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For starters I'm using the word hip for lack of better terms...anyhow...
I've been researching cities for my last and final move. For those with older children (7,8,9,10 ish age) I'm interested in knowing what your typical weekend looks like and how much of your city you may or may not utilize. The situation is --- the millennial in me is drawn to the bigger cities (sights currently set on Seattle or maybe somewhere in cali) and to a degree feel like you pay more cause the cities offer so much. However, there is a part of me that wonders if maybe as my toddlers get older if I'd utilize the city amenities less and less to where paying more just isn't worth it. I'm considering Raleigh/chapel hill (or maybe somewhere less hot) as an alternative due to it being less expensive and would afford me the opportunity to go on more family vacations/contribute more to savings. I don't have any hobbies that require me to be in a certain geographic area - just want to be somewhere I can be outside alot. So I'm wondering if those of you with kids the age mentioned above - do you feel like much/most of your weekend is circled around your kids and their extracurricular activities along with maybe hanging out in your backyard with your/their friends. Cause if so, I'm thinking maybe it would be better for me to save the cash.
For added note - i work from home. Family doesn't live in any of the state's mentioned.
Arizona sounds like it would be a good option for you. Although I'm not sure "hip" is the word. It has the perfect fit for your described needs as far as city amenities, family life, affordable COL, etc. Not to mention the great weather.
I live in the Maryland suburbs of DC and take my family into DC, Baltimore, Philly, NYC and other places several times a year. They are all within a few hours drive. We also travel a few times a year.
So, it really it depends on your lifestyle and priorities, but you can certainly enjoy a lot that a city has to offer even if you live in the burbs.
I grew up in NYC and LOVED my childhood. City kids do city things. We rode the subway, visited all the museums, went to Broadway shows, ate at nice restaurants, saw indie/foreign films ... we were cultured from a young age! (And perhaps grew up a bit faster than our suburban peers.)
Other families prefer something a bit more Norman Rockwell for their children: big backyards, barbecues, tennis lessons, Girl Scouts, neighborhood parades and Friday night football games.
So I would think not only about what YOU want but what you want for your children. You also have to consider the school situation. City schools can have phenomenal magnet programs, but the performance across the group may be more uneven than in the suburbs.
I'm raising a city kid now (in Cali) and wouldn't have it any other way. We do a combination of typical kids' stuff (soccer, birthday parties, playgrounds) and grown-up stuff ... but all our grown-up (and many of the kid) amenities are that much cooler.
I have older kids and we have utilized our (admittedly small) city amenities much more as they get older. My oldest is not quite driving age, so it's nice that he can bike or ride the bus into town on his own or with friends or a sibling. He can go skate, go to an arcade or the movies or whatever without a parent chauffeur. I grew up in a car-dependent suburb and I'm really glad my kids are not growing up in the bubble that I did.
My younger kids do still spend more time in organized kid-activities, but I see how they are becoming more independent all the time. And as much as I love my children, I'm glad to live in a place that isn't overwhelmingly child centric. When we lived in the suburbs, all my friends were also parents, mostly with kids the same ages as mine. My social circle is much more mixed now.
Rural New England. You will have access to NYC, Boston, mountains, and beaches for the weekends. It's not cheap but a great way to raise a child with a mix of culture.
Might I suggest Pittsburgh? The city is been on everyone's list for most livable city, and next hip city. It's dense, urban, and walkable. It has great cultural institutions, a great art scene, and a really good restaurant scene for city of its size. Most importantly housing is so cheap, that it's easy to afford an actual house in a walkable city neighborhood.
There's also ample green space, and tons of children's activities. I think we spend less than $500 a year for family memberships to all four Carnegie museums, the children's museum, Phipps Conservatory and the zoo.
Rural New England. You will have access to NYC, Boston, mountains, and beaches for the weekends. It's not cheap but a great way to raise a child with a mix of culture.
Good one....I also wonder if the OP could look into major college towns/neighborhoods, as they are generally safe and offer quite a bit in a smaller area. They are walkable and have public transportation as well. It may be a matter of the college town/neighborhood, but they could be another option as well.
I think Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill would be perfect! It's a great mix of Hip and getting Hipper by the day but still affordable and great climate overall not too cold or hot or rainy (Seattle) nice rolling hills,very green trees, cultured, extremely educated. Great for the millennial and whatever generation current kids are called.
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