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Haha, I LOVE the Pittsburgh pride!! Man, if I don't feel the exact same way as the previous poster and I only had the good fortune to live there for a few years (and I'm always trying to go back!) To reference your previous question about Manchester, NH and NH in general, a few things you should know.....Manchester reminds me a great deal of Hartford, CT and that being said, it has it's fair share of crime, it's not near the ocean, the winters are rough, the real estate is....not terrible compared to most of New England. You're right about the no income tax or sales tax in NH, I did forget about that. BUT, you do have some pretty rough real estate taxes, not as bad as where I am in miserable CT, and you'd have to check on vehicle taxes. We pay over a grand a year in vehicle taxes and I'm not sure if NH has them, hopefully not. What you also should know, which alot of people may not mention, NH has seen an ever increasing drug problem over the last decade or so, mostly Heroin and pills to my knowledge. The economy in is somewhat depressed all over NH, except along the coastline where you've got some more affluent residents. You would think Vermont would be in the same boat, but I think Vermont thrives because of all the ski resorts and quaint cities like Brattleboro, Rutland, and Burlington. Honestly, I think Vermont is far prettier too, but you are just so far from major cities there. I would do a fair bit of research when considering Manchester just because of fluctuating crime and real estate taxes and the winters! It's easy to like Winter when you don't live with it every year! In Ct, our Winters aren't nearly as bad, and I can tell you it snowed at least 4 times in March, and once so far in April. Believe me, when winters are basically 6 months long, you begin to hate them pretty quickly! Anyway, I've only been to Manchester once, and my husband and I checked it out for the same reason, but it reminded me so much of Hartford, Ct ( which is one of the most charmless cities you can possibly spend time in), we took it off our list...
PS, strangecat is spot on! I could go on and on, too and I only lived in the Burgh a few years. That doesn't surprise me about all the trees in the city. I noticed it years ago and it's normal to see flowers poking up through sidewalks. Nature and city just melt together there, and it is STUNNING. I've never seen so much honeysuckle in one place! I'm sure you've seen Mr. Rogers or at least know who he is, and he's from Pittsburgh. His opening seen with all the green hills, spotted with little homes and trains rolling through is supposed to be based on the Pittsburgh landscape (to my knowledge). And it really is just that magical!
Wisconsin really sounds perfect for you, except a bit high on the taxes. Purple state. All of the outdoor stuff and common sense planning, etc, are exactly what much of Wisconsin is about. The weather fits too.
Madison might be too liberal/college towny. But you could do something like Milwaukee, Appleton, or one of my personal favorites, Stevens Point.
I live in a 1,200 sq ft house and pay $7,000 a year in property taxes. Not on the lake or anything else fancy. We have pretty high taxes here.
Hi! I recently left a certain high-tax west coast state for a temporary spot in the desert, and am now trying to figure out a place to "put down roots." I may be a bit of an anomaly, so I'm having trouble figuring out where to go. I'd appreciate any advice!
I know the perfect place doesn't exist and I'll need to compromise in some areas (perhaps many), but I thought I'd tap into the collective wisdom of the City Data forum to see if there's some place I haven't yet considered.
Here's what I'm looking for:
- Lots of green and water (fresh water preferred, especially lakes)
- Friendly, reliable people (I'm tired of California flakiness)
- A more humid, cooler climate (dryness and heat above 90F crush my soul)
- Four seasons, a snowy winter, and actual "weather" (I find endless sunshine boring and love winter clothing)
- Outdoor activities (hiking, swimming, skiing, boating, horseback riding)
- Lower taxes (especially income tax)
- A business-friendly, more conservative state that is not a "sanctuary state"
- A bit of a tech/startup/entrepreneurial scene
- A strong connection to the land, agriculture, farming
- Common sense urban planning (bike-friendly, transit-friendly, walkable downtown)
- Historic and more traditional architecture
- Within a 2-hour drive of a major airport, or very close to a smaller regional airport
- Not everyone is married, but also not exclusively a college town
- Some single men with integrity and high motivation
- Population somewhere between 25,000 and 600,000
- Smart workforce for when I need to hire (I currently work from home)
- No sagebrush or chaparral
As someone who's spent most of her life in the busy, stucco'd sprawl of SoCal, I really dig the beautiful stone and brick architecture (whether they're houses or public buildings) in places east of the Rockies. Traditional farmhouses are awesome, too. Also, I'm sick of cactus, sagebrush, and succulents and prefer colorful, green English-garden-style flora. One of my favorite climate types is Koppen Cfb, but the only place it exists in the continental US is a very liberal sanctuary state (Washington) with a high business gross receipts tax. Boo.
Basically, I'm looking for Switzerland, but in the U.S. Does something like it exist here?
More about me, in case it's helpful:
- Mid-30s female, single, no kids
- Motivated and creative entrepreneur with high income
- Educated (grad school) but I don't think higher education is required to be smart and successful
- Friends and family are scattered around the country
- Fiscally conservative
- Socially I don't care too much, as long as it doesn't harm anyone and it's not shoved in my face
- High respect for military
- Strong moral principles but not religious
- Strong love and respect for animals and nature
- Down-to-earth and friendly
Thanks so much!!
Duluth, MN is decent option with some caveats.
The Cons for you:-The populace is very left leaning and is 2.5 hours to a major city.
-Agriculture is less prevalent given a USDA Zone 4B.
-The city is not particularly business friendly.
-Sales Tax is the highest in MN and MN income tax is very high.
The Pros for you:
-Duluth is in the heart of the northwoods and on the shore of Lake Superior. Outdoors is near the top for the region. Highlights are mountain biking, cross country skiing, hiking, and boating.
-Snowfall averages 81.5" (depending on what source you look up and where in the city) and competes with even snowbelt areas for annual snowfall.
-Summers average only 2 days at 90F or above.
-City is up-and-coming and is emerging out of its Rust Belt legacy as a trendy outdoorsy city.
-People are very friendly (in my opinion)
-Unlike Grand Rapids and Pittsburgh, there is no city levied income tax.
-Property taxes are reasonable.
-Cost of living is very nice if you are looking for an old house.
Cheyenne WY...No income tax, has an Air Force Base in the area, it is less than 2 hours from Denver, has a low key Tech scene: Wyoming: a Hub for Tech Firms? , it averages about 60 inches of snow a year, has the outdoor amenities that you are looking for, etc.
Cheyenne WY...No income tax, has an Air Force Base in the area, it is less than 2 hours from Denver, has a low key Tech scene: Wyoming: a Hub for Tech Firms? , it averages about 60 inches of snow a year, has the outdoor amenities that you are looking for, etc.
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Does something like it exist here?
