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Hi everyone! This is my first time posting here. Im a single female who just turned 29 living in Albuquerque, NM. I've lived here my entire life and although I absolutely love it, I want to move and experience somewhere new that has a little more to offer than my hometown.
A little bit about me...I'm a health and fitness enthusiast! I love working out and trying new things to keep in shape. I love the outdoors and just being in nature. Its important to me to have access to lots of different options for gyms and fitness trainers. I also enjoy eating healthy and like to shop at local coops/farmers markets or whole foods. I need to have access to organic produce and healthy eateries.
I don't particularly love the cold but I don't absolutely hate it either. In NM we have our fair share of seasons so I think I could adapt to the weather in any of these cities.
I'm single and would like to relocate to a bigger city where there are more single men my age. In albuquerque, people tend to marry very young and the single population in my age range is very small. Of course I want to meet dates and friends who are into the same things as me, not so much the nightlife scene. I don't really know many people in any of these places. I would like to move to a city where the people are friendly, laid back and easy to get to know.
I'm an auditor but have been thinking about going to graduate school for a career change. I make a decent income now and would prefer to live alone if I can afford to. I would like to move to a city that has more job opportunities than my hometown. I enjoy a slower pace of life and not so much the rat race.
I hope this is a good amount of information to get some of your opinions on which city you think would be a good match for a girl like me. If there is anything else you'd like to know I can provide more info!
Thank you in advance!!!
Last edited by kadylady8; 11-03-2014 at 10:51 AM..
Depends on what you enjoy, really. If you've got the wherewithal to afford San Diego, I'd say go for it. Best weather by far and away, but the COL is pretty high.
Gotta ask you how do you like heat and humidity? Austin has both of those in spades during the summer. The average daily high is 90 or above from May 30th until September 18th, and the overnight lows will average anywhere from 70-75 degrees during that timeframe. You'll typically be able to count the number of days where the high is below 90 on one hand.
Denver, OTOH, is a little cooler than ABQ during the summer, and a lot snowier in the winter. Still, it's not like the upper midwest. We aren't snowed in from November-March. We can get 6-8" of snow one day and 2-3 days later it'll be in the 50s. The weather here in the winter is variable and often unsettled. Case in point - it was snowing at my house this morning, but it's supposed to be 65 by Friday.
The only downsides of Denver for you will probably be the winter weather and possibly the COL, especially if you're looking to rent an apartment.
Thank you bluescreen73!!!! Well I guess when I think about the weather in albuquerque, I really enjoy the summers more than the winters. However, I do really like the changing of the seasons and the winter isn't too long so it doesn't bother me. I definitely wouldn't want to live in a place with long, harsh winters but a little snow doesn't bother me. I have a 4Runner and I typically go snowboarding several times a season but it's not a must for me. I did enjoy the humidity in Tampa in September though too....
I've researched and considered the different climates and I really think I could adapt to any of them. I'd rather base my decision off other factors related to what I posted about myself above.
As for San Diego, I do think it is probably too expensive and would luke to narrow my sights down to Austin and Denver.
Maybe if I ask, which city do you think is more conducive to living a fit healthy lifestyle surrounded by people who are also living that type of lifestyle, has a large single late 20s/early 30s population, has more outdoor activities and overal friendliness, and overall which one is slower paced but still offers big city perks?
Between Austin and Denver, I think Denver is the better fit for you. I live in Austin now and lived in Denver previously. You mentioned living a healthy lifestyle and outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation is where Denver is the clear winner. Austin has parks around town but so does Denver. Rocky Mountains are far superior to the Hill Country for recreation. You can go hiking, skiing, white water rafting, kayaking, whatever. In the Hill Country, not so much. The lakes in the Austin area used to be kinda nice but they have been very low for several years now. Currently, the area lakes around Austin are at 34% capacity. Some things you can find in either city, like healthy places to eat. I can think of no advantage Austin has over Denver for recreation.
Weather is colder in Denver than Albuquerque but not as much as many would think. Average winter highs are mid 40s but that varies quite a bit. One day could be 25 degrees and snowing and a few days later 60 and sunny. Night time lows fall quite a bit due to the low humidity but you are familiar with that from living in ABQ. Austin has six months of hot and humid summer weather. I find the weather here makes me want to NOT go out during summer since it is so uncomfortable. I play tennis in it and have thrown up multiple times from the heat.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply, EricNorthman. This has given me some insight on the outdoor activities that may be limited if living in austin. I do prefer the warmth but was a little concerned that the heat in austin may make it difficult to be active outdoors in the summer. I really appreciate your perspective!
Any thoughts on the singles scene or job market since you've lived in both places?
Thank you for the thoughtful reply, EricNorthman. This has given me some insight on the outdoor activities that may be limited if living in austin. I do prefer the warmth but was a little concerned that the heat in austin may make it difficult to be active outdoors in the summer. I really appreciate your perspective!
Any thoughts on the singles scene or job market since you've lived in both places?
I'm not much of a singles scene guy so I can't really offer any insight there.
As far as jobs, both areas are booming so you should be fine there. Austin growing faster (much faster!) but both areas doing very well economically. Austin is booming so much in fact that there are problems from it. Traffic is awful. On the link below, you can see cities ranked by traffic. Austin is ranked fourth worth traffic in the country. Denver is 18th. Click where it says INRIX Scorecard Country and you can see the rankings for all cities.
You didn't ask about traffic but I would want anyone thinking of moving here to know about it. The traffic problems are far out of proportion to the size of the city. If you do end up moving here, it is very important to choose a place to live near where you work. It will make your experience here much more positive.
I also think if you want outdoor activity, you should be where the weather is better, and that would be Denver over Austin.
I find Texas to be the easiest place I've ever been to make friends. It's also a very laid-back culture. Someone will say, Hey, let's call everyone and have a barbecue tonight - and it will happen. Most anywhere else I've ever lived, especially in California, people are not into last-minute get-togethers. I just find Texans to be very friendly and hospitable, even though the Texans I've met are pretty much all Republicans and I'm Democrat LOL! They still welcomed me with open arms and genuinely tried to make me feel welcome and at home.
I've only ever visited Colorado, so I don't know what it's like to make friends there. But, I am sure you'd find a lot of meet-ups with people who are active outdoors, and because the weather is so much better for outdoor activity, I vote for Denver.
I have lived most of my life in the west, but did move to Tennessee for 5 years. The humidity was horrible. I felt cabin fever most of the year, except for a small window in the spring and fall. Winters were cold and icy, summers were brutally humid - where you walk around with a sheen of sweat under your clothing, even if you dash from an air conditioned building to your car, you will be a sweaty pile by the time the A/C kicks in in the car.
So, my vote: Denver.
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