Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi ProgressiveBelle! I can so relate to you. I Lived in Denver until I was 10 and then moved to the Texas Panhandle. I made my way to Austin and have lived here most of my life. I love it, but it is too crowded and I miss the beauty of Colorado. We’d like to move someplace like you describe, but we are ok with inclement weather. It sounds nice after living on the surface of the sun/no real seasons for so long. Are you finding that the only rural/natural/healthy liberals are on the west or east coasts? We are going to go check out Morrison, CO, but I think it may be too conservative for us...
Maybe too late for the OP but for others reading and willing to leave the US, Victoria BC might be worth considering. Not as hot as Florida in winter but very mild and sunny winters, not too hot summers, very liberal, very green, not big city but has all amenities and tons of fantastic nature surrounding it. Possibly too pricey for what you’re used to. But maybe not if outside city limits. And would possibly offset real estate cost with no direct cost for healthcare.
The thing is that there are different kinds of progressive. In my state, Detroit and Ann Arbor are the most progressive areas. However, they are geared towards different kinds of Liberals. Detroit is more of the working class, union-type Liberal (which tends to be more conservative on some of the social stuff). And Ann Arbor is more of the intellectual Liberal type progressive.
Also, a lot of areas these days have farmer's markets, organic food, and the like. So acting like you can only find these things in uber-progressive areas is really misunderstanding the larger culture.
Even in my 70-80% Republican area, you can still find organic restaurants and different farmer's markets and the like. I live in a rural area and it's not hard to find people trying to sell their eggs, fruits/veggies/meat straight from their farms. It's not particularly unique or weird. It's just what people do. It's not exactly a particularly progressive mindset to want and sell these products.
I get wanting some place warm, but at least admit, this about finding someplace politically progressive.
Orange County NC would suit you well if you can deal with a moderate three month winter. The area around Hillsborough/Efland fulfills all of your criteria and is within 15-20 minutes of Chapel Hill-Carrboro or Durham which are as liberal as it gets in the US.
As an 8-year resident of Chapel Hill, I would second this! Meets all your criteria.
There are no "liberal" towns, like the real world every town will have a diverse option of people, you will run into people who have all sorts of political views and world views..
Looking at this breakout of voting precincts from the last presidential election looks like there is actually a fairly blue liberal to white moderate wave rolling through a large portion of the south. Of course there are pockets of deep red too, but it is far from predominately hard right everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line.
There are also some beautiful cities in New Mexico like Santa Fe and Taos that are warm, pretty liberal, and not crowded. NM is generally a blue state as well. That might be a good option for you.
I do realize that the Southwest is not extremely lush or green, but you are probably going to have to tweak some things on your list like most people do to be happy, so choosing which items on your list are top priority would probably lead you to find that the political climate is most critical to you, or at least that's the vibe that your post gives off, so you may have to rethink some of the other points.
New Mexico has delightful places that are "woodsy" up in the north and scattered around in other spots. Woodsy here is not claustrophobic impenetrable forests like some places I've lived. Humidity is typically low. Lots of sun. A near perfect four season climate. Winters are usually mild unless you are way in the mountains. It is a Blue state but it has some traditional aspects that might seem too conservative to folks who can't abide the strong Hispanic and Indian heritage in some places. It is very diverse. Trump fans are few and far between and most people are noncommittal and politically tolerant. There are rural counties in the south and eastern plains that are Red but with only 2 million people in the entire state the Rio Grande Valley defines the state for the most part. Check out greener places like near Edgewood or Cedar Crest that are within easy striking distance to Albuquerque. You might look at Ruidoso or Las Vegas (the early one) where mountains and forests are close by. This is a western cultured place so gun-toting, or more likely gun owning, is common. I have no idea what your internet provider needs are or if they can be met.
But to the original post of having 15 secluded acres but within 15 minutes of Whole Foods and arts and culture seem like diametrically opposed needs.
Not really. Off the top of my head three cities come to mind where that would fit....Asheville NC, Chapel Hill NC and Charlottesville VA.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Victoria?
