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Hello! My husband (the cook) and I are in our mid 20's with a 10 month old baby. We currently live in rural WV (I'm talking no stop lights and nearest Walmart is 40 mins away) but the need for his career choice isn't great here.We have talked about Asheville,NC but not sure about the cost of living on a cooks salary (I currently stay home with baby but could change). We want to choose somewhere safe, with things to do (outdoors...husband likes water activities and indoors), and a good place to raise our baby and any future children. Any other ideas would be great! We'd like to stay in the VA,NC,MD area if possible! Thank you!
What about the Eastern Panhandle around Charles Town/Shepherstown/Ranson/Harpers Ferry, etc?
I've thought about Shepherdstown! I haven't been there in about 7 years so I'm sure it's different. Would be nice to be close to D.C. if we wanted to get into some city activities too. Good thought!
Checkout Roanoke, Virginia. It's one of the nicest small cities in the Mid-Atlantic region. City population is about 100,000 with 300,000 in the metro area--large enough for a full range of services/activities (hospitals, airport, entertainment, retail, museums, etc.). It has a beautiful mountain setting and is located right on the Blue Ridge Pkwy. Roanoke's cost-of-living (especially housing) should be somewhat cheaper than Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland cities farther north (Winchester, Martinsburg, Frederick) which are much closer to the expensive Washington, D. C. metro area.
About 40-miles to the east of Roanoke is the slightly smaller city of Lynchburg. This town seems to be rather conservative and family-oriented in character, with a comparatively low cost-of-living. Farther north, you might want to check out Waynesboro or Harrisonburg, Virginia on I-81.
You might find what you need right where you are, though it might take some relocation in the state. I see increasing stories of "foodie" enthusiasm for West Virginia and Appalachian cuisine.
I've thought about Shepherdstown! I haven't been there in about 7 years so I'm sure it's different. Would be nice to be close to D.C. if we wanted to get into some city activities too. Good thought!
This is true and there is rail service into D.C. from that area. So, you wouldn't necessarily have to drive into the city. Passenger Service
White Sulphur Springs/Lewisburg was another WV area that came to mind due the Greenbrier Hotel and tourism in the area, but I'm not sure if it is big enough for you.
Morgantown, with its growth and WVU, also came to mind.
Hello! My husband (the cook) and I are in our mid 20's with a 10 month old baby. We currently live in rural WV (I'm talking no stop lights and nearest Walmart is 40 mins away) but the need for his career choice isn't great here.We have talked about Asheville,NC but not sure about the cost of living on a cooks salary (I currently stay home with baby but could change). We want to choose somewhere safe, with things to do (outdoors...husband likes water activities and indoors), and a good place to raise our baby and any future children. Any other ideas would be great! We'd like to stay in the VA,NC,MD area if possible! Thank you!
You might check out some of the smaller college towns in Virginia along or close to the I-81 corridor that attract people driving in on day trips visiting many of the Virginia wineries due to their nice downtown areas and better restaurants, which would offer some good job prospects for your husband (and you potentially). They're also collectively beautiful small/smaller towns with a great quality of life.
Charlottesville would be my first suggestion because it's very family-friendly, safe and for the most part has good schools (plus the U of Virginia) and is largely even walkable. The population is around 50K (not counting the 20K or so attending UVA). It has convenience to lots of outdoor recreational activities and in-town amenities too thanks to the presence of a major university. The downtown is thriving and has a great pedestrian only mall that stretches several blocks and is a popular place for families close to year-round. https://www.visitcharlottesville.org/about/
Lexington (population 7K) would be a another good choice too I think. It has two colleges VMI (Virginia Military Institute) and Washington & Lee (really good liberal arts college) along with a thriving downtown area with shops and restaurants. It's also quite safe, walkable and has good public schools. Close to mountains and outdoor activities like hiking, climbing and rafting/kayaking also. By far the smallest of the group but has plenty of in-town shopping like Kroger and a WalMart on the outskirts. https://lexingtonvirginia.com/cultur...downtown-charm
Staunton (population 23k) is similar to Lexington and is home to a smaller liberal arts school, Mary Baldwin College. It too has the vibrant little downtown area with some nice restaurants as well. Similarly located like Lexington in terms of outdoor activities. Welcome to Staunton in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley
Lastly another under the radar pick you might check out is Radford (population 16K). It's fairly close to Roanoke and like the other options is a smaller college town (Radford University) and offers that family-friendly vibe with a healthy downtown area of shops/restaurants. Fantastic recreational access too with a major river flowing through town. radford virginia fishing in virginia sports, outdoor recreation, places in virginia
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