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What liveable cities or states are out there where a well-off liberal 35-something family would feel at home and also raise kids?
Prerequisites are
- warm weather most of the year
- liveable downtown/community
- inspiring nature closeby
- low consumerism, organic markets
- fairly low cost of living
- access/exposure/opportunity for kids
- good schools/pride of education
- social equality (+ diverse culture)
- good economy/growth in future
- relaxed low pace of life/low crime
With the exception of weather and cost of living....Burlington, VT.
Burlington is overwhelmingly white though, not very much of a diverse culture there.
You could try Austin, although it's gotten more expensive in the past few years, but there's lots of jobs there.
Albuquerque and Tucson might also work for you.
What liveable cities or states are out there where a well-off liberal 35-something family would feel at home and also raise kids?
Prerequisites are
- warm weather most of the year
- liveable downtown/community
- inspiring nature closeby
- low consumerism, organic markets
- fairly low cost of living
- access/exposure/opportunity for kids
- good schools/pride of education
- social equality (+ diverse culture)
- good economy/growth in future
- relaxed low pace of life/low crime
Thank you.
Generally speaking, liberal and low cost of living are mutually exclusive. There are exceptions, of course. The one thing that comes to mind is the Research Triangle of North Carolina - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area. It's not necessarily "liberal", not compared to say, San Francisco or Seattle, but it is fairly liberal by Southern standards. It's just a couple of hours from the beach and the mountains, and the schools (especially the colleges) are great.
What liveable cities or states are out there where a well-off liberal 35-something family would feel at home and also raise kids?
Prerequisites are
- warm weather most of the year
- liveable downtown/community
- inspiring nature closeby
- low consumerism, organic markets
- fairly low cost of living
- access/exposure/opportunity for kids
- good schools/pride of education
- social equality (+ diverse culture)
- good economy/growth in future
- relaxed low pace of life/low crime
Thank you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckhthankgod
Same with Ithaca NY too. I guess places like Charlottesville VA, Asheville NC and Chapel Hill NC may also work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mayonaise
I was thinking Boulder, Chapel Hill, or Santa Rosa, CA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fezzador
Generally speaking, liberal and low cost of living are mutually exclusive. There are exceptions, of course. The one thing that comes to mind is the Research Triangle of North Carolina - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area. It's not necessarily "liberal", not compared to say, San Francisco or Seattle, but it is fairly liberal by Southern standards. It's just a couple of hours from the beach and the mountains, and the schools (especially the colleges) are great.
I too would point you toward Chapel Hill, in particular the neighboring town of Carrboro. It has a nice little downtown area with shops/restaurants and greenspace. The town has a terrific sense of "community" which favors social equality, diversity and overall inclusiveness. The area has a good economy thanks to the presence of two major universities nearby (UNC and Duke as well as their respective medical centers) plus Durham's Research Triangle Park which is 20 minutes away. The town is quite safe and without the hurried pace you're looking to avoid. Carrboro is home to the best food coop I've ever seen (Weaver Street Market) and one of the best farmers markets in the country (Carrboro Farmers Market). The local public schools are routinely top-ranked in the state of North Carolina (Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools). I lived there for 7 years and loved it, and often think about how I can get back there!
*** I would disagree regarding the assertion that it's not necessarily liberal. Carrboro and Chapel Hill are quite liberal and would say they're on par with Portland or Seattle and not too far behind the San Francisco Bay area. Carrboro elected, then re-elected twice an openly Gay mayor in the 1990s which was well ahead of similar instances in supposedly far more liberal environments.
I too would point you toward Chapel Hill, in particular the neighboring town of Carrboro. It has a nice little downtown area with shops/restaurants and greenspace. The town has a terrific sense of "community" which favors social equality, diversity and overall inclusiveness. The area has a good economy thanks to the presence of two major universities nearby (UNC and Duke as well as their respective medical centers) plus Durham's Research Triangle Park which is 20 minutes away. The town is quite safe and without the hurried pace you're looking to avoid. Carrboro is home to the best food coop I've ever seen (Weaver Street Market) and one of the best farmers markets in the country (Carrboro Farmers Market). The local public schools are routinely top-ranked in the state of North Carolina (Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools). I lived there for 7 years and loved it, and often think about how I can get back there!
*** I would disagree regarding the assertion that it's not necessarily liberal. Carrboro and Chapel Hill are quite liberal and would say they're on par with Portland or Seattle and not too far behind the San Francisco Bay area. Carrboro elected, then re-elected twice an openly Gay mayor in the 1990s which was well ahead of similar instances in supposedly far more liberal environments.
I agree, having lived in Chapel Hill and you can get a very nice place fulfilling all ur requirements. College towns htroughout the south are the places I consider to be the best places to live in America, they have the best of everything and decent weather. Here are some other nice liberal college towns you should look into, I've been to all these and they are all very nice places if you can get over the frustration of living in a red state:
Athens, GA
Asheville, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Gainesville, FL
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