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As I was reading the OPs list, I was thinking Chapel Hill before it was mentioned. The only thing that might not align is "affordable".....then I thought, well, they are coming from coastal Southern California. Now it seems to fit the affordable category too.
I had the exact same thought process. Chapel Hill is going to seem quite affordable in comparison.
I wonder if climate is any factor at all for the OP, coming from Southern California and then the relatively mild winter of Fayetteville. Some of the places mentioned (Ithaca, Ann Arbor, Northfield) will have absolutely horrid winters by comparison.
Well allow me to put my two cents in on Athens, GA since this hasn't been done so far. I grew up about 10 miles from Athens and the feeling I get is that in the actual city (Athens-Clarke County or ACC) it is pretty liberal and welcoming to black/white couples. However in ACC the schools are not very good at all. I believe it is the poorest county in the state. So assuming you do what family did and that is move to a surrounding county such as Oconee or Jackson for the high quality schools you will find that these are very conservative. I wish that the political and social views in ACC were the same in the surrounding counties, but unfortunately they are not. While these surrounding counties are becoming more progressive they are still some of the most conservative places in the state. But on the other hand, Athens is truly a neat city and there are many, many, many excellent dining options downtown. Not to mention all the perks of being located near a division 1 school (UGA) which provides many recreation opportunities such as football, basketball, baseball games, etc.
I wonder if climate is any factor at all for the OP, coming from Southern California and then the relatively mild winter of Fayetteville. Some of the places mentioned (Ithaca, Ann Arbor, Northfield) will have absolutely horrid winters by comparison.
Perhaps, but they fit everything they mentioned in terms of criteria. It isn't like life stops during the winter in these places and the change of weather may be a draw in terms of activities.
I would hardly call Minneapolis a "college town". It's just a big city that has a university, like Houston and Atlanta and Seattle and Philadelphia and Miami.
I would hardly call Minneapolis a "college town". It's just a big city that has a university, like Houston and Atlanta and Seattle and Philadelphia and Miami.
I mentioned college town section of town as well. Yes, Munneapolis as a whole isn't, but that was in reference to the area(s) around the U of Minnesota.
If you want to stay on the west coast, look at Eugene, Oregon.
Eugene is fascist/progressive, not liberal. Next door Springfield is Wal-Mart country. It is a unique area to see a major clash of cultures between 'freedom loving blue collar folks' vs. 'the entitled/dependent know-better-than-you fascists' you find in SW Eugene.
Cbus, bigger city with many amenities not found in a college town but still has a laid back college atmosphere depending on what area you live in. The great thing about about Cbus is you can be surrounded by the college atmosphere or you can find something else that has nothing to do with OSU. Though football Saturdays might be a different story.
To answer a few things:
I think the majority of places (if not all) will be, or at least feel, "affordable" after my many years of paying the price I have to live at the beach in so cal. That will be a refreshing change!
And I am aware of the weather factor. I know that will probably be one of the top adjustments for me, however I LOVED experiencing 4 seasons when in AR. If my perfect fit is in a place that snows, well then apparently I'll have to learn how to shovel snow And invest in some warm shoes. lol!
And as for jobs, both my husband, myself and my Mom are all currently working at Universities, which is another major reason we'd like to be in a college town. If I could arrange my life, we'd all work at the same college and then when my kids grew up they'd all go there. I'm crazy I know!
Anyways, I REALLY appreciate all the feedback!! I'll be sure to let you all know where we end up.
THANKS!!
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lol.
And invest in some warm shoes. lol!
