. The nice part about the field of Civil Engineering is that you can practically live and work anywhere because every town needs them.
Oh Definitely! You should have no problem finding work in Seattle!
Oh Definitely! You should have no problem finding work in Seattle!
Haha oh good. I'm currently not at the point to move but soon I'm going to be looking at internships and I'm going to try to get one out of AZ. I just wanted to find a good amount of cities I think would fit so I could apply to them more than the others, because realistically I'm going to be applying everywhere.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
